Competitive fishermen plead guilty in walleye cheating scandal

Tournament director Jason Fischer found something suspicious about the two men’s Walleye win at last year’s Cleveland competition.

His instincts turned out to be correct. He was embroiled in a scandal that rocked the competitive fishing world.

The two were stuffing catch for the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament with lead weights and fish fillets.

Fishermen now plead guilty to misconduct and illegal possession of wildlife.

On Monday, Jacob Runyan, 43, and Chase Kominski, 36, received three-year fishing license suspensions over cheating scandals. Kominski has his boat valued at $100,000 (£81,000) confiscated.

Had they not been caught, the two would have won $28,000 at the Cleveland Fishing Tournament in September 2022.

To win, competitive fishermen had to catch five of Lake Erie’s heaviest walleye. When it came time to weigh the pair’s catch, the beating weight was 16.89 pounds (7 kg), while Runyan and Cominksy’s fish weighed him 33.91 pounds.

A viral video of the event showed the official cutting open the fish during weigh-in to extract lead balls and other fish fillets.

In the rant-laden footage, the crowd can be heard screaming at Lanyon, who remains silent even when the ruse is discovered.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources confiscated five weighted fish as evidence.

Kominsky’s attorney said Monday that his client “has taken full responsibility for his own life.”

The man’s sentencing is scheduled for May 11.

Prosecutors are expected to recommend six months of probation and have agreed to drop additional charges, including attempted Grand Theft.