Syracuse.com - Bassmaster Elite Series tournament returning to Oneida Lake next summer

[HuntingNY-News]

The recently released 8-tournament schedule for the series has a tournment here on Aug. 23-26 to finish out the 2012 season. The tournament will feature many of the top anglers across the country, with the winner walking away with a $100,000 check.

Michael Greenlar/The Post-StandardChad Griffin hoists the winner's trophy following hte 2009 tournament on Oneida Lake, which he won and took home $100,000.Following a two-year break from Central New York, the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series competition will return next summer to Oneida Lake.

The recently released 8-tournament schedule for the series has a tournment here on Aug. 23-26 to finish out the 2012 season. The tournament will feature many of the top anglers across the country, with the winner walking away with a $100,000 check.

In addition, the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Award, which also carries a $100,000 prize, will also be announced.

The news is big news for the local fishing scene and economy, which hasn’t seen an Elite Series competition since 2009 when Chad Griffin, a Bassmaster Elite Series rookie from Cresson, Texas, out-fished a solid slate of seasoned pros to win.

B.A.S.S. has held tournaments seven times on Oneida Lake since 2003, including three Elite Series tournaments. They were won by Tommy Biffle (2006), Dean Rojas (2008) and Griffin (2009).

This coming week, B.A.S.S. is hosting the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open at Oneida Lake, featuring more than 140 boats and 20 Elite pros. Many local amateurs are also participating in the competition, which promises to offer more than $250,000 in cash prizes and merchandise to top finishing fishermen.

That tourney kicks off Thursday morning at Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton and ends Saturday afternoon, with the final weigh-in at the Bass Pro Shops store at the Fingerlakes Mall. The entry fee is $1,250 for anglers and $350 for co-anglers on the boat.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

[RTF]

Glad to hear this. Hopefully we will attend.