Pugh Says No Casting Took Place In Off-Limits

Photo: FLW Outdoors/Rob Newell Greg Pugh emphasized several times that he never made a cast in the off-limits area, and passed a polygraph to prove it.

Pugh called BassFan this morning, after he retrieved his cell phone which he said he'd left in the day-4 TV boat, along with the rest of his gear.

Before Pugh's comments on the situation, below is a quick summary of the incidents.

What Happened

Several sources told BassFan that Pugh was protested after day 2 by an angler who saw him inside the designated off-limits area. This is the area used to release fish after the weigh-ins.

Reportedly, one of the anglers who saw Pugh in the off-limits area brought the situation to the attention of tournament director Bill Taylor.

Taylor then spoke with Pugh, and Pugh was given a polygraph test.

No action was taken, apparently on the basis that Pugh never made a cast in the off-limits area. The angler who lodged the protest, though, reportedly told the sources that he in fact did see Pugh fishing.

Pugh, this morning, confirmed several things for BassFan:

1. That he unknowingly entered the off-limits area.

2. That he discussed the situation with Taylor.

3. That he was given a polygraph test.

4. That he was asked about fishing inside the off-limits during the polygraph, and that he answered 'truthfully' with 'no.'

5. That no action was taken based on the fact that he never made a cast.

Still, there lingers the accusation by the protesting angler, who said Pugh did in fact actively fish inside the area.

What Pugh Says

About those last minutes of day 2, when he entered the off-limits area, Pugh said: "They (FLW) had been telling us where the off-limits was, and I heard them talk about where the intake was, which is where the off-limits was last year. I came in and there were guys lined up on the docks there, so I went around the last guy there and went to looking for fish on beds.

"I had my rod in my hand. If I would have found one on a bed it would have been ugly. I would have been DQd."

About his initial discussion with Taylor, Pugh said: "They brought me in and talked to me about it, and showed me where the off-limits was. I told them, yes, I was in there. They asked me about what I did. I said I was in there with a rod in my hand looking for fish on beds, and if I'd seen one bigger than one I had, I would have pitched at it. They advised me that if I did that, I would have been DQd."

About taking the polygraph, Pugh said: "They brought me into the trailer, and the doors were locked and shut, with only me and the guy who gives the polygraph test in there. I took the polygraph twice and signed all the papers with him when everything was said and done.

"They had all the questions laid out there about, Did I get information from anybody? and other different questions about going into the off-limits area. I answered the questions truthfully and passed the polygraph test."

Notable too is that Pugh also took a polygraph test at Lewis Smith 3 weeks ago, where he finished 5th. He noted he thinks that was a random test. "The reason I took it there was I was one of the FLW team guys (Snickers), and I was a local on the lake, and they wanted to make sure everything was on the up-and-up. It was no problem. It was a random deal."

A Few Other Things

Interestingly, Pugh told BassFan he's still not sure whether he was ever formally protested or not. "The only thing I was told when FLW came and contacted me was a guy had told them I'd been seen in the off-limits area."

Pugh also wanted to provide BassFans with a picture of his mental state at the event, and how a "mistake like this could happen to anybody."

"Like I tell my co-anglers during a tournament, if you get hung up, you need to tell me, because when I'm sitting up there with my hood on, I'm not paying attention to anything except what's in the water," he said. "And I've been running since the first week of January. I'm fishing the Strens, the (FLW) Series, the (Bassmaster) Opens, and the (FLW) Tour. Right now I'm physically and mentally tired and I just had a mental breakdown. I've never done that before. I wasn't paying attention at the bank."

Lastly, to clarify again his position that he didn't fish inside the off-limits area, despite what a witness reportedly claimed, Pugh said: "I wasn't fishing in it, as far as fishing, but I was looking for one fish to fish for. I never did any of that (make one or more casts). My rod was in my hand half the time, and the other half of the time it was in the front-seat holder.

"If the person thinks I did that (made one or more casts), they need to look at the polygraph. When I got through, the (test administrator) said, 'Okay, you're good.' I said, 'I understand that.'

"They said the reason I wasn't DQd was I was looking for fish on beds, and that was it. If I'd found a fish, yeah I would have cast to it to try to catch that fish. I guess that's the rule they go by. I told everybody up-front what was going on. I have nothing to hide. That's the whole deal – the whole storyline."

Pugh also noted: "Why would I come running into an off-limits place in plain sight of 200 other pros and catch a fish? If you were going to break a rule, why would you do it like that? It wasn't something intentional, and I hope it never happens again."

Notable

> Pugh's currently headed to South Carolina for next week's Santee Cooper Bassmaster Southern Open.

> FLW Outdoors has not responded to BassFan's original request for a clarification of the ruling.