An angler competing in a walleye derby on Saskatchewan’s Montreal Lake was kicked out of the ice-fishing event Saturday after being accused of dishonest. The disqualified angler, whose id has not been made public, was reportedly in first place and taking a look at $100,000 in prize cash.
The incident is now underneath investigation, in response to a statement from the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, which hosted the occasion and mentioned “the person was requested to go away the fishing space” after the alleged rule violation occurred. The assertion offered few different particulars, and the organizers of the Montreal Lake 18th Annual Walleye Derby didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Outside Life.
“The matter stays underneath investigation, together with potential allegations of fraud,” the assertion reads. “The First Nation is cooperating absolutely with Saskatchewan’s Security Company and the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police], as they examine the matter.”
The RCMP’s Waskesiu Lake detachment confirmed with CBC News that it’s overseeing the fraud investigation. The workplace didn’t present further data or reply to requests for remark from OL.
CBC did, nevertheless, communicate with one other angler on the occasion, Dreydan Morin, who won first place and took dwelling the $100,000 verify to his household. Morin’s profitable fish was a 2.5-pound walleye he’d caught early within the catch-and-release event.
“I went up [to the leaderboard] and there was a man main, and I obtained knocked all the way down to second,” Morin informed the information outlet. “I got here again round, and my identify was again up on the leaderboard. They informed me they disqualified the man.”
Morin’s fish and the fish that was disqualified have been the one two walleyes caught throughout the six-hour occasion, in response to SaskLakes, an area fishing web site. The remainder of the fish caught have been all pike. This left Morin alone on the walleye leaderboard on the finish of the derby — despite the fact that, as one Facebook user famous, there have been greater than 2,500 fishermen taking part.
A video from Saturday’s derby has been extensively circulated on social media. The clip, which is unverified, claims to indicate the disqualified walleye being pulled by way of the ice.
The First Nation famous in its assertion that over the native derby’s 18-year historical past, “there have been no identified incidents of fraud,” and that Saturday’s incident doesn’t compromise the integrity of the occasion.
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“If violations are confirmed, Montreal Lake Cree Nation will help all enforcement measures and prosecutions, the place deemed mandatory, in accordance with the legislation,” the assertion reads. “The First Nation stays dedicated to making sure a good and respectful occasion for all individuals.”
Fraud of greater than $5,000 is a severe offense in Saskatchewan and different Canadian provinces. It carries a most penalty of 14 years imprisonment, in response to the Department of Justice Canada.
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