Indiana man allegedly cheated in Chicago bass fishing tournament by importing fish from Hammond

CHICAGO - An Indiana man is accused of cheating in a bass fishing tournament in Chicago earlier this month. 

David Moore, 49, of St. John’s, Indiana, was cited for attempting to commit theft, possession over the daily limit of three smallmouth bass, failure to immediately release smallmouth bass unharmed, taking and possessing smallmouth bass resulting in wanton waste, throwing fishing wire on the bank water and importing Viral Hemorrhagic Speticemia (VHS)-susceptible species into Illinois without a permit.

On May 10, Illinois Conservation Police received information that Moore was hiding fish on a stringer in Calumet River, possibly for a tournament that was scheduled for May 11. 

Tournament rules prohibited fishing in that area on the 10th.

Police watched the location on May 11 and allegedly saw Moore retrieve four smallmouth bass from the stringer and put them in the live well of his boat before throwing the string on the shore and driving away.

Police then confirmed with the Cal-Sag Bass Anglers weigh master that Moore was registered in their tournament.

When Moore returned to the tournament weigh-in location, the total weight of the fish in Moore’s possession was 19.5 pounds. The tournament limit was five bass with a minimum length of 12 inches. 

Conservation police determined Moore had allegedly caught four smallmouth bass on May 10 in Lake Michigan near Hammond, Indiana, and imported the fish into Illinois without a VHS permit.

If Moore was allowed to proceed, he would have won the tournament by more than four pounds and taken home a first-place prize of $1,300.

He will appear in court in Cook County to face the charges.