Texas Angler Arrested After Weights Found In Tournament Bass
- Angler tried to cheat by putting weights inside fish during weigh-in
- Authorities discovered weights inside fish and similar weights in angler's boat
- Angler faces felony charges due to high-value prize pool in the tournament
First of all, “Suspicious Fish” sounds like a punk rock band that I would pay top dollar to see on a Warped Tour stage, but no – this was a dingus in Texas who tried to cheat…in a FISHING TOURNAMENT. He allegedly put weights in the belly of his fish before turning it in for weighing.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Curtis Lee Daniels was arrested during the Lake Fork Lure Co. Tournament after tournament organizers flagged a fish he brought to the scales.
The two-day tournament took place at Lake Fork in East Texas and featured 564 anglers competing for cash prizes, including a top payout of more than $10,000 for the biggest fish.
Suspicious Fish Triggers Investigation
Tournament staff reportedly became suspicious during the weigh-in process and used a metal detecting wand on the bass Daniels submitted.
The device alerted them to the possible presence of a foreign object inside the fish, prompting officials to call Texas game wardens to investigate.
Wardens conducted a necropsy — essentially an autopsy for animals — on the bass, where they discovered three weights inside the fish’s stomach.
Authorities said the weights showed no signs of erosion, suggesting they had not been inside the fish naturally.
Investigators also reported finding similar weights inside Daniels’ boat, further raising suspicions that the fish had been tampered with before the weigh-in.
Arrest Made at Tournament
Daniels, who is from Willow Park, Texas, was arrested on-site and booked into the Wood County Jail.
He was charged with violating fishing tournament rules, which becomes a third-degree felony in Texas when prize money exceeds $10,000.
County records show Daniels was later released from jail after posting a $20,000 bond.
Tournament Officials Flagged the Catch
The tournament where the incident occurred was hosted by Sealy Outdoors, with competitors fishing Lake Fork for a chance at thousands in prize money.
Organizers contacted Texas Parks and Wildlife officials after noticing the suspicious fish during the weigh-in process.
A representative for the tournament declined to comment publicly on the arrest when contacted by Outdoor Life.
Previous Wildlife Violation
Public records show Daniels was previously convicted in 2019 in Wood County for possession of slot-limit black bass, a misdemeanor wildlife violation.
He was found guilty by a jury and ordered to pay $519 in fines and fees.
Daniels has not publicly commented on the current charges and reportedly plans to speak with his attorney before making any statement.
Investigation Ongoing
Texas Parks and Wildlife officials say the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
If convicted, Daniels could face serious penalties due to the felony classification tied to the high-value prize pool in the tournament.
Now here’s a pic of a fish on a bathroom scale. Scales on Scales.
What a sexy, suspicious fish. oooo wee.
-Riggs
