Podcast Summary: The Nightly

Episode: Drowsy History Week: A Very Fishy Scandal

Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Jackie East (A), KP (C)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Nightly dives into the bizarre and hilarious story of one of America’s wildest fishing scandals—Lake Erie’s infamous walleye cheating incident. In a cozy, late-night chat, hosts Jackie and KP weave through the curious world of competitive fishing, unravel the details of a deception that rocked the sport, and muse about the strange consequences that followed. The tone is playful, relaxed, and peppered with wry humor, making it the perfect bedtime story for pop culture lovers who like their history a bit wacky and extremely drowsy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cozy Beginnings: Birdwatching and Chill (00:30–04:07)

• KP shares plans to unwind with birdwatching at Bolsa Chica, describing the process as a wholesome “I spy” style game where you identify birds by their features and log them in apps or notebooks.
• KP explains the ethos: “The ethos is really collectively cute and cozy.” (02:44)
• Conversation segues into the idea of leisure hobbies, setting the relaxed, playful tone for the episode.

2. Transition: From Birding to Drowsy History (04:07–04:45)

• KP proposes a “drowsy history” story: “We’re going to tell you a history story all from memory. And if we get stuck, we can just rewrite what happened.” (04:23)
• The approach is knowingly fuzzy, filled with improvisation, humor, and gentle ribbing.

3. Main Story: The Lake Erie Walleye Cheating Scandal (04:45–18:28)

A. The Setup: Fishing Competitions Explained (05:00–05:51)

• KP outlines how fishing competitions work: biggest haul by weight wins, with substantial prizes—this one for $29,000.
• “In the fishing world, there are these competitions...It’s like, who can catch the most weight of fish?” (05:00)

B. The Odd Winning Streak (05:51–07:22)

• Two average competitors, Jake Runyon and Chase Kaminsky, suddenly dominate the circuit for multiple years.
• Suspicion arises as their fish count and visible haul don’t match the reported weights.
• KP jokes: “Yeah, they sucked. And they started working together, and all of a sudden these two are winning year after year.” (06:20)
• Jackie quips: “They got 12 goldfish and it’s like, but this doesn’t weigh 50 pounds.” (06:47)

C. The Discovery: “We Got Weights in Fish!” (07:22–08:28)

• Contest leader, skeptical about the fish weights, cuts open the winners’ catch in front of a crowd.
• He finds metal weights and extra fish fillets stuffed inside the fish: “You need to leave!” (Recalling the viral video at 08:24)
• KP: “Little, you know, kind of ball bearings into this fish's stomach through the mouth.” (07:45)
• Jackie: “So when you’re squeezing the fish, you’d be like, still feels like fish to me a little bit.” (08:16)
• The revelation goes viral due to the dramatic confrontation and outrage.

D. Previous Suspicion and Failed Polygraph (09:05–09:31)

• KP recounts that the year prior, both men failed a lie detector test, but without physical proof nothing stuck.
• “They failed. Okay, the year before. But everyone was like, I don’t know...because they weren’t opening the fish back then.” (09:24–09:32)

E. Wild Consequences: Felonies and Forfeitures (09:47–12:28)

• Jackie speculates that punishment should be minor—return money and banishment.
• Reality is harsher: “They were indicted by a grand jury on fifth degree felony...three years in prison.” (11:02)
• Actual result: 10 days in jail, felony records, loss of a $100,000 fishing boat, and court-ordered repayments.
• KP: “They can’t work anywhere near fish. They can’t work in the fish market. And they had to pay the money, and they had to lose their boat.” (12:01)

F. Escalating Mishaps: More Petty Crimes (13:37–15:37)

• Kaminsky later passes fake movie prop $100 bills at a bowling alley, earning another felony.
• KP: “Gave them to his son to spend at a bowling alley. And now he’s got another felony charge. This is the most silly criminal I’ve ever heard of.” (13:52)
• Runyon is also caught poaching deer out of season, adding more charges.

G. Reflection: On Crime, Punishment, and Human Nature (15:37–18:19)

• Both hosts muse about the disproportionality of the punishments.
• Jackie: “He’s going to have, at this rate, he’s going to have like 15 prison trips...but only have served 32 days in jail. And that’s so funny to me.” (15:37)
• KP: “He’s got more charges than Al Capone. Just put some fish fillets inside of a fish is his biggest thing.” (15:53)
• Discussion touches on how money draws out bizarre competitive behavior, even in fishing.

H. Extra: Other Wacky Cheating Controversies (16:29–17:25)

• KP shares another story: “In 2012, a British fisherman stole a bass from the aquarium...He took it from the tank.” (16:29)
• The hosts delight in the elaborate lengths to win in niche competitions.

4. Closing Thoughts: A Love for Con Men (17:49–18:41)

• KP waxes poetic: “There is something really just like a con man’s going to con you...And I love a con man.” (17:49)
• Both hosts agree strange stories like these are what makes history entertaining at bedtime.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You gotta be quiet. You gotta be a little slow. You’ve gotta make sure you’re not spooking them.”
  – KP, explaining birdwatching, (02:58)

• “We’re going to tell you a history story all from memory. And if we get stuck, we can just rewrite what happened. It’s like history class, but maybe more funny and definitely not completely accurate.”
  – KP (04:23)

• “We got weights in fish! You need to leave!”
  – Recounting the viral reveal, (08:24)

• “They can’t work anywhere near fish. They can’t work in the fish market.”
  – KP on the harsh punishment (12:01)

• “He’s got more charges than Al Capone. Just put some fish fillets inside of a fish is his biggest thing.”
  – KP (15:53)

• “In 2012, a British fisherman stole a bass from the aquarium.”
  – KP relating another wild example, (16:29)

• “There is something really just like a con man’s going to con you...And I love a con man.”
  – KP closing thought, (17:49)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• 00:47–04:07: Foundational chat and the birdwatching vibe
• 04:13–04:45: Introduction to Drowsy History
• 05:00–07:22: Explaining the fishing competition and setting up the scandal
• 07:22–08:28: Dramatic cheating reveal (“We got weights in fish!”)
• 11:02–12:28: Felony charges, punishment, and boat forfeiture
• 13:37–15:37: The “silliest criminal”—Kaminsky’s additional offenses
• 16:29–17:25: Other zany cheating tales in competitions
• 17:49–18:41: Final reflections and bedtime wrap-up

Tone & Style

Playful, cozy, and conspiratorial—hosts Jackie and KP riff off each other with gentle sarcasm and a warm bedtime cadence, transforming a “fishy” scandal into a soothing, sleep-ready story that’s both amusing and oddly comforting. Their storytelling leans into the absurd while pausing to laugh over life’s little cons.

Perfect for drifting off with a chuckle, or for history buffs who don’t take themselves too seriously.