Breach of integrity costly for fisherman

Nearly 120 boats hit the water when the Western Outdoor News U.S. Open bass tournament began last week at Callville Bay on Lake Mead. Participating pro anglers were competing for $40,000 in first-place prize money along with a new Nitro Z-8 bass boat with a 225 horsepower Mercury Pro XS and all the trimmings.

After three days of fishing, 1.39 pounds separated the top three finishers in the pro division. Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz., picked up the top prize money and the boat with a total bag weight of 31.44 pounds. His big fish weighed 3.23 pounds.

Dick Watson of Alta Loma, Calif., and past winner Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., took second and third and received $17,000 and $9,000 for their bag weights of 30.98 and 30.05 pounds. Pirch finished second in 2009.

In the AAA division, Chris Ricci of Bend, Ore., probably wished he was fishing at the pro level, because his 31.11-pound bag was second to Pirch. Ricci pocketed $5,500.

In second and third place were Neil Burns of Surprise, Ariz., and Ryan Yamagata of Las Vegas. Their winnings were $4,000 and $2,500.

The event was not without controversy.

According to an article at WONews.com, Mike Hart of Winnetka, Calif., was caught trying to weigh in a full limit of fish stuffed with torpedo weights. Instead of prize money, Hart was banished for life from all Western Outdoor News tournaments, and any of his past victories will be voided.

Other bass organizations followed suit.

Fellow anglers aren't giving Hart any slack, either.

At getbentsportfishing.com, SoCalSteve wrote: ''It makes me sick! The guy is (was) a legend around here. ... he seriously dominated every tourney he fished! It was so bad that a lot of people stopped fishing Castaic tourneys because they didn't just wanna 'donate to Hart.'

"I have never personally fished against him, lost money to him, or been cheated by him, but my tourney partner has. Of course, it is merely speculation that he was cheating in the past, but if you look deeply into this incident, it is clear that this is not the first time he has done this.''

Hunting and fishing demand the best of sportsmen because compliance to game laws -- or, in this case, tournament rules -- often is based on the honor system. At some point, each of us might be tempted to violate a regulation or a rule. What we have to determine is what our integrity and reputation are worth.

Evidently, Hart didn't put much value on his.

No one can take our integrity. We have to give it away.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His "In the Outdoors" column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.