March 21, 2014 at 10:56 AM, updated March 21, 2014 at 10:59 AM
|Michael C. Bolton |
To be honest with you, the story someone sent to me on Facebook tickled me
to death. It was with great joy that I read an article that said a
Minnesota judge had sentenced a fisherman to jail after he admitted that he
cheated in a fishing tournament.
What surprised me was that the reactions from my non-fishing friends
weren't nearly as enthusiastic.
Let me start by saying that I despise cheaters. I doesn't matter if people
cheat in the business world, in a fishing tournament or even playing UNO
with their family and friends. I don't like it.
The story said that the 72-year-old Minnesota fisherman, who some had long
suspected of cheating in tournaments, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of
theft by swindle for bringing two previously caught pike to the Park Rapid
American Legion Community Fishing Derby.
The story didn't say how much money the man won by cheating. I don't really
think it matters. Stealing is stealing.
"Your conduct had a major impact on these fishing tournaments," Judge
Robert Tiffany told the man. "I hope you realize the seriousness of your
conduct."
Cheating, the judge said, takes the enjoyment and joy out of it for those
who bring their kids and other honest participants.
That's a nice point judge, but the real issue here was that the man was
attempting to steal money from others. I see it being no different than him
walking into a convenience store, grabbing some money out of the cash
register and running.
The man faced a maximum penalty of five years in jail and/or a $10,000
fine. Instead the judge gave him a week in jail, four years probation and a
$200 fine. Personally, I wish that the man had received the maximum
sentence.
I was telling friends about the story the other day and I must say I was
shocked at their reaction. I was told that I was nuts and that it was just
a fishing tournament. I was told that our court system is too busy with
important things to be tied up with something as unimportant as someone
cheating in a fishing tournament.
I suppose I should have expected that from people who have never plopped
down their money to fish in a tournament. When you do that you expect to be
playing on a level playing field. Someone who cheats to win is stealing.
There's no other way to look at it. The court should deal with thieves.
One of the most troubling moments of my life occurred in a Crappiethon USA
tournament on Weiss Lake years ago. Someone fixed me up with a partner who
was an expert fishing on the lake. We were having a good day and I felt
like we might be in contention for the win.
That afternoon the fishermen turned around and told me to come look at
something. I went to the front of the boat and he showed me a crappie
weighing about 2 1/2 pounds that was lying on its side in the water and
gasping for air. The man let out line, guided the jig into the fish's mouth
and set the hook. He unhooked the fish, tossed it to me and told me to put
it in the live well.
I asked if that was legal. He said the rules say the fish has to be hooked
in the mouth and the fish was still alive. Sure, it was legal, he said.
That bothered me. I'm sure a jury would say it was legal according to the
rules, but the rules weren't the issue. I knew if we won the tournament we
would be required to take a polygraph test. I wasn't sure that I could pass
even though technically it was probably a legal fish.
After about 30 minutes of worry I opened the live well, took the fish out
and threw it back into the water. The man got mad. I explained to him if I
failed a polygraph test at a fishing tournament my career as an outdoors
writer would be over.
I must say I was relieved when we didn't win the tournament. I will always
wonder if I could have passed that polygraph even after throwing that fish
back.
I don't consider myself a saint but I do consider myself a typical
fisherman that occasionally fishes in tournaments. We all want to win but
the vast majority of us would never consider cheating or even bending the
rules.
Those that don't believe in such are thieves and should be dealt with
accordingly. Jail time is fine by me.
