Alleged cheating disrupts another Lake Erie walleye event, this time in New York

Dunkirk, N.Y. — It was déjà vu all over again for Lake Erie fishing contests when a team competing in the Bart’s Cove Duel, at Dunkirk, N.Y., allegedly attempted to slip one over on tournament officials and other teams when they tried to weigh in fish that had purposely been weight-enhanced by stuffing other fish, or fish portions, into the stomach of a walleye.

The tournament, held July 29-30, featured a total of 34 boats that braved the wind, waves, and even waterspouts on Lake Erie, to compete for cash prizes and some great trips.

Earlier this year in a national news story, Jacob Runyan, of Ashtabula, Ohio and Chase Cominsky, of Hermitage, Pa. pleaded guilty to cheating in a 2022 walleye tournament that took place in Cleveland. The fish were stuffed with weights and fish parts. It drew negative attention to the fishing world surrounding the Great Lake.

RELATED STORY: Tournament anglers who cheated in Lake Erie walleye championship sentenced to jail time

This time around, tournament officials say it was Peter Smith, 57, of Forestville, who allegedly brought in his tournament catch of three fish for his “Reely Jerkin’” team. As per the rules of the tournament, the top five teams can have their catch opened for inspection.

“Any fish caught that enters into our pay structure needs to be cut open,” said Tournament Director Mark Mohr.

Cutting the fish open was tournament official Joel Ruggiero, Sr. of Angola. He found a portion of a 12-inch walleye that had clearly been cut and an entire white perch. Both fish had holes in the mouth area that showed they had recently been caught.

After the fish were opened, a decision had to be made; however, Mohr took his time as he evaluated all the evidence.

The disqualification came on Monday, July 31, after the state’s DEC Environmental Conservation Officers were called in to examine the scene following the weigh-in. They confiscated the catch, and the current statement being released from the agency is: “DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement is actively investigating a complaint from organizers of the tournament. The investigation is ongoing.”

“I appreciate everyone’s patience to let us get to the bottom of this mess,” Mohr said.

As for the tournament, in an old-fashioned battle of wits and fishing skill, the winning team was Creative Woods and Water led by Capt. Bryan Dusenbury, of Derby. Total weight, based on three tournament fish (walleyes must be a minimum of 22 inches long) each day, was 37.92 pounds. Just .06-pounds behind was the Ship of Fools team led by Kyle Kokanovich, of Amherst, with 37.86 pounds.

Saturday’s weather conditions were difficult at best.

Kokanovich’s team took the early lead with a three-fish total of 21.49 pounds thanks to the lunker fish of the tournament, a 10.69-pound fish they caught off Van Buren Point.

On Sunday it was the Creative Woods and Water crew with an 8.17-pound walleye, the big fish for the day, also caught off Van Buren Point.

Dusenbury’s team included Dave Goodberry, of Hamburg, and Andy Goodberry, of Lake View. Their three fish total of 18.92 pounds on Sunday, added to the 19-pound box on Saturday, gave them the victory by the smallest of margins.

“On Sunday, we caught the big walleye on the first pass and then a 5 1⁄2-pound fish on the second pass,” Dusenbury said. “Then the fish shut down. We didn’t know if we would come in with a three-fish limit for the tournament. At 1:15 p.m., we caught a 5-pound fish to seal the deal.”

It is Dusenbury’s first tournament win.

Ship of Fools also won the top prize for combined scores of Bart’s Cove and the Sunset Bay Shootout – a Panama fishing trip for two valued at over $14,650. The total weight for both events was 69.48 pounds.