The Cowardly Lie'n

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
Exodus 20:16

This Email about the B.P. was sent to the Baxter Bass Snatchers by a false accuser and coward (I don't know any Jon Beaupre):

-----Original Message-----From: Jon Beaupre [mailto:fishincops@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008, 7:23 AMTo: Subject: Dave Maas-KNOWN CHEATER

If you have allowed Dave Maas into your club, you better think again!

He has a history of pre-fishing the morning of a tournament, fishing off-limit waters during a tournament, and knowingly fishing for bass out of season.

Here is proof of his pre-fishing on the day of the tournament (cheating) from his own blog:

______________________________________________________
posted by Basspastor 6:49 pm 0 comments
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Proof Positive that BP is a bass tournament cheater: http://basspunditthq.blogspot.com/2006/03/team-bass-guygal-sylviatwin-july-23rd.html

http://basspunditthq.blogspot.com/2006/03/team-bass-guygal-sylviatwin-july-23rd.htmlDoes This make me a Bass "Perp"?????
_____________________________________________________


Now, he says that "he didn't think it mattered," but he took second place, cashed a check, and was subsequently asked to not return to the club.

Here is the quote from his blog: "Technically, I think this was against the rules, but it's the guy/gal tournament, and so I didn't think it mattered. I wasn't pre-fishing. I knew this spot holds the bass in the early morning and that I would not visit the spot in the tourney, and probably nobody else would as well."

The Team Bass club rules specifically stated that there was no pre-fishing the day of the tournament, and just the fact that it helped him pattern a bite makes it cheating in most books. How did he know that no one else would fish that spot? It is just a bad excuse for his cheating.

Read the link and make your own decision!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now I have already once blogged about this "Cheating" accusation here. I also responded to the "Cowardly Lion" in the comments section of a blog post.

In this email sent to members of my new club, there are two outright, bald-faced lies.

I have never fished "off-limit waters during a tournament."

I was not "subsequently asked to not return to the club."

As for the charge of "knowingly fishing for bass out of season," this has been thoroughly vetted on my blogs. It is neither illegal nor unethical to catch bass out of season, provided you are legitimately targeting a fish species in its open season. Do I catch bass trying to catch Dogfish, Crappie, and Pike in the Spring? Yes, but so does everybody else who legally targets those species. The "Cowardly Lion" obviously cannot let a settled issue rest.

As for the "Cheating" at the Sylvia/Twin Guy/Gal tournament and the so called getting kicked out of the Team Bass Club. A further apology on my part is in order.

The Team Bass Club 2005 Guy/Gal Tournament was held July 23 at Sylvia/Twin Lake in Wright County, MN. My family had a cabin on Sylvia/Twin until I was 31 years old, and it is the lake I know better than any other and have fished more than any other. On the morning in question, I arrived at the access early and headed to a shallow, rocky point with no pronounced drop-off on a weed flat. I went to this spot because I knew it held lots of little bass that bite on topwater in the morning before the sun gets up to high. I have fished this spot many mornings with buzzbaits and other topwaters, and I can't remember ever catching a fish bigger than 12" off of it. The Guy/Gal tournament got off to a late start at 8 am, or maybe it was 9 am, and by that time, the little bass scatter from the exposed rocks and go onto the weed flat. The notion that I was establishing a pattern is ludicrous; there isn't another spot on the lake like it.

My plan for the day and what we did was fish Slop for 95% of the day. I did catch 1 keeper bass off a point, but that point doesn't have rocks, isn't part of a weed flat, has a very sudden and distinct drop-off, was windblown, and I have caught many bass over 12" off of this particular point. That is 5 distinct differences between the two "points."

The Guy/Gal tournament did not count for any points in the Team Bass Standings and was a tournament I thought the club did for fun and trophies. I only found out the money was on the line when we were at the weigh-in, and they handed out checks to the winners. Had I known the money was on the line and someone would be hyper anal retentive about it, I would not have fished for fun early. There was nothing for me to gain by doing what I did except to enjoy myself, which is what I did. I probably caught a dozen 7-10" bass, just like I thought I would. The spot has been consistent that way, and I am willing to sacrifice size for topwater when I'm fishing for fun. I used a topwater popper to catch all of these little bass. I did not use a topwater popper at any time during the tournament. Yet another gaping hole in the theory I was "pre-fishing" to pattern fish.

How does my "sticking" little bass the morning of a tournament in any way benefit me for the tournament day?

The place I was fishing that morning was directly between the public access and where we headquartered the tournament in an area where the lake narrows down. While fishing, I waved at several club boats as they passed by. I am sure at least 3 tournament boats saw me, and no protest was filed on the tournament day. My sister-in-law Erin and I came in 2nd place and won $100 and two trophies. I believe the "entry fee" to fish the tournament was under $20. In Team Bass, you pay a flat fee at the beginning of the year, and that is divided among all the tournaments.

Apparently, the "Cowardly Lion" learned about what I did because they read my blog about it. This person obviously reads my blogs even though they hold a grudge against me. "Know your enemy," I guess. The "Cowardly Lion" has never addressed me directly but anonymously went to the Tournament Director, Dale Glader, and filed a protest months and months after the fact. I assume the same coward sent the email to my new club. The Team Bass Tournament Director got my side of the story and did not D.Q. me and ask for the money back. I would have paid the money back if that had been the punishment. I was "punished" by not being allowed to fish in the first tournament of the next season in W.I. The Tournament Director knew I had no intention of fishing this tournament, so the actual punishment was less than a slap on the wrist.

As I noted above, it is a bald-faced lie that I was "subsequently asked to not return to the club." I fished two tournaments in 2006 and was headed to my third at the Horseshoe Chain in early July when I hit a deer and totaled my truck. I no longer had my vehicle to get to the tournaments, so I didn't attend any more tournaments that year. In 2007 I elected not to rejoin the Team Bass Club on my own; I was never asked to leave.

Since the "Cowardly Lion" still frequents my blogs, why don't you show a little courage and admit who you are and renounce the lies you have told about me. I want to hear about this incident where I fished on "off-limit waters" during a tournament. I am not gonna hold my breath, but I am gonna say this:

The Guy/Gal tournament is for fun, and money just happened to be on the line. My actions were predicated on the fact that I did not take that particular tournament seriously. I think your attitude and actions make you a Grade A Royal Prick, "lighten up Francis."

BTW "C.L.," the guys who got the email think what you did is bush league, and they have made up their minds and have allowed me to join the club.

Fishing Goals 2006

Fishing Goals 2006

Crappie:
1. Catch 14inch or bigger
2. Find the Crappies this spring on Platte

Dogfish:
1. Repeat as MN Bowfin Grand Champion
2. Catch a State Record Doggy (Current Record 10lb15oz 32"/15"- 31"/14.5")

Walleye:
1. Catch a 30inch fish.

Pike:
1. Win or place in the money in Hillman Lions Platte Lake Pike Tournament (August)

Bass:
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 7lb Largemouth
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth
3. Catch 40 Bass@ or over 19inches or 4lbs.
4. Catch 60 Smallmouth.

Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 4 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place
5. Limit every tournament
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish
7. Make the Super Stars Tournament

New Lakes to Fish:
Osakis (Team Bass)
Bordon

Moving Goal Posts

The 1st Team Bass Tournament blew some of my 2005 Fishing Goals out of the water and so some are being modified to reflect the new realities.

The Old Goals were
Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 7 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place
5. Limit every tournament
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish

The New and improved version...
Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 7 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place in Minnesocold
5. Limit every tournament in Minnesocold
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish

Commence Blogging

The Weather has turned fowl, it's a cold rainy day on the shores of Platte Lake and so the BP will blog instead of flog the water this afternoon and evening.

The BP's Bone Lake Tournament Report is now ready at BP's Tourny HQ.

The Month of April is now fully logged at the Fishing Log Blog.

More Developing...

Updated: Fishing Goals 2005

Crappie:
1. Catch 14inch or bigger
2. Find the Crappies this spring on Platte

Dogfish:
1. Repeat as MN Bowfin Grand Champion
2. Catch a State Record Doggy (Current Record 10lb15oz 32"/15"- 31"/14.5")

Walleye:
1. Catch a 30inch fish.

Pike:
1. Win or place in the money in Hillman Lions Platte Lake Pike Tournament (August)

Bass:
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 7lb Largemouth
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth
3. Catch 40 Bass@ or over 19inches or 4lbs.
4. Catch 50 Smallmouth.
Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 7 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place
5. Limit every tournament
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish

New Lakes to Fish for Bass:
Lobster (Team Bass)
Sauk (Team Bass)
Bordon
Erskine
Camp
South Long

BP's Fishing Goals 2005

Crappie:
1. Catch 14inch or bigger
2. Find the Crappies this spring on Platte

Dogfish:
1. Repeat as MN Bowfin Grand Champion
2. Catch a State Record Doggy (Current Record 10lb15oz 32"/15"- 31"/14.5")

Walleye:
1. Catch a 30inch fish.

Pike:
1. Win or place in the money in Hillman Lions Platte Lake Pike Tournament (August)

Bass:
1. Catch a 21plus inch or 7lb Largemouth
2. Catch a 21plus inch or 6lb Smallmouth
3. Catch 40 Bass@ or over 19inches or 4lbs.
4. Catch 50 Smallmouth.

Team Bass Trail:
1. Win 2 Tournaments (1@Horseshoe)
2. Win Big Bass 2 Times
3. Place in the Money 7 times
4. Never Finish below 10th place
5. Limit every tournament
6. Average over 2.25lbs per fish

Bass Pundit News

Prayer Request:I just learned that my brother Todd has applied to be the MN Teen Challenge Dean of Men, so if you could pray for him and the organization while they are in the process I would appreciate that. My brother was a Youth Pastor for several years and just earned a Masters Degree from Bethel University and as you might already know my darling niece Isabelle is their daughter (Scroll down).

The Bass Hole (Ex-pat bass fisherman in Korea) Spring Fling.

Be sure to register those FLW Fishing Challenge Teams for Beaver Lake this week before Wednesday. The Pundit Picks Staff and Pro's Picks are up.

Have you heard of any Bass or fishing blogs?
If you have than tell me there URL's by leaving a comment. Or if you just wanna say hello Click on comments or write something in the guest book.

Thanks to Gregg over at My Bass and I I should have this website a little more streamlined in a few days.

Once again thanks to my brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Erin Sutter-Maas I'll be fishing Team Bass Tournament Circut/Club this summer.

Also again this summer I will be volunteering to help with G.E.M. Camp. With the high gas prices the operational cost of getting to camp and running the boats will be higher than it's ever been, so if any Bass Pundit readers are feeling generous and want to make a monetary donation, a donation of quality usable tackle, or a donation of something else you think might be beneficial to a fishing Camp for Teens than email me at basspundit@hotmail.com or Contact Camp Director Dave Lindmark by email dlindmark@usa.net or phone (952-882-1711).
Great Expectations Ministries is a 501(c)3 non profit organization; all donations and contributions to it are tax deductible.

In addition to helping with GEM Camps, I will be out with them for the annual Rush Lake Crappie/Panfish Outing on April 30th, this will be my 6th or 7th straight year. I also plan on helping with the GEM Minnesota Fishing Opener Trip to St. Louis River near Duluth. I went on that GEM outing last year and it was a ball, I even caught a limit of walleyes (of coarse the limit on the St. Louis is 2).

In other BP fishing news I will be attending the 2005 Fishers of Men Club(Twin Cities)/ Teen Challenge Spring out May 7-10 at Camp Wapogasset near Amery WI. I will be helping guide for some of the Teen Challenge program participants and staff. If the warm weather holds than the fishing should be phenomenal. MN Teen Challenge is another organization that the BP considers worthy of donations.

I've already mentioned and linked The Fishers of Men Club (Twin Cities). If you went or go to the link you will see that our meeting place has changed but not the night, first Thursday of the Month from 7-9PM. Also note that the webpage is a different URL.

The first MN open water reports are in and to keep tabs with MN fishing information go to Catch-N, FishingMinnesota, and LSF Bulletin Boards.

Be sure to check out what is up with the Fishers of Men Tournament Trail (MN & WI Divisions)

The MN Ice out range is moving up.

Bits and Bites

Spent yesterday with the fam for a triple B-day celebration. The tot Isabelle is cute as ever, sorry no pics. We played this great game called Apples to Apples.

For my B-day I got $50 in Gander Gift Certificates, now if Gander will just carry the stuff I want. Also got the U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Limited Edition Book, CD, and DVD. Very Cool! I will do a review of the CD at some point, I like the album a lot so far. U2 rocks! Anyway U2 fans, check out this U2 dedicated blog U2 Sermons Blog

If you didn't know; Today the Green Bay Packers will face the Minnesota Vikings for the first time ever in the NFL Play-offs. The game is at "Lambert" field. The Pack and their Cheesy head wearin, beer swilling, paint thinner sniffing fans are the arch-enemies of us Purple People. It would be an upset for the Vikes to win, but the teams are fairly even. The Vikes lost both regular season match ups by last second field goals. I think if there are competent and fair refs than the Vikes have a real shot at it. Hopefully they won't get blown out as was the typical playoff scenario when Dennis Green was the coach. If the Vikes don't win, I think they should fire their head coach Mike "Pencil Head" Tice.

I didn't get to see Bass Center yesterday.

My guess is that FLW will open up its Fantasy Bass Fishing this week with only two weeks before the first tourny of the season. Look for updates here at the BP Blog.

I will probably start building the Bass Pundit Blog Franchise Empire today or tommorrow. How exciting huh!

Quite a few houses out on Platte at this point and they are driving here and on Bulldog. I'm not so sure about the other lakes. I will probably try to ice fish this week maybe if the weather doesn't turn wicked cold again. But I need to get some maggots. Which will mean a run up to Sportland (see bait link). I also need a new reel thanks to my Pinnacle's bail spring breaking, LOSER!.

I think I will be done for now, thanks for stopping by, here's a pic ;)

Pic by Mike Davis.
Mike Davis and I were sitting out a storm on Whitefish Lake on July 3rd of last summer. We were there pre-fishing a tournament and we found a ton of fish and had a pretty good time despite the rain delay. The scenery in this part of the lake was really something. Anyway, Tournament Day I just could not find em or any keepers; I didn't weigh a single fish. My worst tourny of the year by far.

BP's 2004 Tournament Review Part 1 (Accomplishments)

2004 Top Angler Fishers of Men Fishing Club (Twin Cities)
2004 "FallEE WallEE" Trophy Fishers of Men (TC) Fall Outing
1st Place Team Bass Bone Lake Tournament
4-01Big Bass Team Bass Bone Lake Tournament
1st Place Fishers of Men Club (TC) Rush Lake Tournament
20" "Trophy" Size Big Bass.
1st Place Fishers of Men Club (TC) Fall Outing Tournament 2
3rd Place Excel Bass Rabbit Lake Tournament
3rd Place Fishers of Men Club (TC) Fall Outing Tournament 1
4th Place Team Bass Koronis Lake Tournament
5th Place Team Bass 1stPlatte/Sullivan Tournament
7th Place Team Bass Super Stars Tournament
Total of 7 Team Bass Top 10 Finishes.

2004 Fantasy Bass Fishing:
FLW Fishing Challenge
7th Overall in Final FLW Fishing Challenge Fantasy Bass Standings
"Minnesocold BP Boys" (900 Plus Players)
8th Place Prize FLWFC Lake Okeechobee Proxy Team (P.T): "Cyb's BP Boys"
18th Place Prize FLW Kentucky Lake "Minnesocold BP Boys"

ESPN/B.A.S.S. Fantasy Bass Fishing
2nd Place FishingMinnesota.com League with P.T.: "Schmenzig Bassmen"
86th Place Overall Finish ESPN/BASS FBF with P.T.: "Schmenzig Bassmen" (30,000 plus players)
4th Place FishingMinnesota.com League with P.T.: "BPs Dad"