A Black Eye For Professional Bass Fishing

Recent events cast a shadow over and otherwise honest endeavor.

As a Board of Director Member and former Tournament Director for the Rocky Mountain Team Series, and long-time bass tournament competitor, I find it disheartening when I hear a story like the one that is currently raging through the bass tournament world and splattered all over the internet.  Cheating in bass tournaments is no joke, in any circumstance.

     Here is the short version of events:  Nate Wellman, the winner of the Bassmasters Northern Open on Lake Erie, held Aug. 25-27, 2011, has been penalized for possibly offering his Co-angler $1,000 to place a 4# bass that the Co-angler caught, into the Pro’s live well.  The Co-angler, who has remained relatively unknown, although he has possibly posted on tournament related message boards telling his side of the story, reported that Wellman suggested that he would pay $1000 for the fish, that Wellman said that his father carried the money and he would be paid back at the parking lot, and that he would take the boat out to the middle of Lake Erie so that no one could possibly see the ‘exchange’.  That’s a lot of possibly in one statement.

     After the Co-angler reported this “uncomfortable” offer to the tournament director, the decision of B.A.S.S. is to fine Wellman $2,500 and place him on a 1-year probationary period for 2012.  Wellman is still the winner of the Bassmaster Open on Lake Erie and as such qualifies for the 2012 Bassmaster’s Classic Tournament.

     From Wellman’s side, he has issued a public apology to B.A.S.S. and his Co-angler for placing them in an ‘uncomfortable’ position.  He states that he was extremely nervous about the possibility of winning the event and that he used bad judgment when joking about buying his Co-angler’s bass, and that he never meant it any other way than in a joking manner.

     An unverified person who may be the Co-angler in this story has stated in internet postings that he was “uncomfortable” with what Wellman was saying and that he took Wellman to be serious.  Regardless, the Co-angler should be congratulated for having the ethical bearing to report a violation, even a ‘possible’ one.

     There has been a lot of banter on the internet about this decision to place a relatively minor fine and penalty on Wellman.  Recent comparisons to penalties issued include: Gerald Swindle being DQ’d for passing too close to another boat while on plane, and Kevin Van Dam being DQ’d for having his Co-angler operate the main motor while he stood on the front deck scanning for bed fish.  Why is this penalty less than a disqualification? 

     These past examples are easily documented and clear violations and easy to make a ruling on, but the Wellman case is less so.  First, there is no corroboration; it is one man’s word against another’s.  Given the benefit of a doubt, Wellman may have been joking and the Co-angler may not have realized this.  Second, the “joke talk” of violating rules never actually led to an exchange of catch, since the Co-angler was not enticed to participate.  No tape, no camera, no smoking gun.  Still, this does not release Wellman from culpability.  He has placed a top Professional Bass organization in an embarrassing position and blackened the eye of Tournament Angling.  And in the end, Wellman didn’t even need the fish to win the tournament!  For an aspiring Pro, that’s not professional.

     Wellman has also been banned from participating in FLW events for a period of one year, citing the ‘sportsmanship’ clause, and has incited the ire of bass tournament fans all over the internet.  Social media sites dedicated to banning Wellman from any future events, full of anger and accusation, have sprung up overnight, and internet sites dedicated to reporting bass tournament events have all featured articles regarding Wellman’s controversy.

     Here lies the danger of knee-jerk reactions.  No one was on that boat but Wellman and his Co-angler.  Yet, the outrage resulting from what may have been bad judgment at best, or an attempt to blatantly cheat at worst, may have ended the career of Nate Wellman.

     I have yet to hear of tournament cheating going on around my neck-of-the-woods.  I have seen some rule violations, usually bad judgment, lack of awareness, or ignorance of the rules, and these were dealt with accordingly, including DQ’s.  However, if I ever have personal knowledge of any person, at any level, which knowingly cheated, I will do everything that I can to make sure that those involved never have a chance to fish another tournament in their lives.  It’s just not worth it, so don’t do it!

Fish On!

Jeff Jones