Walleye Tournament Cheaters
- Thread starter barney
- Start date
aaronc
12 pointer
Stick with your axe bro's. A much higher grade of human than the tournament fisherman on average 😁
DH13
12 pointer
Fishermen accused of cheating indicted on felony charges
Jay Busbee
Wed, October 12, 2022 at 6:06 PM
The fishing scandal that fascinated the nation last week is entering its courtroom phase.
After Jacob Runyan, 42, of Ashtabula, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, were accused of cheating during a fishing tournament on Lake Erie, a Cleveland grand jury indicted them on fifth-degree felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools. In addition, the two have been served with the first-degree misdemeanor charge of unlawful ownership of wild animals.
Runyan and Cominsky were accused of stuffing the walleye they brought as their tournament catch with lead sinkers and fillets, discovered when a tournament organizer weighed the fish and saw them come in at far more than an expected weight. A close inspection of the fish, followed by an on-the-spot dissection, proved that the fish were indeed illegally stuffed.
"I take all crime very seriously," Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said in a statement, "and I believe what these two individuals attempted to do was not only dishonorable but also criminal."
Earlier this week, Pennsylvania authorities also seized a boat and trailer owned by Cominsky.
The duo had been on a remarkable — and, to many other anglers, highly suspicious — winning streak for several months, winning multiple tournaments on Lake Erie and along the way amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money and awards. When the pair's fish were cut open to reveal the weights and fillets, other anglers erupted in rage that was caught on cellphone video and spread across the internet. Their rage arose from the fact that in tournament fishing, winners claim prizes that could, and should, have ended up with anglers that didn't cut corners in order to finish the tournament.
The two anglers are scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 26.
WildmanWilson
12 pointer
I hope they get some prison time and big fines and maybe it will stop others from doing it.Fishermen accused of cheating indicted on felony charges
Jay Busbee
Wed, October 12, 2022 at 6:06 PM
The fishing scandal that fascinated the nation last week is entering its courtroom phase.
After Jacob Runyan, 42, of Ashtabula, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, were accused of cheating during a fishing tournament on Lake Erie, a Cleveland grand jury indicted them on fifth-degree felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools. In addition, the two have been served with the first-degree misdemeanor charge of unlawful ownership of wild animals.
Runyan and Cominsky were accused of stuffing the walleye they brought as their tournament catch with lead sinkers and fillets, discovered when a tournament organizer weighed the fish and saw them come in at far more than an expected weight. A close inspection of the fish, followed by an on-the-spot dissection, proved that the fish were indeed illegally stuffed.
"I take all crime very seriously," Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said in a statement, "and I believe what these two individuals attempted to do was not only dishonorable but also criminal."
Earlier this week, Pennsylvania authorities also seized a boat and trailer owned by Cominsky.
The duo had been on a remarkable — and, to many other anglers, highly suspicious — winning streak for several months, winning multiple tournaments on Lake Erie and along the way amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money and awards. When the pair's fish were cut open to reveal the weights and fillets, other anglers erupted in rage that was caught on cellphone video and spread across the internet. Their rage arose from the fact that in tournament fishing, winners claim prizes that could, and should, have ended up with anglers that didn't cut corners in order to finish the tournament.
The two anglers are scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 26.
DH13
12 pointer
Wed, October 26, 2022 at 11:32 AM
CLEVELAND (AP) — Two men accused of stuffing five walleye with lead weights and fish fillets during a lucrative fishing tournament on Lake Erie pleaded not guilty to cheating and other charges on Wednesday.
Jacob Runyan, 42, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, made no comments during their brief court appearances in Cleveland. Their attorneys declined to comment about the case after the hearing.
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor James Gutierrez also declined to comment, referring questions to a spokesperson.
The cheating allegations surfaced Sept. 30 when Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament director Jason Fischer became suspicious because Runyan and Cominsky’s fish were significantly heavier than walleye of that length typically are. An angry crowd at Gordon Park in Cleveland watched Fischer cut the walleye open and announce there were weights and fish fillets stuffed inside them.
An officer from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources confiscated the fish as evidence.
Runyan and Cominsky were indicted earlier this month on felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft, possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor charges of unlawfully owning wild animals.
Both were released Wednesday on personal bonds of $2,500.
The first place prize in the tournament totaled around $28,000.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Two men accused of stuffing five walleye with lead weights and fish fillets during a lucrative fishing tournament on Lake Erie pleaded not guilty to cheating and other charges on Wednesday.
Jacob Runyan, 42, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, made no comments during their brief court appearances in Cleveland. Their attorneys declined to comment about the case after the hearing.
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor James Gutierrez also declined to comment, referring questions to a spokesperson.
The cheating allegations surfaced Sept. 30 when Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament director Jason Fischer became suspicious because Runyan and Cominsky’s fish were significantly heavier than walleye of that length typically are. An angry crowd at Gordon Park in Cleveland watched Fischer cut the walleye open and announce there were weights and fish fillets stuffed inside them.
An officer from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources confiscated the fish as evidence.
Runyan and Cominsky were indicted earlier this month on felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft, possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor charges of unlawfully owning wild animals.
Both were released Wednesday on personal bonds of $2,500.
The first place prize in the tournament totaled around $28,000.
Little FR
12 pointer
So they were farm raising them too? Gee whiz.
B.M. Barrelcooker
12 pointer
They probably have live scope too.
Dirtbags
Dirtbags
CRFmxracer
12 pointer
Back in the mid 2000s Sam lashlee got his head bounced off gravel just for mouthing off to the wrong guy during a tournament. These guys would’ve left in an ambulance from kentucky lake
RIP JS, or was that Scotty he got into it with? I can't remember, been a while....
CRFmxracer
12 pointer
I can’t remember dudes name but I do know he’s passed away since
Meatstick
12 pointer
Wife sent me that today lol
Meatstick
12 pointer
My boy is only 8, so she wouldn't let me lol
aaronc
12 pointer
That's funny. I find it ironic that in a world full of cheaters and crooks we somehow have an expectation of fisherman to be on the up and up......and they are famous for telling lies 😂
