Syracuse.com - 14 Elite Series pros competing in Bass Pro Shops Northern Open on Oneida Lake this week

[HuntingNY-News]

The field includes California Ish Monroe, who won the event on Oneida Lake in 2011. The event begins Thursday and ends Saturday, with the final weigh-in taking place in the parking lot in front of the Bass Pro Shops store at the Finger Lakes Mall.

The three-day, Bass Pro Shops Northern Open kicks off Thursday on Oneida Lake.

This year's event features 14 Bassmaster Elite Series pros - including Californian Ish Monroe, who won the event the last time it was here in 2011.

Pete Gluszek won the event last year when it was held on Cayuga Lake.Lauren Long 

Last year's Northern Open, which was held on Cayuga Lake, was won by Pete Gluszek, of New Jersey. Gluszek is returning this year to defend his title.

The weigh-ins on Thursday and Friday are set for 2 p.m. at Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton. The final weigh-in on Saturday will begin at 3:15 p.m. in the parking lot in front of the Bass Pro Shops store at the Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius.

Monroe is looking forward to fishing Oneida Lake but is hoping for a certain type of weather pattern, according a story on Bassmaster.com.

"Wind is one of the big factors, because the lake is a big open bowl," he said. "It's tough to navigate because of the many unmarked rock piles that exist offshore.

He added, "I would like to see a little rain and overcast conditions. In Bassmaster Elite tournaments and Opens on this lake, only one limit has weighed over 20 pounds and one right at 20, and both of those were in overcast conditions."

Other Bassmaster Elite Series anglers competing in this year's Open will include Kurt Dove, Boyd Buckett, Kevin Hawk, James Niggemeyer, Randy Howell, Timmy Horton, Mike Iaconelli, Jared Miller, Brandon Palaniuk, Chip Porce, Casey Scanlon, Fletcher Shryock and Chris Zaldain.

A total of 165 boats are entered, consisting of a pro and a co-angler. The entire field will fish the first two days, with only the top 12 pro and co-anglers advancing to Day 3.

The winning pro angler will get $6,400 plus a Skeeter boat and a Yamaha motor package, plus a trailer, worth more than $40,000. The winning co-angler will get a Nito boat, powered by a Mercury motor, along with a trailer.

For more on the tournament, see bassmaster.com.

Following the tournament, Elite Series pro Bill Lowen will be at the Bass Pro Shops store at 1 p.m. Sunday to give a seminar on fall fishing patterns.

An Elite Series Bassmaster event follows this week's Northern Open at Waddington on the St. Lawrence River. That event is scheduled for Aug 8-11. The winner of that competition will earn $100,000.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog