Syracuse.com - Virginian angler takes the lead on Day 1 of Bass Pro Shops Northern Open on Oneida Lake

[HuntingNY-News]

The start of the three-day competition was marked by cloudy skies and some rain, waves that approached three to four high at times and a huge algae bloom on the lake that many said affected their fishing. The action resumes Friday morning at 5:45 a.m. at Oneida Shores Watch video

The start of the Bass Pro Shops Northern Open on Oneida Lake today was marked by cloudy skies and some rain, waves that approached three to four high at times and a huge algae bloom on the lake that many said affected their fishing.

Chris Daves, of Hopewell, Va., was the leader following the afternoon weigh-in at Oneida Shores Park, with a 5-fish bag that weighed 17-2 ounces.David Figura | [email protected] 

Chris Daves, of Hopewell, Va., was the leader after the afternoon weigh-in at Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton, turning in five smallmouth bass that weighed a total of 17 pounds, 2 ounces.

"I caught them schooling - deep," he said, declining to reveal what lure he used.

Daves said the lake's waves didn't bother him, though the algae "messed up some places I've been fishing in practice.

"With smallmouth, you want some waves. It makes them feed and key in on your bait," he said.

 

Tracy Adams, of Wilkesboro, Pa., was in second with his five fish bag (three smallmouth and two largemouths) weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounces. Terry Baksay, of Eastern Conn., was in third with his all-smallmouth bag that weighed 16 pounds, 10 ounces.

Asked about the algae bloom on the lake, he and others said it has been moving around all week, depending on the direction of the wind. There were a number of areas around the lake were it was absent. Often, it was around the shorelines affecting those who were fishing the low water for largemouths.

"Fish still bite in it, but not as good," Adams said.

The biggest fish of the day was reeled in by pro angler Tony Dorman, of West Pittson, Pa. - a 5- pound, 2- ounce largemouth bass.

"I caught him within the first 15 minutes on the water on a spinnerbait," he said.

The competition featured 162 boats. Each boat had a boater/pro angler who controlled where and when each craft went. There was also a co-angler who fished and rode in the back. The pros were allowed to keep five fish for weighing each day; the co-anglers, three.

Brian Kelly, of Liverpool, was the leading co-angler after Day 1, with his three fish bag weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces. Kelly's bag contained all smallmouth bass, the biggest one weighing 3 ½ pounds. He said he caught them all on tube jigs.

In second place was Ben Markley, of Port Byron, whose three smallmouth weighed 10 pounds, three ounces. In third was Corey Horelick, of Mottville, Conn., whose three-fish bag weighed 10 pounds.

Co-angler Richard French, of Newfield turned in a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass, the biggest for that division.

One the lighter moments of the day involved aspiring Texas pro Trait Crist, who slipped and fell off her boat in shallow water while trying to deal with her trolling motor. A camera man, who was nearby filming, helped pull her out of the water.

The competition picks up again today at 5:45 a.m. at Oneida Shores Park, with the weigh-in again set for 2 p.m. After today, the field will be trimmed to the top 12 pros and co-anglers for Saturday's final.

The weigh-in Saturday will be in the parking lot at Bass Pro Shops, starting at 3 p.m. 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, including complete results, a blog featuring photos and comments from participating anglers, see bassmaster.com.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog