I went out fishing today and the ice was rotten from top to bottom. It never got below freezing last night and the wind worked the water on top of the ice through the ice column. The lake has even turned dark at this point. Open water could be here within a week if the correct conditions prevail, which they just might.
BTW-Didn't catch anything but saw a pike go by high in the water column.
Kevin Van Dam's DQ Full BassFan Story here.
BP's Take: One thing wrong with the current state of professional bass fishing is the state of rules in relation to violation enforcement. Often the time DOES NOT fit the crime. I don't understand why a disqualification is the default punishment for a rule infraction. A minor rule violation, such as Van Dam's oversight, should not in my mind rob a competitor of the chance to be competitive in a tournament; There are far more creative ways to mete out justice. What about weight penalties? fines? docking a person's blast off time? Instead of being creative and fair they hand out what amounts to a death sentence for a tournament. Hopefully this is something the PAA will be able to redress and get some positive action on.
Also frosting my cookies on this issue is this comment from FishingMinnesota.com Bass Forum.
Why is he such a class act? He was caught CHEATING, whats more damaging to the sport, a stuck up snob that follows rules or someone caught cheating? I like KVD dont get me wrong but he did something that he is not supposed to do period. friendlyKVD did not "CHEAT", he broke a rule or in basketball terminology he commited a foul.
Let us consider "CHEATING" vs. commiting a foul:
Putting lead weights in the belly of a fish, CHEATING! Putting fish in a box or on a Stringer to retrieve, CHEATING! Breaking lake restriction rules in pre-fishing, CHEATING! Culling in a no cull tournament, CHEATING. Blowing through a no wake zone, CHEATING
Forgetting to put your life jacket on, NOT CHEATING! Forgetting to wear the kill switch, NOT CHEATING! Failure to have a ratings plate on your boat, NOT CHEATING! Fishing in a restricted area, NOT CHEATING! provided you don't catch and keep a fish out of the area otherwise, CHEATING! Fishing without a licence, NOT CHEATING! Having a observer hold a branch, NOT CHEATING!
Updated: The KVD DQ cost him Angler of the Year, which he would have won going away. He nearly won it as it was finishing 2nd to Ike.
1 comment:
In with the rain, out with the ICE!
I guess if KVD intentionally broke that same rule, it would be considered cheating. Its kind of a fine line. I do not believe KVD intentionally broke that rule, so I would say its more of a foul than cheating. Likewise, if you fished an off limits are knowingly, that would be cheating. Besided why would VanDam cheat, he is already better than everyone else :0
I can understand why he was DQ'd, it could be a unfair advantage to cover that much more water and to find a bunch of giant females. If it was just a weight or take off penalty. Some anglers may justify those penalties and do it anyways...
The boys better watch out at Guntersville, because I have a hunch that he will be back with a Vengence!
Tight Lines,
HellaBass
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