I don't blame him for posting it. I just finished the video. Cool he ended up catching the fish.

The worst part about this is the kids are accustomed to the platform, I bet they have been acclimated to other forms of cheating as well.

Wonder if he taught them variations of "his rules"? Is cheating this blatant and out in the open the norm for these tournaments?

He was in violation of the following rules:

10. SPORTSMANSHIP • All student anglers, boat captains, team advisors and parents are required to follow high
standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to
themselves, the THSBA, our sponsors, the school the team is representing, the sport of fishing, and the THSBA’s efforts
to promote the sport. Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Violation of, and/or failure to comply with, any of the rules for the THSBA 2019-2020 high school fishing season.
b. Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages and/or any kind of mind-altering substance during
registration, the pre-tournament meeting or during tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure.
c. Abuse of, and/or addiction to, mind-altering substances.
d. Conviction of a felony within the past 36 months.
e. Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organization.
f. Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon the THSBA’s efforts to promote safety,
sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules, and/or which fail to comply with the
standards set forth in the first sentence of paragraph 8. In case of any conduct not complying with the standards
outlined above, tournament officials have the right to refuse an application to compete, to deny a confirmed
application to compete and/or to disqualify a contestant.


12. BOAT AND HORSEPOWER REGULATION • All boats must be propeller-driven and a minimum of 16 feet in length.
Air cooled/surface drive mud motors and jet drives are not allowed. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard
safety equipment: Working Fire Extinguisher, Throw Cushion, Life Vest to cover all occupants, current registration,
current insurance reflecting $300,000 liability, working navigational lights, working kill switch, and working live well.
Boats must contain a properly aerated live well space able to maintain alive a limit of bass. Maximum horsepower for
all outboards must not to exceed the recommended horsepower capacity set forth on the “Maximum Capacities”
placard described below. Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard
that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard
engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this placard. A maximum speed of boat
operation shall not exceed 60 MPH during any competition day, including OFFICIAL practice days. By signing the entry
form, student anglers and boat captains agree to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by tournament
officials. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating placard will
be cause for disqualification from the tournament and/or may result in ineligibility to compete in future high school
fishing tournaments. Fishing platforms must be factory installed equipment. No portable platforms may be used in
tournament competition. Fuel may be carried only in factory-installed (built-in) fuel tanks or auxiliary fuel tanks that
are securely strapped or otherwise fastened to the boat. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be
purchased from a retail facility open to the public and pumped through a hose with a nozzle.

I’m glad Todd posted this! From a former 3-year boat captain, there’s not a tournament we fished in that this didn’t happen at least once. It’s starts with teaching the young anglers about etiquette and manners on the water. Todd handled the situation like the pro he is, but it still chaps my a**!

Oh my.

Kinda like a bad Dads at a little league game. Todd handled it like a pro. Dad is a douche. Bottom line

Guy handled it like a boss! Kudos to him! There were THSBA rules broken on both of those encounters, depending on what was muted out.

The second encounter was open to interpretation. But I agree receiving info is a rules violation.


But the first boat they were so open about the ladder and that is scary the kids are already acclimated to cheating and are open about it and comfortable.


That is how it all starts...

Lol! Dude’s on a step ladder, cutting people off, cussing out other competitors with kids in the boat calling Todd a d*ck. Oh the irony…

They’ll figure out who he is, if they haven’t already and DQ him from future events.

I hope you are correct Jonesy. This just confirms the BS chatter you constantly hear about the HS fishing deal.


This guy and the kids should probably be banned permanently. The anglers as well are bound by rules and they seem too comfortable with the blatant open rules violation.

That sometimes is a sign of other things.

i have never understood why boat captains can fish or help kids out.i know one of the captains around here is a hammer and it reflects in the kids finishes let the captain drive the boat but let the kids decide everything else. 450 -500 boats on one lake is just stupid and this "grow the sport [censored]" was always a head scratcher

I wonder if anyone makes any money off the high school tourneys?

and there you have it lol. Thsba at its finest, cutting people off, cheating, and calling the guy that they cut off a d.......

Never cared for Todd much till now....................great job posting this & showing your cool & how to handle yourself on the water.
I recently retired from this industry & have now been able to fish often- the HS boat captain behavior/etiquette is terrible. Due to that fact- I will agree with another post on this thread- that HS fishing could be the worst thing thats happened to bass fishing ever.

The captain/dad/boat guide is the problem. Most come from the existing tournament circuits & are teaching the kids what happens on lot's of those events- Win at all cost mentality. Kids are kids.....they will mimmick what their mentors teach them.

Great job Todd- professionals like Todd are what the HS kids need to see & learn from- do it the right way from this stage forward & they will carry that with them in the future. Maybe Todd & a few other or's at his level can take up this cause & begin speaking & advising these school teams before the captains ruin them.

My 2 sense. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

Todd is a class act.

I need to go back through my go pro footage and make a video of all the times just this year that my THSBA team has been cut off by adults fishing a tournament on the same lake. The lake Palestine tournament last October was a particularly bad one. In the first hour of footage there were three different adult teams pull up literally less than 50ft in front of us. I wonder if that video would get the same amount of outrage? I'm not trying to defend this guy in the video that jumped in front of Todd. He was clearly in the wrong. He was clearly breaking rules. His team clearly needs to be DQ'd. My point is this stuff happens every day. We have a pandemic of rude inconsiderate bass fishermen, no doubt about that, but if you think it is restricted to high school fishing, you have your head square up your rear end. If you think I'm wrong, go enter a BFL tournament sometime. Those things are the biggest sh** show you will ever see.