A run-of-the-mill bass fishing tournament in Texas quickly became a potential crime scene last weekend. On Sunday, March 8, tournament officials from Big Bass Splash’s Lake Fork Lures Co. Tournament called Texas Game Wardens about potential tampering with one of the prize fish.
The incident ended in the arrest of one of the tournament participants, who now faces third-degree felony charges.
Cheating in Texas Bass Tournament: What Happened?
The Lake Fork Lure Company Tournament is a bass fishing competition that awards hourly cash prizes for fish caught by competitors. The total prize value of the tournament exceeds $10,000. During the event in Wood County, Texas, organizers flagged a catch from angler Curtis Lee Daniels. Daniels had already won two hourly prizes totaling $2,500.
According to a statement from Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), a metal detecting wand alerted officials to a potential foreign object in one of Daniels’ fish. The tournament organizers called the Texas Game Wardens, who arrived shortly.
“Wardens conducted a necropsy on the fish and discovered three weights in its stomach that showed no signs of erosion,” TPWD said. The three 0.75-pound weights added 2.25 pounds to the largemouth bass.
Wardens investigated further and found the same kind of weights in Daniels’ boat. Consequently, they arrested Daniels, a resident of Willow Park, Texas, and charged him with violating the fishing tournament law. Since the tournament prize was above $10,000, the charge automatically became a third-degree felony.
If convicted, Daniels could face no more than 10 years and no fewer than 2 years in prison, as well as a fine up to $10,000. His bond was set at $20,000.
In a Facebook post, Big Splash Bass thanked the wardens for their assistance.
“On behalf of our tournament staff and anglers, we want to sincerely thank you for your time and professionalism in investigating the recent fish manipulation incident this past weekend during the Lake Fork Lures Co. Tournament Presented by Sealy Outdoors,” it said. “Maintaining fairness and integrity in competitive fishing is incredibly important to us, and we greatly appreciate the diligence and attention you gave to this matter.”
In the end, William McDaniel of Festus, Miss., won the tournament with a bass weighing 10.22 pounds.
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