A friend of mine was fishing on Fork and caught a fish that the tail had obviously been trimmed in the past. The damage was old and healed over but the fish was still under the slot. So do you take it to weigh in and say nothing and just take your chances? Ask the TD if it is legal and weigh it if they let you? Ask the GW for a ruling? Release the fish?

If i caught it in a tournament i definitely would weigh it in. If it got questioned, id gladly take a polygraph. I caught the fish legally. What someone chose to do in the past has nothing to do with me

Yup

I think the only thing to do is let the officials know and let them make a call on it. I'm thinking it most likely won't be allowed as a keeper if it falls under the slot anyway since it's been obviously modified, and might even result in a DQ. My thought process is, if there's anything that might be construed as a violation of the rules, regardless of whether or not the angler was aware of the infraction, the judgement will not fall in the angler's favor. That's just from hearing about DQ's in professional tournaments.

If you caught it like that I would say it's legal, not your fault that some doosh bag trimmed its tail.

If I caught the fish legally. I would weigh him. If the TD has an issue discus it in a reasonable manner and take further actions if needed.

I'd take it to weigh-in, notify the officials. Most GW will be able to recognize if the trimming was recent or old. As long as you caught the fish legally, and it measured short, it should be allowed.

There is no way of knowing the original length of the fish and when it was trimmed or how much. I doubt you would get a dq or illegal fish as long as you pass poly.

I'd let it swim away. It was altered with regardless.

i'd take it in. you caught it legally

If tournaments allow modified fish, it may set a precedent for people to catch large fish pre tourney and cut their tails ...hoping later they catch it in a tournament...

We may end up with a new species...the "Short Tail Largemouth".

Id contact TD & explain before attempting to weigh it & ask if a GW's opinion can be factored into his decision. Then abide by TD's decision. I dont think a GW would cite you because you didnt alter it. His opinion could help. Sad that this is going on nowadays.

I believe it is better to be wrong on the safe side rather than right on the wrong side - release the fish and do not take a chance arguing with the GW, you probably will loose!

An under is only an under in an unaltered state. Release the fish, catch another!

Throw it back, why even jack with it and take a chance on ruining your rep. Its an altered fish, if its not in the rule book yet, it should be, "no altered fish will be excepted at weigh in".

Future post "guy wins truck and boat with fish with a cut tail". Neh, im out on that.