Being upset with the protestor and BASS is like being angry at DOGE for exposing corruption.

Based on internet comments, it seems at least half of commenters think cheating is ok if you don't get caught.

How have the BPT guys who flirt with the line not been brought into this discussion? "where there is smoke there is fire" comments have been made about the top guys over there as well. This is not just a BASS issue. I like both circuits, I have probably watched more BPT live than BASS this year because I think the "pick a period" thing has added a new level of strategy I find interesting. But it seems to me like last year everyone was piling on BPT for being unethical with the handling of failed poly tests, catching the same fish off a bed over and over, etc etc.

Personally, I think the no info rule is silly. Guys who fish, like to talk fishing. I am just a nobody, but the few times I have had a chance to talk to the big time guys, I had fun talking with them about lakes and things we had in common. The Big Guys, talk to people all the time about fishing, that is there job. Having to walk on egg shells about not only Lake A, but every other lake in the area that might fish like Lake A just seems really silly.

Talking about water clarity a month out, or talking about a "hot bait" on a certain lake is just dock talk to me. A rules violation to me is if someone is intentionally trying to gain an advantage. I would think that a decent poly tester could ask the question 2 different ways. One dealing with have you had conversations about the lake, and the other about did you gain an advantage by your discussions about the lake.

This is obviously an issue on both pro leagues, certainly someone with some common sense can figure out how to find a happy medium.

If anyone thinks it wasn’t to gain an advantage- well I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona….

Some of the same people who argue that it's okay to use anonymous sources in this situation are the same ones who claim that anything from an "anonymous source" in government is a fraud and must be false.

In my view, if you have integrity and revealing the source won't put that person in danger, the right thing to do is to stand by your words with pride and simply be honest.

Supporting or endorsing blanket anonymity in today's society suggests that those who think this way may lean toward passive-aggressive tendencies, weaker mindsets, and may even be the type to back down under pressure.

The truth is likely somewhere in the middle of all our opinions, if we were to combine them. That's just my perspective, based on my own experiences, and everyone should form their opinions from theirs as well.

Have a good day

Same reason Roland is being called out... Justifying their position... Roland played by the rules that Ray Scott had set out... If you don't think Ray Scott would've slapped Roland, Jimmy, Bill or any other of the old guard upside the head for cheating you're sadly uninformed... Ray Scott was hypersensitive to any and all rumblings of cheating in the early day... He was probably the first to practice the Zero Tolerance policy... Dan

Roland was said to get a lot of info, sometimes use guides and such. That could be why he never won a classic. They did not start announcing the lake for the classic ahead of time until the early 80's. It's hard to get info if you don't know where it is being held.

So???... Was Roland breaking any rules???... Were others not able to gather info???... Sounds like Roland wanted it more than the other guys... Again, it's jealousy... Or laziness on the part of the other anglers... IF Roland wanted to gather info on a certain lake what difference does it make if it's a week, a month or a year... He could get the info needed... It's different decades, eras... You can't compare what was going on in fishing in the 60's 70's, 80's 90's, 2000's and today... Different rules... Different technologies... Dan

Back then, gathering information like that was legal, just like a lot of other questionable things were. Still, it highlights his lack of integrity and his disregard for doing things the right way. Maybe that’s where Scott picked up his poor judgment.

Dot dot dot Dan... once again, you never fail to impress me with just how deeply you misunderstand even the simplest things.

Maybe he learned it from vandam, clunn, or any of the other info gatherers? Wasn’t just Roland gathering info.

Bottom line is Scott has a bigger fan base than any of the protesters ever will. Rightfully so as it is clear those without the balls to come out of shadows and make accusation. bass allows this so hopefully they will be granted with same failure rate as anonymous protesters that everyone seems to know. Hammer bros are clowns anyway.

If anyone on here, does not believe that things at BASS, haven't always had a shady side, you're mistaken. I'm not going to point fingers or name names, and I don't mean at every tournament. Now I'm talking, 80's- early 2000s. I've heard a lot, but I know of 3 instances ,where had the infraction, been an unknown, they would have been D Q immediately. But because they were either, a very well known angler, or an up & comer that BASS was really promoting. The protesters, were told that they needed to re think things, because protesting such an angler could end their careers, and create massive hardship on said anglers family. In other words, you must be mistaken, he has too much to lose ,to commit such a violation, so forget about it. BASS, used to keep most of the dissention pretty quiet, but I don't believe, they ever had half the issues in any 10 yr. span, as we have heard about, the last 3 yrs.

Talk about a twisted misunderstanding of the simplest things... First you say it was legal... Then you say it's questionable... Which is it???... Legal???... Or questionable???... Again, when Roland was competing info gathering was perfectly legal, above board, everyone did it, or should have if they want to be successful... You proved my point... You can't compare decades... Different rules is one of the main reasons why... Dan

How about the one having the balls to take the poly if he is so innocent?
And don't even compare KVD or Clunn to anything to do with Scott Martin! No comparison

Who flipping cares, he dropped OUT of the league. Cry no longer, he is gone.