Nate Wellman

[champion_206]

http://bassfan.com/docktalk.asp    sad

[motocross269]

He is getting hammered all over the internet....I don't know him at all but he is going to have some real struggles in the future with this...

[djkimmel]

I hope more boaters will remember now that you can't even joke about breaking the rules. And if there is any proof it is ever not a joke... gone baby gone.

[Mini]

I hope more boaters will remember now that you can't even joke about breaking the rules. And if there is any proof it is ever not a joke... gone baby gone.

NOT the case. BASS had FIRST HAND WITNESS ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED (isnt that considered proof in court?).....and they slapped Nate on the wrist.

His days catch should have been DQ'd at a minimum!

[motocross269]

I hope more boaters will remember now that you can't even joke about breaking the rules. And if there is any proof it is ever not a joke... gone baby gone.

NOT the case. BASS had FIRST HAND WITNESS ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED (isnt that considered proof in court?).....and they slapped Nate on the wrist.

His days catch should have been DQ'd at a minimum!

I have to disagree with you on this one Mini....If all it took was a "He said this" comment between 2 people there would be alot of people sitting in prison for sexual harrassment or other crimes...
A fellow employee at Ford just went through this a few years ago...A girl said he made sexual comments to her..He was immediately fired and it darn near cost him his marriage...Over 10k dollars in lawyers fees and a suit against her for defamation finally got him his job back....After over a year.....She had made obvious lies and her comments were contradictory and they basically threw it out of court in less than 15 mins.....But look what it cost him..
Obviously Nate himself admitted he made the comments...It is the intent that is in question and I think that BASS did all they could given the "Proof" that they had....
I don't know Nate and he could be a POS for all I know but we have to be careful what we wish for....Maybe the Guy was a buddy of Rhode..... J/K but you know what I am getting at.....

This just firms up my belief that Draw tournaments are probably the way to go if you are concerned about cheating...I am not saying that everyone that fishes Team tournies are cheaters but there are always those 1 percenters....There is very little checks and balances in Team tournaments and when you are fishing for 10k dollars there are a few guys out there that might be tempted.....JMHO

[Mini]

Nate admitting making the comment. You buddy at Ford obviously vehemently denied his accusations. There is the difference.

Its ok to disagree....BUT....did the punishment fit the rule violation based on BASS accounts and history?

[motocross269]

I do agree with you mini on the point that BASS and other tournament organizations need more consistent "Sentencing guidelines" when doling out punishment....
I think the rules state "UP to" disqualification....That kind of leaves the doors wide open...

I have fished with Jared....It would have been cool to see him make the classic......He is the best deep water fisherman I have been in the boat with....I don't know how he would do outside of that element though...

[Mini]

Saddest part is that we wont find out this year.....because of a supposed "joke"

[djkimmel]

Has anyone seen it reported anywhere that an official protest was made within the required window to make a protest?

[Buckeyenut313]

Has anyone seen it reported anywhere that an official protest was made within the required window to make a protest?

The co-angler told the Tournament Director before the weigh-in! Nate Wellman is simply an admitted cheater by virtue of admitting to his comments, and should be banned from all tournament competition period!

[djkimmel]

How or where did you find out when the co-angler told the tournament director? I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere official or by someone who was there and knows the parties involved.

[motocross269]

Here is a statement from BBC from a competitor that talked to the Co angler...It sounds to me like the protest was filed after the 30 min protest time....Which is usually after the last guy weighs in...

"YEs the Co-Angler contacted Chris Bowes later that day after weigh in.. How do i know?? I gave him Chris's number so he could call him..
Did he sign Nate's slip?? YES

Did he file an appeal within the mentioned 15 or 30 minutes after weigh in?? NO

That rule has always sorta puzzled me on the timely manner thing.. So if an angler goes out and cheats blatantly and is not caught and turned in within that short time do they get free pass???"

Link to comment....http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=720905&page=6

[djkimmel]

That is what I was guessing happened. And also why I believe it turned out and was announced the way it did. It would have been a DQ if it was reported earlier but I sympathize with co-angler in this situation and I'm still glad B.A.S.S. did what they did in an unfortunate occurrence.

[McCarter]

he is officially banned from all KLBA ran events.  What a shame he did this.  Imagine fullfilling a lifelong dream only to have this looming over your head.  makes you wonder if he has succesfully bough fish in the past to gain an advantage.  wish it didnt happen at all.  i have met nate a few times ( well i guess you can only meet someone once ) and he always seems like a cool guy.  this will be hard to rebound from. 

McCarter himself

[blakstr1]

he is officially banned from all KLBA ran events.  What a shame he did this.  Imagine fullfilling a lifelong dream only to have this looming over your head.  makes you wonder if he has succesfully bough fish in the past to gain an advantage.  wish it didnt happen at all.  i have met nate a few times ( well i guess you can only meet someone once ) and he always seems like a cool guy.  this will be hard to rebound from. 

McCarter himself

i've read all of the articles on this and was trying to see Nate's side of things and wondered have i ever made a similar comment in a joking fashion (of course never in this type of tournament, with this high of stakes, and me being the joker i am  ) then i came across this comment below the BASS article...

"So for everyone that thinks the Co-angler was wrong let me fill u n on a few more details..No it was not me being I did not fish the event.. However I Extremely familier with what happened.. How would you react if you were asked 3 to 4 times thruout the day to sell your boater one of your 4#+ fish to help his bag for a $1000? How about the fact he went into detail about driving out to the middle of the lake where no one was to put it on his side of the well? Or the fact he went into detail on how his dad always has $1000-3000 cash on him and when they get back to ramp will get him squared away.. That folks is the cold hard truth.. I commend the Co Angler for reporting it and doing the right thing."

Seems like he was way out of line, if this comment is accurate, some real thought was going into a cheating plan.  as many of you have said...SAD

[Eric]

Did he sign Nate's slip?? YES

I bet he didn't.  There are no weigh in slips to sign at these tournaments.

[djkimmel]

Eric - what do they do anymore at the Opens - ask you if your partner's catch was okay or anything along those lines? Just curious.

[LAPORTE]

Actually Dan, No one asked me anything when I got in the line to weigh in either day ?

[djkimmel]

I guess you just have to proactively speak up or forever hold your peace. (Sometimes anyway). Thanks LAPORTE. Looks like some of your tournament made up for the rough water.

[Eric]

They don't do anything.  When you get to that part of the line, they just ask your boat number, make sure you are who they think you are, and make the boater go first.  No signature, initials, nothing.