I do not know Sprague other than from the TFF. The Jealousy and or Hate for this guy is unreal. I do not watch the View,
but the TFF is exactly what has been explained to me about the View. A bunch of old women bitching and complaining to
make themselves feel better.

I watched the video. The fish was snagged in the side, he admitted that and removed the hook. According to MLF rules it was legal.
Now according to TPWD rules, it is an illegal catch. So, is what MLF should do like all other tournaments. Is adopt the rule of
"All state laws must be adhered to along with the MLF rules, If a discrepancy between rules then the State Laws are followed."

I guess MLFs way around the state laws is that the fish is not being kept and is being released immediately after weighing it.

hypothetically, If you knew there was a fish on a bed by a stump and casted to it out of sight distance and felt something hit your bait. You set the hook and comes in foul hooked, is that a legal catch?

Nope, same thing as seeing the fish and unintentionally snagging it. It's a weird rule but....I've only snagged accidentally 1 or 2 out of hundreds and hundreds of sight fish.

It's not agaonst the law. Intentionally snagging is illegal. He didn't intentionally snag it. Legal fish

According to Texas Law --- No. According to MLF rules -- Yes. That's why MLF needs to adopt a rule stating that State Law and regulations must be followed.

Incorrect Dubee. Below is from TPWD site. The fish was foul hooked. The term snagged is being used in this thread.

Pole and Line

A line with hook, attached to a pole (includes rod and reel)

* May be used to take game and nongame fish.

* It is unlawful to use a pole and line to take or attempt to take fish by foul-hooking, snagging, or jerking. A fish is foul-hooked when caught by a hook in an area other than the fish's mouth.

I don't care if the word is snagging, foul hooked or whatever you want to call it. Intentionally trying to snag one is against the law. Accidentally hooking one is not

I can tell it puzzles some people who don’t know him why such hatred for him. Other than a lot just not liking his vibe or attitude, the guys past is just catching up with him. Most on here just know him from fishing, but he’s done a LOT of things that would piss off quite a few guys. Seems to me a lot of people just get a sense about what kind of guy he is. Your gut feelings are normally correct. Eventually stuff catches up with you.

“An area other than the fish’s mouth.”

That could be interpreted to mean outside the mouth is ok, right?

Read it again. It states, "...take or attempt to take..." It clearly states that it is an unlawful manner to take a fish. You can be condescending and write Lol all you want, but you are wrong. If you put that snagged fish in your livewell and weigh it in for a tournament you are breaking the law.

The law is written the way for a reason. By stating "...take or attempt to take..." the state doesn't have to prove intent in their case against you. The law is black and white and an offender's intentions are immaterial.




If you release the fish immediately it is not considered to be in your possession. If the only fish you keep were caught using legal methods, you are not breaking the law.

Possession of Fish Taken from Public Water

DH -- I would interpret that it is illegal.(not okay) and by that Spragues catch should have been ruled illegal by Texas law and regulations. Because
the hook was not inside the mouth. It does not seem that MLF has a rule that says State Laws supersede MLF rules when a rule is in question. Also,
MLF can get away with that since they do not keep their catch. Hence the "take or attempt to take" in the first part.

I have foul-hooked/snagged a fish in a tournament and did not keep it due to the State Law. Again, this is my interpretation of the law.

It’s still illegal in MLF to sight fish and foul hook a fish. The debate is if he was sight fishing or not.

If he WAS NOT intentionally sight fishing that fish, it was a legal catch by state law and by MLF rules. Same as Brandon Coulter's big crankbait fish. He had a 8 1/2 pounder that pulled a hook out of his crankbait but the other hook was stuck in its side and he got it in. Legal fish.
That being said, Sprague is the only one that knows for sure if his fish was legal or not. I wouldn't have weighed it.

Y'all are interpreting the law the wrong way. We've all weighed in fish that had hooks outside the mouth, topwaters and crankbaits do this all the time. Lipless often do it too. The law is for intention. I've caught plenty of fish on a tx rig outside the mouth, not sight fishing.