Officials: Anglers caught cheating in fishing tournament with lead weights, fish fillets

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - Two anglers were caught cheating in a Cleveland fishing tournament on Friday, according to officials.

The fishermen allegedly added lead weights and fish filets that appeared to be previously prepared to increase the weight of the fish during the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament.

The cheaters added around eight pounds of total weight to the five fish they caught during the Sept. 30 event on Lake Erie, according to Jason Fischer, the director of the tournament.

Fischer, the tournament’s organizer, told WOIO the fish ‘looked smaller’ than what they weighed. This prompted the fish to be checked for any signs of cheating.

Fischer then found the weights after he sliced open the suspected fish while surrounded by other onlooking competitors.

Any angler that alters the weight of any caught fish is immediately disqualified from the tournament, according to Fischer.

Multiple other anglers called local police departments and the Cleveland Metroparks after the discovery.

The two men would have won almost $29,000, according to CNN.

This story is developing and will see updates.

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