| bassfan | Signed on: Thu Jul 22 06:00:03 2010
Statement From WON Bass
A Southern California angler has been banned from all Western Outdoor News tournaments for life after he was caught bringing "salted" bass to the scales of the 2010 U.S. Open at Lake Mead, Nevada.
Mike Hart of Winnetka, Calif., was one of a handful of pros who had three dead fish to their name after the second day of competition. All were under suspicion the third day because when the dead fish were cleaned in order to be donated to charity, lead weights commonly known as ring or torpedo sinkers rigged with a single hook to keep them in place were found in the bellies of three dead bass.
Hart was the only one on the list who had moved into the money and when he brought his fish to the scales today (Wed., July 21) tournament directors John Cassidy and Billy Egan felt what seemed to indicate weights. Hart's fish were taken immediately to be inspected in front of law-enforcement and Nevada Fish and Wildlife officials and lead weights were found in all of the fish Hart presented. When confronted, Hart immediately left the scene at Callville Bay.
"Mike Hart is banned for life for presenting fish to the scales that had unnatural objects in their stomachs," said WON BASS tournament director Harvey Naslund. "We plan on pressing charges against Mr. Hart and we will void any victories he has had in any past WON Bass events."
Photo: WON Bass
Here are photos of the weights removed from the stomach of a bass allegedly presented by Mike Hart at today's weigh-in.
The Hart name is known to almost all Southern California tournament anglers.
Hart, in tandem with partner John "Zanko" Viazanko, have torn up the Southern California fishing scene over the past several years. This year, the duo won six of the seven events in the WON Bass Southern California Teams division. Competitions were held at Castaic and Pyramid. The year before, the duo won four of the seven Southern California WON Bass team events.
Over in National Bass West, Hart and Viazanko won three of this year's six events in the Southwest division. Additionally, Hart and partner Aaron Fischinger won a National Bass West Friends of Castaic benefit tournament in May of this year.
Notably, there were reports of a fish cage found by anglers in Pyramid Lake in April of this year.
Prior to teaming with Zanko, Hart fished with big-bass specialist Bill Siemantel. Siemantel told BassFan tonight that he hasn't fished with Hart as a partner for at least 3 years. Siemantel now fishes with Troy Lindner, son of legendary angler Al Lindner.
"In team tournaments when I fished with Mike for a few years, we did very well," Siemantel said. "We won the K-Frog truck down at Diamond Valley and we fished very well together. In all the years I fished with Mike, I never saw anything that would tarnish his reputation. That being said, I've not fished with Mike or been around Mike in the last 3 years."
Carol Martens, mother of Aaron Martens and a California tournament angler herself, noted to BassFan: "What does this disturbing and shocking discovery mean for all of us who've been giving him our team-tournament money at almost every tournament for a couple of years now?"
Today's events marked the second major cheating scandal in the past year. In April, Texas angler Robby Rose pled guilty to charges that he cheated at the 2009 Ray Hubbard Bud Light Trail Big Bass Tournament. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail and 5 years probation.
According to the Rockwall County District Attorney's office, Rose admitted that he inserted a 1-pound lead weight into a fish he'd caught. The fish was weighed by tournament officials. First place in the event was a new Legend bass boat, valued at $55,000.
In comparison, 1st place at the U.S. Open is regularly valued at approximately $100,000.
There's not yet an indication as to whether Hart will be criminally charged in Nevada, although Nevada law-enforcement officials were present today. Additionally, Lake Mead is a border water with major portions in Arizona, which could mean that if officials feel Hart committed fraud, and crossed state lines with his boat at any time in the event, he possibly could be charged at the federal level.
BassFan will continue to track this story and report further developments. |
Robert Jacobs
from Cape Town | Signed on: Thu Jul 15 06:48:21 2010
Hi, I am really like the TV coverage on BETT. We would love to see a BETT in the Western Cape! |
Ters
from Ellisras | Signed on: Wed Jun 30 09:24:10 2010
Hi wanneer is daar weer n BETT kompetisie op mokolo dam |
Martin van Staden
from Witbank | Signed on: Tue May 11 15:21:12 2010
Thanks for the great program,keep up the good work |
Tarryn
from Richards Bay | Signed on: Mon Feb 22 10:51:53 2010
To the Z-Craft team... Giep & Piet - Good luck guys, tight lines and do us proud, we know you will...  |
Rowan
from Richards Bay | Signed on: Wed Jan 27 07:41:57 2010
Great site!! Good luck to all the participants... Catch those biggens!!!! |
Doug Kemp
from JHB | Signed on: Tue Jan 19 15:45:13 2010
Great looking site guys, i was loving the TV series. Good job Betters!  |
Pieter
from Qatar | Signed on: Thu Jan 14 20:26:41 2010
Very good site. Ek laaik hengel want ek kan nie visvang nie. Ek stem dat daar meer sponsers moet wees vir die jonger geslag. Wonder ook lank dit gaan vat vir die politieke magte om die sport oor te vat. |
| James Booyens | Signed on: Tue Jan 12 08:39:33 2010
Fishing isn't a matter of life & death ...
its far more serious than that.
|
| Strech 40 | Signed on: Tue Jan 12 08:21:00 2010
Yip i must say you spot on there,Bett has really done a good job with the tv coverage.They have really helped alot of anglers gain sponsors.I am also glad that there are lots of corporates that are helping with the sport of bass.Welldone bett!!! |
