Who should speak up....

[Parrotth3ad _]

We fished a wildcat T Saturday night and didn't have enough fish to place, (well, they would't let me weigh in that 6.5 lb striper) but while watching the weigh-in, the third place team weighed in 2 dead fish which by the rules is a 4 oz penalty per fish, 8 oz total. The director of the T didn't deduct any weight and the 4 place team, beat only by 6 oz, didn't call the dead fish penalty either. We all fish together in at least 3 T's a week and penalties have been assesed in the past for dead fish, but due either to oversite, or neglect non were assesed this time, and like most T's, once the money has been handed out, that's the end of your chance to protest. I know going in if I weigh dead fish, I'm gonna get zapped but if the T director doesn't deduct, and the team behind us doesn't protest it, who should speak up? I know the honorable thing to do is to fess up while your fish are being weighed, knock your own penalty after your weight is called but should everybody call that kind of foul?

 

[gone bye bye]

This has actually happened to me, but it was not for a win or place but for a chance at being on the coveted 12 man team to represent our state at the BASS Northern Divisional.



I was in third place after day one with an impressive 19 plus pounds of smallies. The second day I couldnt get alimit to save my life and only weighed in 4 fish.



After the final standings were posted I noticed the dilemma. I had a dead fish the first day and it was not deducted from my total weight. I was in 13th and about to be an alternate for the state team and the Divisional was to be held on my home lake of St Clair.



Well knowing that I had a .2 lb lead over the guy in 14th place and still "owed" my .25 lb dead fish penalty I was faced with the decision of giving up the alternate spot on the team. The decision was an easy one, and I informed the tournament director of the oversight and was officially announced to be in 14th place instead of 13th.



Needless to say that the guy that WAS in 14th was awfully surprised that anyone would actually have the honesty to come clean. My response was I would be surprised if he didnt do the same for me....call me naive or shouldnt we all adhere to that kind of level of honesty and itegrity?



My advice would be to bring it up at the next tournament and let bygones be bygones. We are human and all make mistakes, but you cant tell me that the team that had the dead fish didnt know that about the "oversight". Just keep your eye on them and dont be surprised if they start having a little "bad luck" after all this. Remember that the Lord works in mysterious ways....



Mini

 

[Ken Neeley]

Mini,

Nice to know our State Team boys still have some integrity!!! LOL



How'd ya do Sunday?

 

[Bill McElroy]

STILL?????,....We NEVER lost it!!!!

Mac

 

[Ken Neeley]

I stand corrected!!!

We have the most honorable, honest, trustworthy team in the nation, even if they ain't one of the purdiest!!!!!

 

[Bill McElroy]

That's better!!!....LOL (and as far as "purdy",...you MUST be refering to Mini!!...LOL)