Angler arrested after getting caught cheating during North Texas fishing tournament
Curtis Lee Daniels
LAKE FORK, Texas - Tournament organizers noticed something fishy about a bass submitted to a North Texas fishing tournament Sunday, leading to a contestant's arrest for violating fishing tournament law.
Something fishy at local tournament
What we know:
During the Lake Fork Lure Company Tournament on March 8, Texas Game Wardens were contacted by organizers to investigate a bass fish presented by Curtis Lee Daniels.
Tournament organizers flagged the bass during a weigh-in after a metal detector found foreign objects inside the fish.
Wardens discovered three weights within the fish's stomach and determined they were placed within the fish. Weights of the same style were found in Daniels' boat.
Daniels was arrested and charged with violating fishing tournament law. Since the prize amount for the tournament exceeded $10,000, the charge is a third-degree felony.
Prior to his arrest, Daniels had won two hourly prizes totaling $2,500.
What they're saying:
Tournament organizers thanked the wardens for their help on Facebook.
"Maintaining fairness and integrity in competitive fishing is incredibly important to us, and we greatly appreciate the diligence and attention you gave to this matter. Your efforts help protect the reputation of the sport and ensure that honest anglers can compete on a level playing field," organizers said in a statement.
And the winner is…
CTSY: Big Bass Splash on Facebook
Dig deeper:
The winner of the tournament's grand prize was William McDaniel of Festus, Missouri, who presented a bass weighing 10.22 pounds.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Texas Game Wardens and Lake Fork Company Tournament organizers.