Outdoors Briefs

Outdoors Briefs Subhead Hanson wins Toledo Big Bass Splash, cheater busted News Staff Wed, 05/29/2024 - 06:57 Image

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Louisiana angler Ryan Hanson weighed in a 10.64 pounder to top a field of 2,247 anglers in the Sealy Outdoors Big Bass Splash held May 17-19 on Toledo Bend. He won a Phoenix bass boat, Ram Truck and $10,000 cash, including hourly money.

John Jones took second with a 10.58 pounder, $15,000; Layne Lacaze, 3rd, $10,000; Ryan Wilkerson, 4th, 10.06, $5,000; and Shawn Wellman, 5th, 9.95, $2,500.

In a sad turn of events, Big Bass Splash founder Bob Sealy said a Louisiana man was arrested on May 23 by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries game wardens for attempting to cheat in the tournament by adding lead weights to his catch.

According to LDWF reports, Aaron Moreau, 38, of Pollock, was charged with fishing contest fraud. The offense brings up to a $3,000 fine and one year in jail, the report says.

Sealy said the man brought a bass to weigh-in on the first day of the event that appeared suspicious to the weigh master. The fish weighed 6.69 pounds, Sealy said.

Sealy said tournament officials contacted a LDWF game warden, who arrived at the weigh in with a fisheries biologist.

“The biologist cut the fish open and found 2.59 pounds of weights in its belly,” Sealy said. “I have to commend my staff. They knew right away something wasn’t right with that fish. What happens from here on out in the hands of the LDWF.”

Sealy released a video about the incident on the Big Bass Splash Facebook page.