The bassin' peanut gallery thinks it over....
9/8 update: All you need to know is right here on Bassin’Fan, nice job fellas. Only other person I would’ve asked to talk to is Wellman’s father since he’s mentioned in connection with the whole deal….
As you might have heard, Nate Wellman, winner of the Bassmaster Northern Open on Lake Erie last week, got fined for allegedly suggesting at least once to his day 3 co-angler that he buy one of his fish. Wellman wasn’t DQd, but was fined $2,500 and placed on a 1-year probation.
Only the two guys in that boat on day 3 know for sure what went down, but here’s my read…which along with $1.00 will get you a sausage biscuit at Mickey D’s.
And btw, if anyone’s expecting me to come down one way or the other on this, no can do. Haven’t talked to either of the guys in that boat, and am explicitly staying away from the bassin’ grandma rumor mill, which only operates at one setting: completely outta control. Maybe someone will do those interviews, hopefully on video – BassinFan! Loudmouth Bass? (lol, anyone remember that Tony Christian interview)….
1. This boiled down to a he-said/he-said. You might think, “Duh,” but:
> Trip Weldon is a great TD, meaning from what I’ve seen he’s fair at all times and will err on the side of caution. That said, if the hammer needs to be dropped, he’ll drop it.
> IMO the new owners of B.A.S.S. will fo-sho back him up, if not make the hammer drop even faster when appropriate. Would not be surprised if Nate got a personal call from Jerry McKinnis telling him to keep his nose squeaky clean or else.
> If you don’t like Trip’s ruling, take a couple deep breaths, have a beer, then ask yourself what you would’ve done in the same situation.
2. From the B.A.S.S. statement: “After an investigation, B.A.S.S. officials found that the outcome of the tournament and the final results were in no way compromised and did not result in changes to the final standings of the Bassmaster Northern Open on Lake Erie.”
> In other words, no matter what was said or how it was intended, no fish changed hands…ergo no DQ.
3. One-year probation.
> To me, this is the big one. IMO, this means that what Trip heard was serious enough that he’s giving Wellman a warning, and by doing that is telling Wellman’s sponsors and fellow pros to keep their eyes and ears open.
> We all know what even the rumor of cheating can do to someone in this sport, so I’m sure that wasn’t a decision made lightly by Trip/B.A.S.S.
> Anyone who thinks the punishment wasn’t severe enough, think about the evidence (not really evidence, per #1 above), and then how it would be perceived if you were in national fishin’ media over this issue and were given a 1-year probation. This bein’ bassin’, some folks won’t like the punishment but IMO it fits what we’ve heard so far.
4. No polygraph?
> No word on whether a polygraph was given. If we assume not, that’s because Trip and B.A.S.S. were comfortable that nothing happened that would’ve changed the outcome of the tourney.
> There’s no way Trip could tell for certain if someone was lying…other than maybe a polygraph. I say “maybe” because I’m not a polygraph expert.
5. Wellman was quoted in the B.A.S.S. press release, but not the co-angler.
> Wellman is quoted and says it was all a misunderstanding. No quote from the co-angler. I get it, Nate is a pro and was the subject of the complaint, so he has to say something. But no quote from the co-angler might make the guy look like he’s being a little sensitive or paranoid in bringing the complaint, rather than a B.A.S.S. member with the stones to do it. Know what I mean?
> B.A.S.S. isn’t in the business of doing investigative reporting on its own tourneys. I think it should be, but….
> Take a look at the top comment to the B.A.S.S. post here. Believe it at your peril because 90+% of all rumors in Bassin’ville are BS. Have to ask: Where is Bassin’Fan in this? Hopefully busy chasin’ down the story….
6. B.A.S.S. stated, “The fine monies will be donated to the Ohio B.A.S.S. Federation Nation to support its conservation efforts.”
> Cool!
So…
Polygraph every winner, every time. Better yet, the Top 5. It’s the only way.
And I’m talkin’ every trail giving away significant money, not just B.A.S.S.
More
> A little math: Wellman’s fine was less than 5% of his winnings for the derby.
> Some folks think the question that should be answered is: Should Wellman have been given a polygraph to find out if he attempted to cheat? My knee-jerk on that is that Trip/B.A.S.S. didn’t think that was warranted, I’m assuming for good reason. But I’ll keep turning it around and type something out if it makes sense. Lemme hear your opinions in the meantime….
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Ryno
September 6, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Here is where I have a snag with this whole thing,the report from B.A.S.S states that Nate broke rule #3 in the event,the rules state that violation of rule#3 is disqualification.In my own opinion for Trip to have made these calls he had to feel that Nate had done something wrong.An Elite angler there is no room for error when it come’s to the question of did he or did he not intend to cheat.Bass fishing is a sport that many of us live and breathe everyday and for there to be a cloud of dishonesty at the top level of our sport just feels wrong to me.
admin (mostly Jay)
September 6, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Ryan, here are the Open rules I found (pdf). Not seeing an auto DQ. See page 1 of the rules for the options. Not saying you’re wrong, just pointing out, let me know if I’m reading them wrong….
Dan Roberts
September 6, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Tony Christian… I think I do remember that interview. Isn’t that the guy who bad-mouthed FLW and was shortly thereafter booted by the beast?
Will Petty
September 6, 2011 at 8:04 pm
I believe you are referring to Jeff Coble as the one who wore the Duke hat in the BFL All American before having it out with Irwin. Tony Christian was the one who was putting bass in 55-gallon drums with slits cut in the top just wide enough for a fish to be pulled through.
Alex Voog
September 8, 2011 at 3:06 pm
After A LOT of searching, I can only find two rumor mills that have the “caught out of a drum” story. (a LARGE rubbermaid with 3 crossing slits in the top is what I read, not sure how feasible that set up would really but, plausible yes, feasible…?). All the posters admit it’s hearsay, but no “confirmed” reports anywhere. If true, that sucks big time, I kinda liked the guy, but if he really did cheat so blatantly, and then go on Loudmouth Bass to “defend” himself, my disgust will overwhelm me. I’d like to think he was just really good, but……….
admin (mostly Jay)
September 8, 2011 at 3:27 pm
I’m not defending anyone here, but can say for sure that he was never accused of or disciplined for cheating as far as anyone is aware, with only Charlie Hoover, Irwin Jacobs and Tony I guess knowing for sure. Tony has also always denied cheating. When he was on Loudmouth I think it had been a year or more since he was booted from FLW and everywhere else. ESPN wanted him on because it was searching for “controversy.” My opinion: Not being specific about why someone is disciplined does more to harm the perception of the sport than the reverse.
Champion202
September 6, 2011 at 7:04 pm
We’ve all thought about buying a co-anglers’ fish. The fact that not-so Wellman had a plan on how to do it, leads me to believe it was pre-meditated to him. Perhaps an inquiry to prior co-anglers will reveal more of this behavior… Trips’ initial decision was sound based on the current facts at that time. Let the results of an investigation determine how bad this skunk smells!!!
As far as the co-angler being a rat, I believe a modest backgroud check will confirm his integrity, and what did he have to gain by speaking out? Nothing at all, if he was vermin he would’ve taken the bribe!!!
Chad Keogh
September 6, 2011 at 10:31 pm
I think if Wellman was currently telling the truth about his comments being purely in jest and to lighten the mood, then he would not only welcome, but request, a polygraph. Let’s see what happens…
admin (mostly Jay)
September 7, 2011 at 7:11 am
Good point, IF a poly works for that. I’d think it would, but not sure.
Rich Arnold
September 7, 2011 at 8:31 am
I don’t think that a poly would have helped to determine if Nate was joking or serious. The results would have been most likely inconclusive. Trip wanted to fire a shot across the bow as a preventative measure based on rumours of similar instances. I know that Trip takes this stuff seriously. Back in 2008, he called me perrsonally to apologize for BASS over penalizing me which effected my final standing (not prize money though) in a tournament on Lake Wheeler. I have a lot of respect for Trip.
Ronald J. Lindner
September 7, 2011 at 9:25 am
some time ago an open letter to the sportsfishing world by my brother Al Lindner..stated that polygraphs are one of the better lines of defence for this kind of stuff ……they do them in most of the Canadian events we fish…yet most of the tours don’t seem to want to use them…the sport will continue to suffer this way until they do..
Alex Voog
September 7, 2011 at 1:59 pm
I have that Tony Christian interview on tape. My take was he was innocent of cheating, refused to bend over when the big boys whined and Chah-lie knee jerked. Heaven forbid you defend yourself like a man. Nate Wellman just made a bad decision in his joke’s timing. Even though at the time, according to Trip, the co-angler’s fish would NOT have helped Nate’s weight, he should have known better and so should his co-angler. His co-angler? Well, I’ll just say, I wouldn’t pull a move like that unless I KNEW he was dead serious. Context is everything. Trip and Jerry would have shot Nate out of a cannon if they fully believed he attempted to cheat. The FLW is just being protective, and preemptive, and have laid down the law on “joking”…..
Rich Arnold
September 8, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Alex,
Sorry to disagree with you, but you should have read the co-angler’s statement (dock talk on BassFan). he said, “I also know that when he said he ‘would give me $1,000 for my fish’ and that ‘his dad walks around with $1,000 to $3,000 cash in his pocket’ and ‘we could meet up with his dad after the weigh in to take care of it,’ and the fact that he said he ‘would drive me out to the middle of the lake to transfer the fish to his livewell so that no one would see’ it was not a joke.” I agree that statements like that are more premeditated and not made in jest. I am glad to see that he reported him. I have rode in the boat with several pros and had some really good days when they did not. Never were statements like that made. Instead of a co-angler giving other co-anglers a bad name, we have Nate giving other pros a bad name.
admin (mostly Jay)
September 8, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Guys, I removed the b-words in your comments here. Trying to keep it PG….
Alex Voog
September 8, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Got it boss……
Alex Voog
September 8, 2011 at 1:55 pm
No sweat Rich! Thing is the quotes by his Co-angler Mr. Stois have only just today been posted/released. If they are true, they put everything in a VERY different light, and I would readily retract my previous statement. They mightily transcend a Wellman off hand “joking” quip, and go directly to “WTF dude”. IF that IS almost verbatim, then he deserves the boot.
Chris
September 7, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Since none of us were in the boat we will never actually know what was said nor were we able to “read” the situation as it developed. However, it is being reported that Nate made those statements and when questioned said he was just kidding. That reminded me of my younger days when “hitting on” the opposite sex and getting turned down (occasionally) saying “I was just kidding” to save face. If Trip felt there was a violation the rule calls for a DQ not a fine and probation. Nate now has the opportunity to fish the Classic, think of the uproar there will be if he were to win it, God forbid. Thanks to the co-angler for coming forward.
Leo
September 22, 2011 at 7:43 am
I’m not an attorney but if you happen to come across an undercover (female) cop and proposition her your f’d no I was joking would get up out of trouble. bad comparision mabe but lets clean up the sport or risk not having one!!!