• Welcome to Jetboaters.net!

    We are delighted you have found your way to the best Jet Boaters Forum on the internet! Please consider Signing Up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including Yamaha, Seadoo, Scarab and Chaparral. We don't email you SPAM, and the site is totally non-commercial. So what's to lose? IT IS FREE!

    Membership allows you to ask questions (no matter how mundane), meet up with other jet boaters, see full images (not just thumbnails), browse the member map and qualifies you for members only discounts offered by vendors who run specials for our members only! (It also gets rid of this banner!)

    free hit counter

Cheating Rat Bastards

biffdotorg

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
3,311
Reaction score
3,622
Points
357
Location
Pelican Rapids, MN
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2011
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Sorry, but lead is easy to detect with a handheld metal detector. They do such a good job there is even an article suggesting ERs use them to detect metal ingested by kids vs using xrays. They are easy to train on too, so you don't need any special skills.

.
Agreed, my point was there is not much need for a metal detector in most cases, even though they are used on tour. A fish weighing much higher than the average for it's length will many times be caught if stuffed with metal. The real shock, for most fisherman, is that they even tried. As it's usually obvious when a fish has been stuffed in competition, unless it's a very small amount. As mentioned, they added fillets as well, which cannot be detected by touch. But that has been used by many competitors to add mass that the detectors cannot pickup.

I can't believe they were so stupid to use lead.
 

FSH 210 Sport

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,890
Reaction score
6,902
Points
417
Location
Tranquility Base
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
FSH Sport
Boat Length
21
The real story behind this, is they needed a particular weight to seal the deal on first place (multi-day event). I think they needed around 20lb, and they had 36lb. But they added 8lb's of lead and fish fillets to do it. So they would have won without cheating. Who knows if they had done it the prior days as well.

The purse for this event is one thing, but at this level of competition, their sponsorships are worth much more. And this is the main reason you only hear the foul and filth being yelled by the others, and not any fists thrown. The other fisherman will not risk their sponsorships by whipping their butts. But I am sure the thoughts were crossing all their minds.

Stuffing lead has been done in all levels of fishing touneys for years. So yes, metal detection is one, but most of these metals will not be found that way. Everyone of these pros can guess the weight of a healthy walleye within ounces by length and sight. So when this batch came in, it just took a good rub of the belly to tell they were stuffed. (thus the fish fillets as well as lead were stuffed in there to help hide the lead)
I‘m a total newbie when it comes to tourneys… I’ve done 4 walleye tournaments, in these tournaments they do not weigh the fish, the just measure their length and that length has a weight assigned to it. Thought that was kinda weird but hey everyone gets scored that way so now big deal there. Also, all of the fish at our tournaments have to be alive when measured and they are put back right away. If you come in with dead fish there is a large penalty for them being dead, so much so its not worth bringing them in really.

And to your point about these pro’s or officials knowing what these fish will weigh, my friends used to be professional anglers in Marlin / Sailfish tournaments, if wicked tuna is on these two friends of mine usually guess the weight of a 600 pound tuna within a couple of pounds just by their measurements..

There is cheating in all forms of competition, from the East Germans blood doping in the late 60’s to WRC competition, people who think that is okay are just messed up. Again, to your point, these guys are going to loose out on some big bucks for decades ahead with the loss of sponsor money.
 

Thermobrett

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
3,891
Points
257
Location
Lithia, Florida
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2022
Boat Model
SX195
Boat Length
19

FSH 210 Sport

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,890
Reaction score
6,902
Points
417
Location
Tranquility Base
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
FSH Sport
Boat Length
21
Looks like they are drafting charges…
Finally something positive comes out of Cleveland.
Gotta love [sic] “Allegedly” put lead weights and fillets inside their fish.

Everyone I know has heard of this story. GFP will have some prosecution but the biggest hit will be their loss of sponsorship dollars, a scarlet letter C, and the loss of competition in any fishing tournaments anywhere going forward. up till now I’d never heard of polygraph tests being used in any competition.

There may have been some confusion regarding who the cop is, according to this article the tourney official was the sergeant and is the one that discovered the weights. Also looks like $30,000 was up for grabs at this event, maybe I missed that bit in another post.


In another related story…
 

biffdotorg

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
3,311
Reaction score
3,622
Points
357
Location
Pelican Rapids, MN
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2011
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
I‘m a total newbie when it comes to tourneys… I’ve done 4 walleye tournaments, in these tournaments they do not weigh the fish, the just measure their length and that length has a weight assigned to it.
This particular tourney, they do live weigh ins. There is another video circulating of the actual weigh in. And yes, they do go out of their way to keep the walleyes alive, using perforated catch bags and the fish in water during the process. They were obviously dead in the last video, as they were held when suspected of stuffing.
 

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Just saw this on yahoo. These guys won a boat and thousands of dollars before being caught. In an interview before this event, after winning three other major events one of the guys claimed he expected to do well because that’s what they do, winners win.


F5511F4F-589B-4604-9B88-A65623466855.png
 

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Unrelated but i recall that a few years back a crew landed the biggest marlin during a tournament in Cabo San Lucas where first prise was $1m. They didn’t get the money and got disqualified instead because one person on the crew didn’t get his $20 fishing license that day. I think they were all friends before the tournament not sure about afterwards. I’d probably have a tough time drinking with a guy who just cost me $100k or more.
 

Thermobrett

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
3,891
Points
257
Location
Lithia, Florida
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2022
Boat Model
SX195
Boat Length
19

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
Messages
8,468
Reaction score
11,232
Points
637
Location
SF Bay Area
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
They have only been charged with the possible crimes from this tournament not anything they might have done in past tournaments, yet. Dude even had his boat and trailer seized. I hope they get the book, make it the entire set of books, thrown at them. Once a person is convicted as a felon it will follow and impede them for the rest of their life. These guys were definitely short sighted on this, risking their freedom and future for $29k, $14.5k each before taxes.
 

FSH 210 Sport

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,890
Reaction score
6,902
Points
417
Location
Tranquility Base
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
FSH Sport
Boat Length
21
Unless it can be proven there was unlawful activity in past tourneys nothing will happen on that front.

Grand theft is a felony, I think the other charges are misdemeanors. And the grand theft may not stick either.. it would be attempted grand theft. The boat being seized is part of the alleged walleye fillets that would have put them over their limit.

Best thing to come out of this is these two will never be in any tournament of any kind again, and they lost all of their free stuff from sponsors. At this point to me it is dubious that any jail time will be served. Fines, you betcha. Maybe a permanent loss if any hunting or fishing licenses ? Possible but loss for a few years more likely.

Time will tell.
 

Thermobrett

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
3,891
Points
257
Location
Lithia, Florida
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2022
Boat Model
SX195
Boat Length
19
So we had a judge where I grew up on the eastern side of Cleveland in Lake County that would make you pay for your crimes with humility.

-A kid called a police office a pig, the judge made him stand outside the police station for 1 week dressed as a pig with a bill board stating what he did so all the officers could see.
-A lady dropped a bunch of newborn kittens off in the Metroparks in the winter, the judge made her sleep in the woods in just pajamas in the snow for the three days that the kittens where in the woods with no fire and no food

Not sure how this particular crime would go, but I am open to suggestions.
 

fatboyroy

Jetboaters Captain
Messages
1,012
Reaction score
967
Points
207
Location
Sebastian, FL
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2021
Boat Model
FSH Sport
Boat Length
19
They have only been charged with the possible crimes from this tournament not anything they might have done in past tournaments, yet. Dude even had his boat and trailer seized. I hope they get the book, make it the entire set of books, thrown at them. Once a person is convicted as a felon it will follow and impede them for the rest of their life. These guys were definitely short sighted on this, risking their freedom and future for $29k, $14.5k each before taxes.
I read in another article the boat that was seized, they won in previous tournament. So they probably assuming they cheated (which is very likely), not sure how they going to prove it in court though unfotunately.

EDIT: Looks like they seized the boat cause it was used in the tournament (when they were caught), not sure if they can keep it, its probably just for evidence.
1665667553510.png
 

biffdotorg

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
3,311
Reaction score
3,622
Points
357
Location
Pelican Rapids, MN
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2011
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Alleged tournament cheaters Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky have been charged with three fifth degree felonies and one misdemeanor in connection with the LEWT year end championship. Their arraignment is coming up on October 26th

 

Thermobrett

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
3,891
Points
257
Location
Lithia, Florida
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2022
Boat Model
SX195
Boat Length
19

FSH 210 Sport

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,890
Reaction score
6,902
Points
417
Location
Tranquility Base
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
FSH Sport
Boat Length
21
Not just monkeys… wild monkeys LOL!
 

FSH 210 Sport

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,890
Reaction score
6,902
Points
417
Location
Tranquility Base
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
FSH Sport
Boat Length
21
Alleged tournament cheaters Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky have been charged with three fifth degree felonies and one misdemeanor in connection with the LEWT year end championship. Their arraignment is coming up on October 26th

Should be interesting to see how this all turns out… I kinda doubt there will be significant jail time, the seizure and sale of the boat should cover all of their fines. They could very well lose their ability to get any kind of hunting / fishing license in Ohio from now on. Guess it will depend on whether or not they have priors when it comes to sentencing.

While I know very little about Ohio’s legal system, I will say that it would be great if other criminal activities were treated with such alacrity by the law.
 

Thermobrett

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
3,891
Points
257
Location
Lithia, Florida
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2022
Boat Model
SX195
Boat Length
19
To put these guys into comparison.
Me 20 years ago with a 12lb 28 1/2” Fish Ohio (non typical) walleye
CC342364-4209-443E-A405-F2600F80671C.jpeg

Me about 30 years ago with a 7lb walleye.
DE8C659B-AEF5-44DA-AEA6-4261727F04AE.jpeg

Both caught in Lake Erie.
 

itsdgm

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
3,637
Reaction score
3,089
Points
417
Location
Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2007
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
21
So we had a judge where I grew up on the eastern side of Cleveland in Lake County that would make you pay for your crimes with humility.

-A kid called a police office a pig, the judge made him stand outside the police station for 1 week dressed as a pig with a bill board stating what he did so all the officers could see.
-A lady dropped a bunch of newborn kittens off in the Metroparks in the winter, the judge made her sleep in the woods in just pajamas in the snow for the three days that the kittens where in the woods with no fire and no food

Not sure how this particular crime would go, but I am open to suggestions.
I guess that judge would’ve simply “filled them full of lead.” 😂
 

Thermobrett

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
3,891
Points
257
Location
Lithia, Florida
Boat Make
Boatless
Year
2022
Boat Model
SX195
Boat Length
19
Top