Bottom line it comes down to ethics,morals,and integrity. If you are desperate enough to operate in the "gray" area and basically cheat and convince yourself that you didn't you don't need to be in the sport. It also wasn't just shuffield the others probably didn't get called out due to sponsor pressure on the league.

Props to the guy that caught "Dottie", the World Record bass. He hooked it outside the mouth and admitted to it.

I appreciate your honest opinion about MLF and I agree with you. I would appreciate it more if you would have made the same comments about BASS after Lake Fork - that was on film as well.

5 fish. Weigh in. Problem solved

After reading all the comments, I think that MLF and BASS are like the two political party's we have in the US.

I’m glad to hear someone of your level making since of what others have danced around! Facts and perception often line up!

For sight fishing scenarios, If you see a bass on a bed, declare to your marshalI that you are looking at a bass on a bed and your about to try and catch it. With that declaration, you are not obligated to show your marshal where the hook is if you catch said fish. If you do not show your marshal where the fish is hooked, that catch doesnt not count, and your deducted , say 2lbs, off you best 5 AND your recieve an immediate time penalty. The penalties must be harsh enough so that angler realizes that its not worth it to be dishonest. If its made known to the public, where sponsors can see infractions, now the thought of losing sponsors is a real possibility. Will anglers risk potentially losing sponsors? I doubt it... Just my 2 cents....

A club I was in held a paper tournament in NJ during the catch and release season (expressly allowed in NJ). The winner caught and freely admitted to catching the same Small Mouth 4 times during the one day event. He won and we never had a tournament during the closed season again. If some club guy from NJ can catch a fish 4 times in a day how many times do you figure an MLF pro can catch the same fish.

The more $$ that is on the line, the more that people will act in uncharacteristic ways.

IMO, the best way, maybe the easiest way to solve this problem is to tag the fish when caught. It only takes a few seconds to do this. The tags are numbered. When caught, the fish is tagged and the number is recorded. AND, any tagged fish, if caught by the same angler that day, that fish will not be counted again that day. It ain't rocket science.

Two things I hate in this world, a liar and a thief! Cheaters are both of those!

Wow Todd has trouble staying on point it’s like “you’re not supposed to catch the same fish twice…. Oh look a squirrel !…. but anyway some guys caught fish hooked outside the mouth.” It’s funny as hell!

Mike Long comes to mind.

What I don’t understand is with the current conditions of our lakes and them being only a shadow of what the quality was in the past. Why do we continue to destroy what we love so much. Fishing for bedding fish is destroying our fisheries. Please protect our lakes and streams so our grandchildren can enjoy the sport.🥲

Mlf fished their last tournament in NY..they may be allowed back but it won’t be before June 15th. Bunch of jokers

Easy fix DON'T FISH LAKES DURING THE SPAWN. I understand that is not a popular comment.

Amori and Rose no penalty, what a joke

I work in NY and live 20 miles away in PA. NY Bass season closes 12/1 and reopens the third Saturday in June. Recently NY started allowing catch and release fishing for Bass since a number of other game fish are in season and there no targeting bass law was basically unenforceable. PA did the same around the same time but had the foresight to specify no paper tournaments! That tournament should never be held during the closed season. The catch and release format that MLF uses will never have any legitimacy in any spawn tournament since Small Mouth are so easy to catch off a bed multiple times.

Here’s the deal. They’ll never do anything to Jacob Wheeler. He’s the golden boy of that club. The rest of those anglers are only doing themselves a disservice by being involved in that mess. The shady things they’ve done leading up to this is even worse. MLF is the CFL of Football

This will only get worse as new fisherman coming into the sport do not have any moral, ethics or integrity.

bottom line, rule or not, you don't care about the fish if you'll catch it many times in a day

When you leave a rule open for “interpretation” there will ALWAYS be problems! I can’t for the life of me how they DQ’ed Shuffield and not any of the others. How Boyd Duckett was given a 10 minute penalty and not DQ’ed for being on the water during the off limits period is astounding to me.

This is an easy fix...real easy, NO FISHING DURING THE SPAWN. fixed.

It’s always the coverup not the crime. Thanks for your opinion. Glad to see which side you chose.

The official should of did his job and police the situation

There has been so much bad publicity and assumed cheating at the Cayuga that MLF had to do something. MLF issues penalties base on who you are. An example is Boyd Docket's 10 minutes for being on the water during off limits. They had to do something about Cayuga so Spencer Sheffield was the most cost effective for MLF and their sponsors. It is starting to look like MLF is the most corrupt in professional bass fishing.

I agree with you Todd things need to change throughout the bass tournament community. This isn't only an MLF BPT deal with cheating. This goes on in all leagues big and small. Some comments are always against MLF because those people may hate Boyd or hate the league and never have anything good to say about it. Some blame all tournaments for all the ills that happen on any given lake that may be on the downturn of good fishing. Some are just miserable human beings who can't say anything nice about anything. As far as grey areas in the rules, has anyone watched Nascar? Teams are always looking to push the limits of a rule to gain an advantage. Fishing is no different. Old days guys would place fuel cans along there route so they could get to an area to win. Others used chain saws to clear a path. Was any of that against the rules? No. And as long as there was no state law that said you can't cut down trees or clear deadfalls and brush out of your way they were fine. then the following year it was stated you couldn't do that anymore. Grey areas are subjective to anglers should be brought up to the Tournament Director and let them say if it's allowed or not.

Christ was betrayed and sold out for 30 pieces of silver and ppl are surprised we have cheaters in a tourney that can get you 100k 🤔🤔🤔 naive......

Catch photo release for kayaking has the answer for at least one part of this. We get to analyze a flat photo of fish to dq any double submissions be it on purpose or accidental and can issue an immediate warning if a person does it. Then dq them if they continue to go after the same fish. MLF could weigh them and then set them on a bump board for 2 seconds and have the marshal take a quick picture to compare to other caught fish.

Agreed the comments were hard to believe...trying to twist it or blame Marshals...on em caught more hell for fishing in his tidy whites than these dudes did for cheating

GMan has a video where he sight fished a fish for over 30 minutes and when he caught it, it was outside the mouth and he threw it back. I don’t think it’s crazy to catch a fish outside the mouth but you have to have integrity to hold yourself accountable. Every tournament needs to put GoPro cameras in every boat if there is no Marshall. Also need to have gps trackers to see if they fished the same fish more than once.

As the old saying goes, money is the root of all evil. And when your livelihood depends on whether you cash checks, you may try and get away with some shady things.

Old 5 fish limit and weigh in ,problem solved.

Pro tournaments don't need to schedule on smallmouth bed tournament's. Period. There are plenty of places to go without bed fishing.

Thanks for speaking the truth. I just wish what y’all talk about behind the camera could be made public. All leagues need to be transparent and kick some of these guys out indefinitely

Looking, not looking is bending a rule and shows a lack of respect for your fellow competitors. Repositioning a hook and fishing without a license (because you know you can't get one, not because you didn't press send 3 times) is on a level where you should NOT be allowed to fish again.

Why does it feel like I started reading a book on Chapter 5, instead of Chapter 1?

I have a hard time feeling sorry that MLF is caught up in all this drama. I took it a little personal when all the BASS pros just dipped out.

The black eye is how MLF has handled all these incidents and shows like BTL not addressing the problem and bringing it to the fans. Thanks to those who have made these incidents public.

Thats the Mike Long treble technique 😂

I would care less what professionals are amateurs think about my tournament rules. Don't like it to go somewhere else and fish. Bed fishing should be band anyway.

Todd you probably done the best with this situation I have seen. Let's just get to the bottom line, if someone is not held accountable for a rules infraction then it simply can't be controlled. Review the rule breakage and make a decision on the severity and punish accordingly, regardless of sponsor money so we end up with a better group of anglers! God Bless Brother!

Trust me. All anglers in BM MLF and other events. Are no nice people.

Honesty is the best policy

Just stop all bed fishing. I know different parts of the country.also start later in the season on these lakes. When they are spawning . What do you think about this.

I sight fish alot and in 20 years I have foul hooked 3 fish that cost me and maybe 5 that meant nothing. I was fishing a bfl with a co and for this tournament I didn't practice. I saw a small sight fish that was wide open and decided to let my co catch it. I looked up in front of me as far as I could cast and saw something that might be a bed so I took a shot. Next thing I know my line is in the middle of the pocket. Set the hook and pulled a 4lber in belly hooked. I thought hard about it and ended up throwing it back. I felt like it was OK to keep the fish but I couldn't risk my reputation if other people didn't see it that way.

What’s your thoughts on why every time Jacob Wheeler has failed a polygraph he only gets a fine. I doubt many people noticed at a tournament earlier this year Jacob Wheeler sat out the first round of Day 1 and paid a $2000 fine but he never gets disqualified for failing polygraphs.

James Watson did it on TV on MLF BPT

Very well said, I agree. You should have enough integrity.

I don’t understand how those guys could make themselves even chance catching the same twice ! Like tok “I can catch em again right?” Like wth !

Do a Anger Management on this

I’m no where as experienced as most pros but over my years of bed fishing I know the largemouth I’m going after can be one cast or hour plus casting to catch. I’ve caught 99% of them in the mouth. I’ve been in tournaments and fun fishing. I’ve never gone back to a fish unless I didn’t catch it so come on and cough it up. If you’re in the grey area you know you’re wrong

I've been waiting for your take

They're running into this stuff because they're expecting the guys to be honest and think they shouldn't have to write the same rule 35 different ways to stop sleezy guys from cheating

I can’t find that video anywhere 😂

I've never understood why people like to play in the grey area or people that their strategy is looking for loopholes in rules to get a leg up on the competition... I'm a person who wants to know I won because I put in the time and was the best fisherman at the event.

Easiest solution is to not schedule the events during the smallmouth spawn...

Only time i have snagged a fish outside the mouth is when im deep cranking

Once again, thank you for bringin' the common sense!

Well said Todd.

Might be a little off subject but what is the reason for not allowing landing nets? Its weird that you can squash the fish against your dry shirt but you cant let it touch the carpet. Perhaps if you netted the fish it would be on the deck for everyone to see?

No one would unhook a bass outside the boat in the water when fishing for that amount of money. I wouldn't do it in my $60 jackpots😂😂. He knew and no matter what he says will ever change anyone's mind

I think a lot of the confusion comes from who is doing the cheating and how? Also as far as sweeping things under the rug are some of these big time sponsors telling them to sweep it under the rug because its their guys that are doing the cheating? I think the only way its gonna stop is if ya'll anglers that are tired of it put these cheaters on blast with your platform. That may burn some bridges, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Nobody likes a cheater.

Good point of view

James Watson cought the same fish twice off the bed in a mlf event and I thought that was amazing. The fish weight the same both times caught about an hour apart. Thats skill to me. Snagging is a different thing.

Todd you were spot on as usual , but I did see one of the guys hook one outside the mouth and handled it like a pro. He told the official and just released it , I can't remember who it was but that is the way a pro does instead of a wannebe. I personally don't think it happens very much on the big stage because there is too much to lose, maybe I am wrong. On local trails I believe there is cheating. I have had an issue with bass champs weighing in a slot fish at Fork , I saw it. I also think some people just love to gossip also!

I watched quite a bit of That tournament and wandered why so many anglers were unhooking their fish over the water before they got it in the boat. Were they worried about a fish landing violation? Or were they cheating. Also heard some anglers talking about catching the same fish during that tournament.

Let me also add. Remember on Cherokee Lake when Wheeler won the Tournament? He had electrical issues and ended up finishing his day with Connel. He called Trip and Trip made the call that he could do it within the rules as written. So many people lost there Sh@$ about that call. Now imagine that happened in 2023 and not 2017? Magnify by a million.

Lol this is a kink thats been a kink since last summer and now the hose has hardened shut.

We had a rule about this in our club and just trusted the fact the guys would be honest, and at Smith lake a kid asked if he was fishing a flat and was throwing a square bill until the sun got up and snagged a bed bass but wasn't looking at it, would that be OK? Me and the 3 other committee members immediately gave him his entry fee back and members fee and told him he wasn't fishing with us anymore. The other members were glad it happened. He was recently caught cheating in a church club tournament and was put on blast all over social media, he was also arrested for rape before that. Bad people are in everything but we can't say everything is bad because of a small number of bad guys in that field

Good job big guy, then again you always do

You ever hear about the guy (not gonna say names) from Clarksville,Arkansas that jackpots those Dardenelle events & allegedly catches his bigs in a flood pond nearby and then transports them pre-tournament to his “private” aka “Ranger Hole”😉😉that only he and a few others have the stones to run their boats into & then supposedly catches them during events and often places high or wins? Not sure if it’s true, but that’s the rumor. It’s a different scenario for sure but seems iffy like the deal with Poche. That river is loaded with fish if you can find them so for someone to have to do that for a shot to win seems kinda snakey.

dont forget about FFS, thats looking at them.........

Spot on!

Is everyone that fishes the BPT on a gag order? No one is really talking about it. Bass fishing organizations need to cover this stuff and not be vague and cryptic. Penalties need to be bigger in order for people to not break rules like this in regards to actually catching fish. There are levels of rules IMO, putting fish in the boat should be of the most critical.

Did you watch Slick's Live last night?

Uhoh. No no it’s going to change all right. Lol. Been saying this for a while. Big money Bass fishing tourneys are in trouble. MLF and BASS. Sorry guys. Enjoy it while you can because your dead on Todd. The public was disgusted with walleye cheaters and now pro bass anglers feeding on their own. American pastimes. Fishing baseball and etc etc. yea I am part of the public who sees this as a personal attack on Americana. Who are these people changing history because they think it’s cool ? Who are the ones who witness over and over and say nothing ???? Names names and let’s all Sit back as mlf and bass pros feed on each other and their own. Wow. Sad stuff. This has started a cancer. I’m boycotting mlf and bass. And anyone proven to be cheating. Good night. Good luck

Shuffield is done on the MLF tour. He’s not gonna pay the fine. He will fight it because of MLFs inconsistencies

MLF could fin clip and any fish with a clip mark can't be weighed in again by any angler during the tournament.

Is there a difference in going back to the 'same fish' vs going back the the same stump? Same laydown? Same rock pile? Same point? Same ledge? Not saying it is right or wrong just adding thoughts to the conversation.

With all the recent cheating scandals and the negative impacts that live well tournaments have especially on smallmouth bass populations I’m the type to not support tournament fishing. I support the method of having the official in the boat who certifies the fish and the fish gets immediately released. It’s like we forget that those fish are a natural resource and if the rate of fishing mortality continues I shutter to think of what the future holds in trying to catch trophy fish not for money or ego but just for fun and memories. #endlivewelltournaments

"Interpretation" rules is hilarious. Do we get to interpret laws? Why is it he /they thought they could "interpret" rules instead of following the stated rules❓❓

I agree with everything you said but I do have a question I never bed fish smallmouth because of where I live so I’m curious if it would be easier to hook a smallmouth outside the mouth by mistake where there mouths are smaller your bait disappears and you set the hook. Regardless it’s an illegal catch but does it happen more with smallmouth just wondering

Hate to say it, but there isn't much integrity in bass fishing these days. Some have been caught, while many are toeing the line and waiting their turn.

That's the state of NY allowing that tourney to happen ! $$$$ ! Dose wonders ! O what about the guy who broke the state record smallie! Again from last year at cayuga ? That's a little sketchy?

Todds hands make 5lbers look small.. sux a pro with a cam on him does sketchy shi$.. makes me think about sum of these guys in the weekend tournaments im in

Bed or no bed, all fish should be hooked in the mouth to count.

Seems to me that MLF lost control of the tournament and the anglers long before the final day. That is the problem!!! They knew anglers were breaking the rules or fishing in the "grey areas" of the rules and did nothing. Right or wrong, Spencer may have done what he had to do to compete with a group of cheaters in a tournament that was out of control. Anglers that are much more established in the industry and have deeper pockets to compete. Not saying I agree, just making a point. MLF should have taken control of the situation before it got to the last day!!! Review footage and disqualify immediately. Not waiting until the tournament was over. Also, some of the anglers are sponsored by the same companies that are tied to MLF.

Spencer was just an example. Way more other guys than him cheating. Tournament fishing has had a black eye on it for a while now. All tours included.

As a side note since the use of forward facing I have seen 1000% more fish hooked outside the mouth. I can count on two hands the number of fish I have hooked outside the mouth in 50 + years of competitive bass fishing with no sonar. With sonar I see anticipation hook sets becoming more and more frequent as guys believe a fish has or is about to attack a bait. It can and does result in other body parts getting involved. Is it a real problem is the question. I am old school and big on sensing the bite and as a result have missed many fish who pick up the bait and is in your backyard before you know what's happening. That's just part of the entire experience. But with dollars on the line there is no cost to set the hook and therefore it may be a payday. The other topic of refishing a spot where a bed fish was caught and staying far enough away to " not see the fish" is a juvenile move produced by greed. As far as not showing your official the mouth of a caught bedfish is easy and stupid simple. It is the rule they agreed to and probably voted for in the members make the rules MLF! So don't do it and it should at least cost you that fish and lots of sideways looks from your brethren. That sort of reputation has its own way of making things even out.

It’s mind blowing that the “PROS” have to cheat and ruin their reputations on such fertile fishies such as Cayuga.

If you get caught cheating should be kicked out of league period. Tell the world about the cheater immediately. Best words and video WE GOT LEAD IN THE FISH. You video the cheater and ruin them others will think twice. Hate a cheater

I’m sorry for feeling like this. I’m sure their are anglers in MLF that have integrity. But I have no respect for anyone participating in MLF. You are ruining your reputations and I will not support there sponsors. It’s sad but that’s how I feel now