Luke Doherty
On September 30th, Two frontrunners of a Walleye fishing competition in Ohio were exposed of cheating for a near $30,000 prize.
After 42 year old Jacob Runyan and 35 year old Chase Cominsky submitted their fish, Jason Fischer, Director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament grew suspicious of the five fish that were entered by the two man team during the weigh in.
Fischer estimated that each fish should weigh in at about 1.8 kilograms. All together the 5 would weigh about 9 kilograms. Instead, the five clocked in at 15.4 kilograms, a difference that would jump out to any experienced competitive fisher.
Fischer immediately felt the fish for any suspicious tampering. The director felt a hard egg-like object inside of the fish and sliced it open to discover the truth.
“We got weights in fish,” Fischer proclaimed, raising the balls of lead into the air.
Immediately after, video captured the madness that ensued. Jacon Runyan was quickly disqualified from the competition. Spectators jumped to accusations of theft and called for police action.
Fischer continued to find the egg-like lead weights as well as fish filets. Both were used as primitive devices to increase the collective weight of the five fish.
Runyan and Cominsky are no strangers in the competitive fishing circuit. The duo has appeared in several tournaments, coming in top places at each. The two’s most notable feat is winning the Lake Erie Fall Brawl in 2021, earning a top prize of $100,000. They were disqualified from the competition because of a failed lie detector test.
If the duo’s illegal tactics had gone unnoticed and they had won the Lake Erie competition, then they would have likely won Lake Erie Walleye Trai’s overall prize. Which is like an MVP award. These men weren’t inducted into the “fishing hall of fame” thanks to Fischers keen eye.
The validity of the duo's other wins is still being investigated. A punishment will be the number one question once all is revealed.
“I just hope they get them for everything they can for what they’ve done,” Steve Hendricks said, Hendricks won team of the year with his teammate after the two cheaters were disqualified.
“The two deserve to get their fishing license revoked for at least 5 years. Back in the day for something like this you'd get your left hand chopped off, nowadays you get a slap on the wrist. I wouldn't go that far, but I think the old ways taught a firmer lesson,” local fisherman and NHS Sophomore Nathan Twitchell said.
While this may be the only story like this you’ve heard of, cheating is no new problem in the fishing circuit, planting weights inside of the fish is one of the more sloppy forms of cheating. Stuffing fish with ice and planting hefty pre-caught fish in the lake is much more undetectable.
Jason Fischer confirmed in a Facebook post that all information regarding the situation had been reported to the Ohio Division of Natural Resources. The return of the previous prize money won by the two is still undecided. The money came from entry fees so participants in the tournaments may be upset about the alleged theft Runyan and Cominsky have been orchestrating for years. A search warrant was issued to investigate the cheater's boat and trailer.
The two have now been indicted with three 5th degree felonies, one count of cheating, grand theft, and possessing criminal tools. As well as a 4th degree misdemeanor of unlawful ownership of wild animals.
According to the prosecution of the case, the felonies are punishable by up to 12 months in prison and up to $2,500 in fines. The misdemeanor could add on up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.