How an Indiana Man Allegedly Cheated in a Recent Chicago Bass Fishing Tournament

Fisherman catching fish with a rod (Getty)

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An Indiana man allegedly cheated at a bass fishing tournament in Chicago earlier this month by smuggling fish across state lines and trying to pass them off as tournament catches.

Apparently he was caught in the act by someone who smelled something fishy.

According to a news release issued Thursday by the state, Illinois Conservation Police received information on May 10 that David Moore, 49, of St. John’s Indiana, was hiding fish on a spar of the Calumet River. A Cal Sag Bass Anglers tournament was scheduled for the next morning, May 11, at the Waterfront Marina on the Little Calumet River in Burnham, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago near the Indiana border.

Cal Sag Bass Anglers Tournament rules state that waters are off-limits the day before an event.

The next morning, according to the state, conservation police observed where the tip entered and observed Moore retrieve four smallmouth bass from the lode and place them in his boat’s livewell before throwing the line on the shore and move away.

Police confirmed with the Cal Sag Bass Anglers weighmaster that Moore was entered in the tournament. Conservation Police then waited for Moore to return to the tournament weigh-in location, according to the state.

The tournament limit was five bass, with a minimum length of 12 inches. The total weight of the fish in Moore’s possession, according to the state, was 19.5 pounds.

However, after further investigation, the state said conservation police determined that Moore caught four smallmouth bass on May 10 in Lake Michigan near Hammond, Ind., and imported the fish in Illinois without a permit for species susceptible to HSV (viral hemorrhagic septicemia).

If Moore had been allowed to continue, according to the state, he would have won the tournament by more than four pounds, taking home the $1,300 first prize. Instead, Joe Zehner, 70, was the rightful winner of the tournament after catching five bass weighing a total of 15.16 pounds.

Moore was cited for the following charges, according to the state: attempted theft, possession in excess of the daily limit of three smallmouth bass, failure to immediately release smallmouth bass unharmed, taking and possession of smallmouth bass causing free waste, throwing fishing line on the bank. wastewater and import VHS-susceptible species into Illinois without a permit.

For his alleged offenses, Moore was charged with two Class A misdemeanors, four Class B misdemeanors and one misdemeanor, according to the state. A court date for Moore has been set in Cook County.

To report poaching and other illegal activity, complete the Target Illinois Poachers (TIP) incident report form or call 877-2DNRLAW.