Although there are no new developments concerning the DQ of Rick Morris' day-1 weight at the Smith Mt. Bassmaster Elite Series, BassFan did receive some clarification today.
BassFan spoke with Morris' day-1 co-angler Brandon Pedigo of Lawton, Okla., who confirmed that he did protest Morris.
Pedigo told BassFan: "I'm 100% sure that he (Morris) did break a rule. He went down in 12 feet of water, to bottom, to land a fish. Then he got back in the boat and went back in again for his lure. He (Morris) said, 'Do you have my back on that fish?' I just kind of shook it off and shrugged and that was about it. It kind of went through my head all day."
Pedigo added that after weigh-in, he asked friends Jeff Kriet and Mike McCelland about the incident, and they informed him he could be penalized if he didn't report it. "I wasn't willing to take that chance," Pedigo said. "I just wanted to fish this tournament and I didn't have any intention of getting into a difficult spot. But it happened and I had to deal with it."
Pedigo fished every regular-season Elite Series event this year as a co-angler except Amistad. He said he plans to fish the Bassmaster Opens next year as a pro with the goal of making the 2009 Elite Series.
BassFan also spoke with Morris again today, who confirmed he still plans to file an appeal. He stated yesterday, and again today, that he did go in the water to retrieve a bass, but that he always had a hand connected to the boat, which he believed to be legal.
According to BASS Rule 22, he has 7 days from the date of the ruling to file an appeal. Then an appeals committee – which consists of one BASS employee not affiliated with the tournament department, and two anglers who were not in the event – will review the appeal.
Morris told BassFan that he plans to appeal the decision based on what he said were conflicting statements by BASS tournament director Trip Weldon. Morris said that on day 1, he was told the only issue was whether his hand was still touching the boat while he was in the water. Morris said the next day he was told the issue was whether or not he was in the water at all to land the bass, and the hand was inconsequential.
It's Morris' contention that, based on conversations with Weldon the night of Day 1, and his recollection of a rules meeting earlier this year, that he was legal if his hand was on the boat while in the water. And Morris also believes that, if he was legal, then the matter should have been settled by a polygraph, but none was administered.
Weldon clarified his ruling today for BassFan. He said: "As discussed in a rules meeting held by BASS before the beginning of the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series season, a competitor must not depart the boat to land a fish."
Based on Weldon's clarification, the matter of whether Morris swam to bottom to land a fish, or landed the fish with one hand still on the boat, wasn't a factor in the ruling. Thus, no polygraph was necessary. Morris' day-1 weight was DQd because he departed the boat to land a fish.
BassFan will continue to report on the appeals process if and when it moves forward.
> To read yesterday's coverage of the DQ, click here.
