Rules violation costs tournament anglers almost $1 mil

[OnTheFlats]

This is crazy - lack of a $15 fishing license costs these guys $900,000 and a record

http://www.jdnews.com/sports/rock-79581-city-rules.html

[mikev]

Not sure what I think about this one. I think it's the captains responsibility to make sure everything is in order. However, it's pretty hard not to take someone on their word. Then again, it's not that hard when you don't know that person. I'm sure they put up quite the entry fee, so they should have checked everything IMO.

[Seth]

How crazy is it? Lying and cheating, huh, would you keep someone in your employ that lied to you and cheated you out of hard earned money? The rules seem simple enough. With so much money on the line, the captain should have checked every persons license. I know captains that require you to produce a license just to go on a charter. While it blows to have money, any amount, snatch from you pocket, the money was never theirs. When the boat left the dock it was disqualified. I remember going undefeated in football my senior year in high school and preparing to go to the state playoffs only to have our head coach come in and say we would not be going. We were going to have to forfeit every win that year because one player had not passed his classes and was thus ineligible. Since he played we were all punished. Hey, life rolls on.

[Ozimo]

How many tournaments require a mate to have a fishing license, if he's not an angler?

[fishouttah2o]

How many tournaments require a mate to have a fishing license, if he's not an angler?

any angler on the boat may or MAY NOT need a license, in NC there is a license system that covers all anglers on the vessel and they do not need an individual license,...... if the VESSEL has the proper license.

[diggin4grouper]

any angler on the boat may or MAY NOT need a license, in NC there is a license system that covers all anglers on the vessel and they do not need an individual license,...... if the VESSEL has the proper license.

this wasnt a charter boat , this is a privte owned boat therefor everyone on boards needed to have a valid fishing license , and a paid charter can not fish in a tournament with a purse !!!!!

Under tournament rules, “anyone fishing aboard a vessel” in the Big Rock must have a N.C. fishing license, including the captain, the mate and anglers.

[jberry12]

Was the unlicensed person a armed forces veteran? or Active Duty? He may have certain exemptions that may qualify him; such as active duty ID card; military orders; or disability ratings from the VA, that would make him "qualified with exemptions"???

Just a thought.

[Ozimo]

“anyone fishing aboard a vessel” in the Big Rock must have a N.C. fishing license, including the captain, the mate and anglers.


Ban the mate from other tournaments, but do not disqualify the angler. He did catch it under IGFA rules and that's all that should count. This biz of requiring all on board to have a license is ridiculous. How many mates do you know, that have any time to fish?

[flfisherman]

What a disappointing thing to happen. I agree with you MikeV someone on the team should have checked to make sure everyone had what was required for the tournament.