BASS Dropped the hammer.....kind of. Ish and Poche

[Razorbass P3]

B.A.S.S. levies sanctions on Monroe, Poche

Thursday, January 29, 2015

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After nearly a two-week investigation into the on-the-water altercation that took place between Ish Monroe and Keith Poche during the Southern Open at Lake Toho, B.A.S.S. has announced both will be fined and suspended from Open competition in 2015.
The following is a statement released by B.A.S.S. this afternoon:
B.A.S.S. announced today that it has completed its investigation of an incident January 16 involving two professional anglers, Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., and Keith Poche of Pike Road, Ala., during the Bassmaster Open tournament on Lake Tohopekaliga, Fla. After interviewing both anglers as well as many of the numerous eyewitnesses of the incident, B.A.S.S. has imposed the following penalties, which are covered in the current Angler Code of Conduct:
For unsportsmanlike conduct, Monroe has been fined $500, the maximum amount for a first offense. In addition, he has been suspended from participation in all Bassmaster Opens for 2015. He already had been disqualified from the Southern Open on Lake Tohopekaliga, forfeiting any payouts he would otherwise have earned.
Also for unsportsmanlike conduct, Poche has been fined $250, the minimum amount for a first offense. In addition, he has been suspended from participation in Bassmaster Opens in the Southern Division for 2015. He, too, had earlier been disqualified from the Southern Open in Florida.
“Both Keith Poche and Ish Monroe have cooperated fully in our investigation of the incident, and they have expressed regret for their roles in it,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “While conflicts occur frequently in other sports, we hold bass fishing professionals to a higher standard, particularly when the safety of participants is involved. We believe the penalties imposed under the Angler Code of Conduct agreement are appropriate and fitting in these circumstances.”
Akin also noted that B.A.S.S. has refunded the entry fees of the co-anglers paired with Monroe and Poche on January 16 in consideration for the effect the incident may have had on their fishing success.



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[Bankermike]

Now if we can settle the whole deflategate thing I'll finally be able to sleep at night.

[CDW]

I still would like to se some vedio. Surely someone recorded the incident.

[iabass8]

I suppose that's fair. All Open's for Ish...I'm unaware of his participation amount in the Opens but that may or not be quite the punishment

[LTZ25]

They fine football players $25,000 for a cheap hit , this shows what little amount of money these pro's make . ( except for a handful of the top )

[Gambler250XB]

Now if we can settle the whole deflategate thing I'll finally be able to sleep at night.

no shit! Me too

[KYSkipper]

This may be a dumb question but Why is the Maximum Fine $500 for Ish and $250 for Poche? It says both were fined the maximum amount for a first offense.

[fluke1987]

This may be a dumb question but Why is the Maximum Fine $500 for Ish and $250 for Poche? It says both were fined the maximum amount for a first offense.

Read through it again...Ish was charged the max and Poche the minimum for first offense

[Dannyp3]

This may be a dumb question but Why is the Maximum Fine $500 for Ish and $250 for Poche? It says both were fined the maximum amount for a first offense.

Also for unsportsmanlike conduct, Poche has been fined $250, the minimum amount for a first offense
Poche was fine the minimum amount.

Still looks as if they can fish the Elite series from the way I read it.

[cliffordallen]

They just took the opens away, kind of a slap on the wrist if you ask me, they should have banned ish from the elites as well, he did encroach on another competitors boat.

[Bassenstose]

If Ish jumped Poche's boat, he was the agressor & should have been penalized more.

[bluedawg]

agree with BASS did.....it would have caused a helluva uproar if one or both had been banned from the elite series and probably wasn't justified either...however I imagine both were also told in no uncertain terms..."next time you're banned".....

[RJR]

one was fined a cost of a truck/boat fill up at the gas station, and the other fined a cost of a high end rod. I hope bluedawg is correct, that the next time they are launched for a year.

[Walkabout7781]

If Ish jumped Poche's boat, he was the agressor & should have been penalized more.

Ish was fined twice what Poche was fined, plus had to throw bail ($1000) and go to court. Probably enough to get their attention, as well as the attention of many others who've thought about jumping into somebody else's boat and beating the snot out of them.

[IBHUFFY]

They should have took it to shore and settled it, but then again they would have been penelized for leaving their boats.

[RFeyoMN]

If Ish jumped Poche's boat, he was the agressor & should have been penalized more.

He was. He was fined twice the amount, and is not allowed to fish 8 other tournaments, as opposed to Poche not allowed to fish two others.

I don't get what the big deal is. They're tournament bass anglers...nothing more...nobody gives a shit!!

[WWDIII]

They may bet hit hardest with sponsorship. I've said it before, more guys to sponsor that sponsors. I bet some drop both.

[Pick]

Good to see they gave both of these guys coanglers there entry fee back!

[Grumpygills]

This is not Ish's first offense. He has been in trouble with BASS a few time for unsportsmanlike conduct . But I don't really care . Just go fishin and show everyone you deserve to be there.

[BWQK]

The penalties fit the crime.


Let's move on.