GMAN'S Take on the Keith Poche DQ

[Mark Perry]

Dang sure ponds on Gibson that are accessible when it floods. Does that make it right though? Per the law you’re on private property.

I would be asking the TD prior to doing so. As long as I remained in the boat and not physically touching the land I would imagine I would be OK since in Texas a landowner owns the land but not the water. I damn sure would not be altering anyone's land to gain access though.

[Ckfishin]

Nah we’re just dumb m’fers bc we don’t think like the great CK and skeeterator.

That is The Great CK. Please put some respect on it.

[Jeff Hahn]

Interpretation of the rules is up to the TD. There is some grey.. the TD will almost always AND SHOULD take the most stern stance in any grey rule situation to protect integrity in tournaments. I was back and forth reading through it and then I keep thinking I mean... the guy jumped dry land to get to a spot. I guess that needs to be written in the rules. Seems like common sense or you ask the TD if questionable like GS says. Out of 235 or so competitors there was one that did it.

I must disagree. If there is a grey area in the rules, then the TD must not DQ. It’s the responsibility of the organization to write clear rules. If they fail, it’s not the angler’s fault and the angler must be given the benefit of the doubt.

[OkAce]

That is The Great CK. Please put some respect on it.

Only because you said please

[OkAce]

One thing I think we can all agree on is that there will be a rule that specifically addresses this next year

[Meadows]

I must disagree. If there is a grey area in the rules, then the TD must not DQ. It’s the responsibility of the organization to write clear rules. If they fail, it’s not the angler’s fault and the angler must be given the benefit of the doubt.

Exactly.

Don't make the rules gray and then DQ someone because you "feel they broke the rules". I would bet a lot of money someone went crying to the TD, otherwise this would've never happened.

But I see both sides. Poche needs to stop putting himself in these positions and ask prior to the tourneys if he wants to fish the way he does.

[Mark Perry]

I must disagree. If there is a grey area in the rules, then the TD must not DQ. It’s the responsibility of the organization to write clear rules. If they fail, it’s not the angler’s fault and the angler must be given the benefit of the doubt.

It's the angler's responsibility to clear things like that with the TD prior.

A tournament organization cannot have a rule for every single scenario or else the rulebook with be impossibly huge. Hit the high points and anything outside of that an angler has a question on should be addressed with the TD.
The TD cannot reasonably know how and where all 200 anglers are gonna fish. Most people doing what Poche did would realize it's a bit out of the norm and would clear it prior. After hearing his interview it does make a bit more sense his logic but it still was on him to verify.

[jrbdad]

Drew Benton posted on Facebook that when asking about giving over a beaver damn he was told it it has water flowing over it he can go over it. Now does that mean he has to be able to float over it or he can jump it as long as it has water over it. I mean I could be a inch of water. This is a serious question. That is why I mentioned sandbar earlier.

[haus9393]

Here is an exchange between Gerald and a someone who responded to him on Facebook:

Chris Dickerson I appreciate the take. I really do. What rule did he specifically break? I am not saying he did or didn’t, but I want to know the specifics. I have to say, Keith has made a good argument so far.

BTW, YOU should not have been DQ’d for you classic mishap. IMO


Gerald Swindle / GMAN

Chris Dickerson I rules say you cant leave tournament waters and the come back in them so crossing dry ground is that


If the rules reads as Gerald says above, then it's a whole lot clearer than anyone has described the rules up to this point in the debate.

How in the world can this guy think that swindle didn’t deserve his DQ in the classic. I still think this is the most unsafe bass boating act I’ve ever seen.

[barbarian]

Do you really find it that complicated? If the dam is not “water” and he went up on it, then he left “tournament waters”.

I don’t consider tournament ‘waters’ to literally mean water. Very poorly written rule that I interpret along with many others that it means tournament boundaries. Then a lot of this nonsense about waves and such wouldn’t exist.

[bassfisher444]

I posted this in the other thread but you can see here that he was within the boundries of Toledo Bend which were all legal tournament waters according to the rules. Area he jumped circled in yellow.

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[JAZII]

Again, ultimately specifically asking the TD about exact area, action to get int here was a miss by KP, but understand why he didn't specifically ask.
I feel there should have been a warning with clarification on the area going forward in the tournament. At best a loss of weight for the actual day he went in there, not a DQ from the entire tournament.

My reasoning for that opinion is due to the area being listed part of the body of water, accessible at normal pool, and NOT specifically listed as off limits for the beginning of the tournament.

[Ckfishin]

I posted this in the other thread but you can see here that he was within the boundries of Toledo Bend which were all legal tournament waters according to the rules. Area he jumped circled in yellow.

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Why do you need a different license to fish it then?

[wtf]

Then by the same token, if he hit a barge wake and got airborne - he left tournament waters?

Swindle said something like that was "unintentional" and did not constitute a DQ. Just like accidentally running aground. I guess Poche coulda said he didn't see the dam he crossed and he didn't mean to jump it?

[Jigzz4344]

I must disagree. If there is a grey area in the rules, then the TD must not DQ. It’s the responsibility of the organization to write clear rules. If they fail, it’s not the angler’s fault and the angler must be given the benefit of the doubt.

You realistically think they have to write a black and white rule for every situation...lol

[OkAce]

You realistically think they have to write a black and white rule for every situation...lol

In this day and age they do

[BrianKF]

Why do you need a different license to fish it then?

Does he need a different license to fish it or just a special permit to hunt there? And who says he didn't have one is needed?

[Ckfishin]

Does he need a different license to fish it or just a special permit to hunt there? And who says he didn't have one is needed?

I didn't ask if he had it I asked if its considered the same body of water why does it not have the same license.

[yadkincustomlures]

Jumping dry land is maneuvering better than people?

Some of the mental gymnastics' you guys will play is unreal.

Yes. I would like to see you do it with your basscat. Just because you can't do it doesn't mean someone that does should be criticized

[Hoot]

How in the world can this guy think that swindle didn’t deserve his DQ in the classic. I still think this is the most unsafe bass boating act I’ve ever seen.

That Guy isn't alone for some unknown reasons that unsafe act still has it's staunch defenders even to this day claiming B.A.S.S. Pros have The High Speed Bass Boat Driving Skills that are the equivalent to those of NASCAR Drivers on the racetrack and that wasn't so bad.

G-Man was really in the Zone Fishing Wise in that Classic it's unfortunate a single lapse in judgement that created absolutely no advantage. It may have very well cost him a Classic I thought that was his year.

Fans are hesitant to hold a Popular Pro Accountable for their actions even like that unsafe one. However Trip Weldon wasn't one bit hesitant to hold him accountable and Gerald owned it.