Another Integrity Wake-Up Call for Competitive Bass Fishing

A strange kayak-cheating scandal reinforces the same truth: rules can guide a sport, but only integrity can protect it.

From top-level Elite circuits to local kayak derbies, rules are being broken. This latest scandal just reinforces why integrity is a must for this sport to move forward. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

Another Reminder That Rules Alone Can’t Protect the Sport

Feedback from my earlier piece on integrity among bass tournament anglers started me thinking about the organizations themselves and wondering about their responsibility to be transparent and fair in the enforcement of their rules. But before I could get a follow-up article together, a new shocking example of an angler cheating surfaced.

This time it was from the kayak bass tournament world. And this time it would be virtually impossible to assume it was just a misunderstanding of the rules or in any way unintentional. This angler was caught fishing a New York Kayak Bass Fishing Club event from a bass boat and carrying a cut-out piece of a kayak he used as a photo backdrop for submitting his catches.

From Elite DQs to local kayak circuits, the same truth is obvious: the rules can’t protect a sport if its participants abandon integrity.

A Fake Kayak, a Real Problem

I know reporting of this story has been all over the internet, but just in case you’ve missed it, here’s a brief summary. Wired2Fish tends to be a very credible news source, so I’ve used their reporting for the details. Also, the Str8 Yak'd Fishing YouTube channel presented a pretty thorough video on the matter.

This is the photo that surfaced showing the aluminum bass boat with the kayak photo prop clearly on the back deck | Str8 Yak'd Fishing YouTube

During a month-long online bass tournament in June of 2025, Pennsylvania kayak angler Jacob Housman, submitted a large smallmouth bass photographed in a bright green kayak. A month later he posted a photo of a large smallmouth bass on his Instagram account, clearly showing himself in an aluminum Tracker bass boat. The tournament director and other competitors quickly noticed that the bass in both photos looked suspiciously similar, in fact, absolutely identical.

Then a launch ramp surveillance photo surfaced of that same bass boat with a very obvious, cut-out, piece of a bright green kayak (the seat and about two feet of plastic in front of the seat—exactly the spot where a tournament kayak angler would typically photograph their catches), sitting on the back deck of the bass boat.

When confronted, Housman confessed that he had cheated and returned the $200 he had been awarded. NYKBF, NY Slay Nation, PA Kayak Bass Nation, PA Slay Nation, and TourneyX  have all banned Housman for life.

Check out Wired2Fish’s full story HERE. Watch the Str8 Yak'd Fishing YouTube video HERE.

Why Cheating Keeps Happening Now

I’ve said it before, but I’m glad to say it again, the overwhelming majority of bass tournament participants are solid, hard working, trustworthy people. So why do we keep seeing a consistent stream of anglers who aren’t in that group, from top-level pros to local derby anglers?

In this case, the angler had decided his integrity was only worth $200. It sounds like he believed he could parlay these fake fishing successes into internet fame, but what is that really worth? Of course, if that works it could be more than $200, but it’s an unrealistic long shot—especially if it’s not based on actual skills and talent.

So if it’s not really about the money, is it simply individuals who are so desperate for validation that they’ll risk everything to get it? Is this more of a societal problem than a fishing problem? Is it a dark side of human nature that may never change?

My best guess is that cheating in fishing doesn’t start with a plan to become a bad guy. Maybe first there’s a brief lapse of judgement where the subconscious justifies a “shortcut”. Pressure to succeed, from internal and/or external sources, convince you that nobody is getting hurt. The voice in your head starts to believe your story. Integrity is lost one small compromise at a time.

It seems pretty clear this is the same fish in both photos. And actually, Housman has confessed that it is. | Str8 Yak'd Fishing YouTube

Integrity Is the Only Way to Win

Whether fishing from the bank, a kayak, or a $100,000 bass boat, the one thing every angler can bring to the sport in equal amounts, is their word, their personal accountability and their integrity. In fact, that’s the thing every human being can bring to anything they do. No matter where a person comes from or how many things they own, they can always maintain their integrity. It can’t be taken away, but it can be given away.

Unfortunately, fishing has always suffered from the stereotype of the lying (or at least exaggerating) fisherman. That has always made maintaining legitimacy in professional angling a challenge. But as new stories like this surface, it becomes more clear that each of us who love tournament fishing, anglers and organizations alike, need to put integrity first if this sport is going to continue moving forward.

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If you haven't seen it yet, check out my other recent article about bass tournament cheating and the importance of integrity:

Lake Murray DQs Highlight an Integrity Crisis in Competitive Bass Fishing