Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

I can't believe what I am hearing...................Mike Hart?

Very sad day indeed.

DP

Serious bummer. To the SoCal fishing community Mike has been a competitor and the man to beat for a very very long time. It is unfortunate that this will be his undoing and his legacy.

Yesterday: Mike Hart one of the Top Sticks in SoCal that kept us all in awe at his mere presence and had us reading how he approached our sport so we to could be just like him.

Today: Mike Hart I wonder how many times he cheated in our past? or a fish coughed up a sinker and he learned to add a hook?

Mike must have always felt like there was a big target on his back because frankly there was...I knew in every contest I ever fished against him that he was the man I wanted to beat....Beat Hart and you'd done your homework and excelled. This came from outta left field and really blindsided me personally. I feel ( and this is just my .02 cents) the majority of his wins were based on hard work and study and today is a sad day for our sport and to echo the sentiments of some here already ....Thank you WON for setting us all straight and allowing the facts out. It's going to be tough to explain to the public in general that WE the bass fishing community are not crazy fast driving lying cheating yayhoo's after this really leaks out and those who don't know a quagga from a zebra are offering up tall trees and sturdy ropes and opinions based on there lifetime of experience. The slings and arrows now destined for Mike are of his own making let's let him take his lumps and avert our eyes and keep to our own goals and expectations.

Kelly Ripa

You don't see it any different than I do Ron. It just felt as a personal affront. I introduced and recommended him to a few sponsors.

As far as I'm concerned he goes down on the same list as all of those cheating, worthless SOB's that have been caught.

This makes all of his wins suspicious. How long has he been cheating and what about the guys he has been fishing with? I don't believe for one minute this is the first time he's cheated just the first time he's been caught.

This is a big black eye to our industry and that makes it a sad day indeed.
jb

Ron Cervenka wrote:I guess I see this a lot different than you guys. I am not the least bit sad. In fact, I am flaming mad. Don’t you guys even wonder (or care) about how many times he may have cheated in the past and stole your money? I sure as hell do.

This is not sad; this is a victory over someone who made a conscious effort to cheat and to steal FROM HIS FRIENDS. Am I surprised and disappointed? Hell yes. Am I sad? Not at all.

He had no friends, other people to him were his victims. Just like any criminal.