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A viral video shows a lead weight being pulled from the winning fish caught by Jake Runyan and Chase Kominsky and a walleye being cut open.
TOLEDO, Ohio – Lake Erie is part of Ohio’s appeal. It brings about $1 billion to the economy. This weekend, the lake became the arena of a fishing tournament with the participation of anglers from all over the world.
The official weigh-ins on the Lake Erie Walleye Trail at the end of the tournament caused a stir as the contestant asked the winners. Viral video shows walleye being sliced and lead weights being pulled from the winning fish, causing outrage in the fishing community.
Other people in the video claimed that the two winners, Jake Runyan and Chase Kominsky, had previously cheated at tournaments and essentially stole their winnings.
The owner is Ludovik Pawliski Steal baitsa local online only fishing tackle company and podcaster covering sport fishing. He said the sport costs thousands of dollars in entry fees, travel and equipment to participate, and it’s a shame to see people who appear to be cheating.
“It ruins the tournament for everybody,” Pawliski said. “The tournament director, he’s obviously going to take a hit. Everyone will have a bad taste in their mouth. It’s very painful to see what happens in a big tournament like this. Especially one that is so close to home. “
The director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail disqualified participants. The pair are now under investigation by the Department of Natural Resources, which is filing a report with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, and may face charges of attempted theft, a felony.
Pawliski said if a couple cheated, the way to fix the situation is to get the money back.
“They can make them pay compensation,” Pawliski said. “I think that’s definitely a prison sentence. I think there is a “correction of the rules of the game” (violations), something along those lines. There’s a whole range of things they can be accused of.”
Jason Fisher, director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail, said on Facebook Live Monday night that the incident was the worst case of cheating he’s seen in sports. He also announced his intention to implement new weighting protocols in future tournaments.
