HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE...

[drill instructor]

I really think CUSA needs to clear this issue up soon, unless there are still legal actions. I hate to hear our sport having issues with tournaments.

[brushnjigs]

Ok . Answer this why now the 1st place team never had take a polygraph test for now being the winners. The word they were out fishing on the Friday before it came back on limits Sat.. And someone has supposed to have taken pictures of them on the water and loading the boat on trailer.

Everyone receiving a check should have to take a poly, this would stop the crap. If you are saying they were ON the lake when it was OFF Limits, they should be DQed. Rules are rules.

[CrappiePappy]

I'm confused ...

Is it not common understanding that there could be a polygraph test ... ??

Rickie

(taken from the rules & regs ... very first paragraph)

2016 Tournament Rules & Regulations

By your participation in this tournament, you agree to comply with the following rules and agree to submit to and pass a POLYGRAPH TEST or similar truth test in order to qualify for the receipt of any prize. Test will be given to teams at random at all events.

********************************************

It would seem that they had been "randomly" chosen for the polygraph test

Scuttlebutt/rumor (from participants in the tourney) was that they failed the poly on the question of "did you catch all your fish at this lake ?"

In any event, they were DQ'd for some reason that the CUSA reps decided was reason enough.

And to the comment about pics taken of them trailering their boat on Fri ..... the rules stipulate that you can pre-fish/practice up to midnight of the day before the tourney. So, that in itself would not be reason enough for the DQ.

And as for them hiring a lawyer & fighting the decision ... not going to happen, and here's why : (copied from the rules)
"At the request of Crappie USA, one member of each team that qualified for a prize must submit to and pass a POLYGRAPH TEST and/or any other test deemed necessary to determine compliance with tournament rules. Polygraph tests will be given at random at all events. Only one member of the team selected by the tournament director will be tested. If that member passes the test, the prizes earned by the team will be awarded. If that member fails the test the team will be disqualified and neither member of the team will be awarded a prize. The test will be given only once, and no contestant will be eligible for a second test under any circumstance. The decision of the test examiner as to the contestant’s compliance with tournament rules will be the final decision as to eligibility for any prize. Contestants agree to release Crappie USA, Inc., Crappie USA Tournament Trail, American Crappie Association and all sponsors of these events from any liability arising from the administration of the test and/or the decision of the test examiner."

We can all speculate all we want, but the decision was made and followed thru with.

... cp

[dkb23]

Well said.

[filletfetish]

Answer this why now the 1st place team never had take a polygraph test for now being the winners. No where to be found after weigh in.

They (Kyle & Rodney) couldn't be found because as soon as they weighed in and got pictures taken, they were taking the polygraph. We were one of the last to leave and Kyle was in the last shuttle, right behind us. I talked to him briefly as we picked up our boats.

Also, the first test came back inconclusive. CUSA gave the team the benefit of the doubt, and allowed the other team member to be examined as well. Neither passed. It was deemed inconclusive, which isn't a pass, nor a failure. The rules clearly state that you have to pass the polygraph.

I think CUSA knew something was up and quite possibly have more evidence then they have been willing to share. Keep pushing them, and maybe they will. I like transparency myself.

[wicklundrh]

Pappy,

Thanks for digging those up. I was going to do the same thing last night but was typing on my tiny little phone screen. Those rules are almost verbatim of rules in other tournaments (walleye, bass, etc...). Most of them are represented by the same legal organization.

[Ketchn]

all the above stuff I read on this subject makes me sad on several levels .

[NetMan75]

CrappiePappy, the Classic is different from those rules. There is a dead period that you have to observe, and a time limit the day before the tournament. These rules are clearly defined in your Classic qualification papers.

[CrappiePappy]

CrappiePappy, the Classic is different from those rules. There is a dead period that you have to observe, and a time limit the day before the tournament. These rules are clearly defined in your Classic qualification papers.

NM75 ... that would make sense, but I'm not a CUSA member and only quoted from the rules listed on their website link. The info about the poly question was from one of the participants (a well known Crappie.com member) as told to another member (close friend of mine).

Suffice it to say, that the whole deal may never be divulged ... so all we can do is speculate. And if the "filletfetish" info is correct, then it was the right call IMHO. When I ran Crappie.com tourneys down in Tenn, back in 2000-2005, I had to DQ some participants and it wasn't an easy thing to do ... but, it was a unanimous vote among the committee of judges, so it had to be done, even though the DQ'd parties were "friends/acquaintances" of many of the other team members.

... cp

[D10]

This has happened on Greers Ferry Lake in Arkansas on a small bass club Tuesday night tournament series. I don't think the law was involved. I think the locals go it straitened out. The cheaters were caught catching bass ahead of time and putting them into an underwater metal cage. The other anglers noticed that every week this one team would win an their fish were all beat up. They ended up catching them red handed retrieving fish from the cage. I think that first place was only a couple hundred $. Shameful to say the least. Fishing is supposed to be fun. If you have to cheat to have fun, you are missing the point.