Many Would Like To See B.A.S.S. Dig Further

Yesterday BassFans heard from the principals involved in the Erie Bassmaster Northern Open controversy. Winner Nate Wellman and co-angler Joe Stois (who alleges that Wellman attempted to "buy" a fish from him on day 3 and that the proposal was not in jest, as Wellman has claimed) offered up their sides.

Also, Jerry McKinnis, a member of the B.A.S.S. ownership group, spoke for the five-man committee that determined that Wellman's penalty would be a $2,500 fine and a 1-year period of probation. He was allowed to keep the title, the winner's purse and the accompanying 2012 Bassmaster Classic berth.

BassFan contacted several of Wellman's fellow Elite Series competitors to get their thoughts on the situation as it currently stands. Their responses appear below.

Brent Chapman
"This is such a sensitive issue and if (Wellman) is sincere, then I feel bad for him, but those rules are in place for a reason. The more you look into it, the more fishy it sounds, and I think B.A.S.S. might need to look into it some more. This is one place where I feel that a polygraph could clear up some of the issues.

"B.A.S.S. has got a job to do and an image to uphold. I've been on the rules committee that's been looking at next year, and this puts it right in the forefront how important it is to be right. I feel for (B.A.S.S. tournament director Trip Weldon) being stuck in this position and I have a feeling that this isn't going to go away.

"If it was a joke, then I'd say go do a polygraph and clear that up. It's one thing to admit a mistake, but it's another thing if you're trying to cover something up. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out."

Greg Hackney
"They only thing I can say is I like the way FLW handled it on their end (Note: FLW gave Wellman a 1-year suspension, after which he's eligible to apply for reinstatement). I was kind of in the dark until I read what the co-angler said and if it was me, I'd expect B.A.S.S. to run me off. It seems like a really bad deal to me.

"People don't always see eye to eye, and me and B.A.S.S. have a totally different opinion about what should happen in this situation. I'm not saying that my way is the right way, but I believe if you live by the sword, you die by it.

"I thought it was pretty awesome that FLW reacted the way they did. They handled it the right way."

Kevin Short
"I hate like hell that this happened and I don't know that B.A.S.S. is going to do anything further, but I really have to feel that this isn't over yet. I hate that the co-angler was put in that position, I hate that Wellman was put in that position and I hate that B.A.S.S. was put in that position.

"Am I happy with the decision? I can kind of see both sides, but when it comes right down to it, I don't understand why his weight for that last day wasn't DQd.

"I can see one time saying something like, 'Damn, I'd like to have that fish, and I can even see throwing in the thing about then thousand dollars. Ha, ha ha, then it's over with. But two times or three times? That's not joking anymore. That's the side of me that asks why they didn't just DQ him. Maybe we're not getting 100% of the story and there's more to it.

"I've known Trip Weldon a long time and he's never had any qualms about DQing anybody, ever. I stood right there and watched him DQ Kevin VanDam (for having someone else drive the boat in practice while he looked for bedding fish). That kind of makes me step back and say maybe we don't have 100% of what's going on. Obviously there were some kind of circumstances that made them think that (a DQ) wasn't the right call to make.

"Yeah, it's a black eye for the sport, but I've never seen a bruise that didn't heal. We'll all get through it."

Scott Rook
"I'm not one to judge anybody, but with Nate saying he was just kidding, I'd have been okay with that if it was just one comment about selling a fish. But when you start getting involved with offering money and that his dad's got money and they can go out to the middle of the lake (ostensibly to move the fish from one side of the livewell to the other), that raised my suspicion. I've seen guys DQd for a whole lot less.

"I understand the position Jerry and Trip get put in when one guy says this and the other guy says that, but I don't think a co-angler is going to make up a story like that. B.A.S.S. obviously felt he was guilty enough to levy a fine, but my thought is the penalty wasn't stiff enough.

"This is basically a slap on the wrist and my opinion is that what FLW did is more in line with what should've happened."

Matt Herren
"It's a sad deal for the whole sport. It's a he-said, she-said situation, unfortunately, and with no polygraph or other steps taken, we may never know what really happened.

"I hope for Nate's sake that what he said was taken out of context. He's got a tough road to hoe trying to set this right. He should've known better, and I hope the penalties fit the infraction – a lot of people are saying they should've been more severe. The whole thing turns my stomach."

Stephen Browning
"From what the co-angler said, I don't know, but I think Nate Wellman's going to lose a lot of respect. I hate it for him, but you don't put yourself in that position. If you do, you have to suffer the consequences, whatever they may be. I hope B.A.S.S. takes a little harder look at it.

"My hat's off to the co-angler for stepping up and doing the right thing because some would've brushed it aside. I have to thank him for coming forward with it."

Ish Monroe
"I'm not mad at Nate. Whether he was joking or trying to do it, it was basically kind of like NASCAR: He got a small penalty and still won the event. I'm not mad at him for winning the event. I'm mad at the way things were handled. B.A.S.S. could have kept the whole thing a lot quieter. There have been other instances that were handled quietly and more appropriately – for example, Tony Christian.

"And there's just been a lot of DQs for a lot less. I got DQd for using two curse words. (Mike Iaconelli) got DQd for wrecking a pole. Gerald (Swindle) got DQd for running between two boats. Did any of those infractions change the outcome of the event?

"All B.A.S.S. had to do was DQ him for the event and sweep it under the table. Now it's a rules infraction with tons of questions. I'm not a cheater, but hey, now I can buy a 4-pounder and take a $2,500 fine and probation to win the event? Sign me up."

John Crews
"B.A.S.S. usually gets these things right eventually, and my guess is this issue's not over yet. I'm just going to wait and see what happens from here."