THE LATEST NEWS
Perkins Takes Wire-To-Wire Win At Bassmaster Northern Open On Oneida
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It was a day of firsts for Bill Perkins, as the New York pro made the most of his Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens debut to dominate the Northern Division event at Oneida Lake from start to finish with a three-day winning total of 52 pounds, 3 ounces.
Bill Perkins, of Rochester, N.Y., has won the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open at Oneida Lake with 52 pounds, 3 ounces.
Photo by Shane Durrance/B.A.S.S.
With weights of 18-11 and 17 pounds, the first two rounds gave Perkins a slim lead each day. On Championship Saturday, he stepped on the gas, added 16-8 and crossed the finish line more than 2 pounds ahead of second-place A.J. Slegona Jr., of Walker Valley, N.Y.
Because Perkins didn’t fish the first Northern Open of the season on the James River, he’s not eligible for an automatic berth into the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. That berth will go instead to Texas pro Ray Hanselman, who was sitting on the verge of Classic qualification in the Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year standings.
But Perkins, a resident of Rochester, N.Y., still earned the Skeeter Boats top prize of $45,000 — and was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
“I haven’t let loose in three days; I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten, I’ve been losing my mind, but it was all worth it,” he said. “I don’t know what to say, I’m just superappreciative.
“Thank God — He blessed me this week and He’s blessed me time and time again. I thank B.A.S.S., I thank my family and friends. The last three days have been epic. I won’t ever forget it.”
Spending his tournament in the midlake region, Perkins targeted rocky bottom structure in about 14 to 20 feet.
The first two days, he had to contend with full-field crowding, plus strong winds that presented challenging conditions. While there was no escaping the boat pressure, Perkins managed to moderate the latter impediment with tackle adjustments.
“I was fishing a drop shot with a 2.8-inch Keitech Easy Shiner and a 1/4-ounce tungsten weight, and a 1/6-ounce Z-Man finesse Ned head with a Z-Man TRD in the goby Bryant color,” Perkins said. “I had to go heavier on my weights to keep the baits on the bottom.
“Even with that adjustment, it was hard to make accurate presentations because I was getting blown off my spots by the wind. Even with Spot-Lock, I was getting blown back.”
A field that was reduced to 10 for the final round allowed Perkins the freedom to fish just about anywhere he wanted. The biggest advantage, however, was the nearly flat conditions, which allowed him to closely inspect his area with his Humminbird MEGA 360 and make precise presentations.
“I’ve been running multiple areas and today, I sat down on my best spot in Fisher Bay because there wasn’t as many guys on the water and I had it all to myself,” Perkins said. “There was a bunch of isolated rock in there and I was just slowly picking it apart.”
Surprisingly, Perkins was unable to get bit on his drop shot or Ned Rig Saturday, so he switched to a 1/2-ounce Keitech tungsten football head with a green pumpkin Keitech Spider Grub. Working this bait with a painfully slow retrieve delivered prompt results.
“I had a limit today by 8:04 and I caught my biggest one — about a 4 1/4 — at 7:30,” Perkins said. “That took the pressure off.”
Day 1 yielded only six bites and Perkins had to endure several hours of catching only drum before boating a bass at 11:30. Day 2 started more productively, with a limit by 10:04, but Perkins would catch only six fish. He attributed his final-round success to persistence.
“The key was staying put,” he said. “I got all my good bites in Fisher (the first two days) and I said, ‘There’s not going to be nearly as many guys today, I’m gonna buckle down in there.’ I had it all to myself — it was great.”
Slegona placed second with 50-2. After a 21st-place bag of 15-12, he added 17-14 on Friday and entered Championship Saturday in third place. Matching Perkins’ final-round weight allowed him to rise one spot.
Focusing on main-lake rock shoals in 10 to 12 feet, Slegona fished a Carolina-rigged Zoom Speed Craw in grassy areas. In more open areas, he used a 1/2-ounce Keitech football jig with an Erie Darter trailer.
“I only had six to seven bites a day throughout the tournament,” Slegona said. “It was just all about timing. They turn on at different times and, every once in a while, you get the right rockpile with fish biting on it.”
Sam George of Athens, Ala., finished third with 49-8. He caught 18-2 on Day 1 and tied Thomas Hughes of Cicero, N.Y., for third place, then added 16-10 on Friday and moved up to second before slipping back a spot with a final-round limit of 14-12.
Targeting a large main-lake grass flat with gravel patches, George caught his fish by drop shotting a Strike King Rage Swimmer in sexy shad and a Strike King KVD Dream Shot in honey candy.
“I got a little dialed in on Day 1,” George said. “I had a rough start and didn’t get a lot of bites, but late in the day, I got on a little area where it started happening for me.”
Liam Blake of Syracuse, N.Y., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award.
George won the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards for being the highest finishing competitor using Garmin products.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, leads the Northern Open standings with 392 points. Mike Iaconelli of Pitts Grove, N.J., is in second with 381, followed by Hugh Cosculluela of Spring, Texas, with 372, Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio, with 360 and Jacob Powroznik of North Prince George, Va., with 357.
Powroznik leads the overall Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens points standings with 878 points.
Visit Syracuse and Onondaga County Parks hosted the event.
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Basspro.com
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The post Perkins Takes Wire-To-Wire Win At Bassmaster Northern Open On Oneida appeared first on Bass365.com.
Cowboy Cifuentes Takes Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 Presented by Abu Garcia at St. Lawrence River
MASSENA, N.Y. (July 30, 2021) – Pro Joey “Cowboy” Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkansas, took over the lead on Day Two of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Savage Arms Stop 6 Presented by Abu Garcia at the St. Lawrence River Friday, bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces. Cifuentes’ two-day total of 10 bass weighing 43 pounds, 3 ounces gives him a slim 2-ounce advantage heading into Day 3 of the four-day competition featuring bass fishing professionals from around the world, competing for up to $135,000.
Reigning 2020 Angler of the Year Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Michigan moved from 3rd place into 2nd with a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces on Friday, while Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Delaware brought a 20-pound, 9-ounce bag to the scale, moving him from 25th place into 7 th. Jon Canada of Helena, Alabama, made the biggest leap toward the top of the leaderboard, weighing a limit of 21-15 to catapult him from 62nd place into the top 10 on Day 2 of competition.
Anglers battled strong, cold-front winds and a significant chop throughout the entire second day of competition. Add finicky smallmouth to that and it makes for a difficult day out on the water.
“Today was tough with the wind and the fish were not biting very well,” said Cifuentes. “The wind was so bad and blowing against the current that it was almost impossible to let your bait move naturally with the current. In spite of the challenging conditions, I’m on top of the leaderboard and am fishing on Day 3, so, I’m pumped.”
Cifuentes said he got off to a strong start fishing deep humps in the Clayton area, landing a solid pair of 4-pounders to bring him to around 17 pounds early on in Day 2. From there, he bounced around trying different things and was able to cull up a few ounces at a time.
“I’m kind of zoned in on the deep deal during this event,” said Cifuentes. “I just don’t really know if my area is going to replenish. So, I’m going to start there [on Day 3], but I will definitely need to expand from there. My gut is telling me I’m going to have to find some new stuff tomorrow.”
With plenty of areas and patterns that he picked up in practice, Cifuentes said he isn’t too worried, but the potential of his main area is certainly on his mind – the trick is to see if it will hold.
“I’m excited going into Day 3 because I think I can stop on some other places I found in practice and catch fish,” continued Cifuentes. “I really think I can catch a solid bag tomorrow doing a number of things, but I just don’t know for sure.
“It’s smallmouth, so I may only catch 12 pounds. Meanwhile, I know with my main area, I have the potential to catch another big bag. I just plan to follow my gut and see what happens.”
The top 20 pros after Day 2 on the St. Lawrence River are:
1st: Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 10 bass, 43-3
2nd: Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 43-1
3rd: Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Mich., 10 bass, 42-7
4th: Matthew Stefan of Junction City, Wis., 10 bass, 41-9
5th: Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., 10 bass, 41-9
6th: Miles Howe of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., 10 bass, 39-15
7th: Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 10 bass, 39-4
8th: Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 38-12
9th: Erik Luzak of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada, 10 bass, 37-11
10th: Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., 10 bass, 37-11
11th: Justin Cooper of Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 37-11
12th: Jason Lambert of Michie, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-4
13th: Aaron Britt of Yuba City, Calif., 10 bass, 37-2
14th: Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-11
15th” John Cox of DeBary, Fla., eight bass, 36-4
16th: Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 36-3
17th: Randy Ramsey of Burlington, Mich., 10 bass, 36-2
18th: Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 35-14
19th: Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 35-12
20th: Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 35-12
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, won the day’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division after bringing a bass weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces to the scale.
Overall, there were 656 bass weighing 1,988 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 143 pros Friday. The catch included 113 five-bass limits.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Savage Arms Stop 6 Presented by Abu Garcia at the St. Lawrence River is hosted by the Town of Massena.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight now advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros will continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday from the Massena Intake Boat Launch located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Weigh-ins will also be held at the boat launch daily at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Savage Arms Stop 6 Presented by Abu Garcia at the St. Lawrence River will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, Sept. 1 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily, and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, July 31 – Aug. 1 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and YouTube .
About MLF BIG5
MLF BIG5 is part of MLF, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization. It provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits featuring a five-biggest-fish format. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with offices in Benton, Kentucky, MLF and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.
MLF tournaments are broadcast on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, MyOutdoorTV, Discovery and CBS Sports while MLF Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros to the world’s most avid bass anglers.
The post Cowboy Cifuentes Takes Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 Presented by Abu Garcia at St. Lawrence River appeared first on Bass365.com.
John Cox Leads Day 1 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 on St. Lawrence River Presented by Abu Garcia
MASSENA, N.Y. (July 29, 2021) – A field of 154 bass-fishing professionals from around the world began their four-day competition for a top award of $135,000 at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Savage Arms Stop 6 at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Abu Garcia Thursday in Massena, New York.
Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, weighed a five-bass limit of St. Lawrence River smallmouth totaling 24 pounds, 12 ounces to take the early lead after Day 1. Cox holds a slim 7-ounce lead over pro Joey “Cowboy” Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkanas, who caught five bass weighing 24-5, good for second place.
“I am in absolute shock to be leading this thing,” Cox laughed after weighing in. “I’m not kidding – this was probably the worst practice that I have ever had before. Coming into today I was thinking, ‘If I can somehow catch 18 or 20 (pounds) and maybe catch a couple tomorrow I could get out of here with a check.’ And I would have taken that. I was shooting for 50th place. So to weigh what I did today is just unreal.”
Cox said that he caught just seven fish on the day – all before noon.
“I didn’t catch many, but the ones that I did catch were the right ones,” Cox said. “Tomorrow I’m going to try to do what I did today and just bounce around and hit some new areas. I tried so hard to make those areas that I fished in the Bass Pro Tour event here last month work, but I couldn’t catch anything. They’re not even the same areas anymore – there is grass growing in now and it’s just changed completely. I had to change everything up and treat this place like I’d never fished it before.”
Cox spent the afternoon scouting new areas and trying to find a couple of spots that could possibly carry him through the remainder of the four-day tournament.
“It looks so good when I weigh in 24 pounds, and it was a lot of fun today, but I’ve got nothing for tomorrow,” Cox went on to say. “All I can do is keep trying to find new stuff, but honestly I think I’ll be lucky to catch five again.”
The top 10 pros after Day One the St. Lawrence River are:
1st: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 24-12
2nd: Joey “Cowboy” Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., five bass, 24-5
3rd: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., five bass, 23-7
4th: Miles Howe, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., five bass, 22-10
5th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., five bass, 22-7
6th: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 22-0
6th: Erik Luzak, Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 22-0
8th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 21-8
9th: Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 21-2
10th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 21-0
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Stefan won Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award, weighing a 6-pound, 8-ounce smallmouth to earn the day’s award.
Overall, there were 711 bass weighing 2,270 pounds, 12 ounces caught by the 153 pros on Thursday, which included 124 five-bass limits.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Savage Arms Stop 6 at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Abu Garcia is hosted by the Town of Massena.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 154 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET, Thursday through Sunday, from the Massena Intake Boat Launch located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Weigh-ins will also be held at the boat launch daily at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Savage Arms Stop 6 Presented by Abu Garcia at the St. Lawrence River will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, Sept. 1 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, July 31 – Aug. 1 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About MLF BIG5
MLF BIG5 is part of MLF, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization. It provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits featuring a five-biggest-fish format. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with offices in Benton, Kentucky, MLF and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.
MLF tournaments are broadcast on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, MyOutdoorTV, Discovery and CBS Sports while MLF Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros to the world’s most avid bass anglers.
The post John Cox Leads Day 1 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 on St. Lawrence River Presented by Abu Garcia appeared first on Bass365.com.
Tennessee Natives Claim Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster High School Championship
DAYTON, Tenn. — Despite a much later boat draw than they were hoping for, the Meigs County High School team of Connor Mason and Archer Reese brought in a three-fish limit of 15 pounds, 5 ounces to take the lead at the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors on Chickamauga Lake.
Connor Mason and Archer Reese, of Meigs County High School, are leading after Day 1 of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with 15 pounds, 5 ounces. Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.
Mason and Reese hold a 4-ounce lead over the second-place team of Carter Doren and Ryan Lachniet from the Sin City Bass Club in Las Vegas and have a 1-pound, 3-ounce advantage over the Quincy High School Bassmasters team of Brent Randall and Carson Falk.
The Meigs County duo also earned Big Bass of the Day honors with an 8-11 largemouth that Reese hauled in.
With temperatures soaring into the high 90s this week, teams were only able to bring three fish to the scales for this event instead of the usual five-fish limit.
The rising seniors made the National Championship through the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional trail, earning the fifth and final berth to Chickamauga from that division. During practice, Mason said they found a good early-morning pattern.
“We were superconfident (about fishing) early in the morning, but when we got our late boat number (269) the confidence went down,” he said.
Unsure of how active the fish were going to be, the duo ran to their first spot and hooked into the massive largemouth for the first fish of the day.
“As soon as my bait hit the water it was gone,” Reese said. “I set the hook and we got it in. It didn’t take long, I just horsed it in and netted it. It was hot when we caught it, so we had to take a little break in the dock beside us from the heat and the fish catch.”
For Mason, that fish changed the entire outlook of the day.
“Our confidence went through the roof,” he said. “You fish completely differently when you have confidence in what you are doing.”
After their short break, the duo quickly filled out their limit before the bite tailed off with the afternoon heat. Throughout the day, Reese said he and Mason are bouncing around a bunch of different spots, hitting every depth zone in the process.
“We are here and there. That’s how we were during practice (too),” Reese said. “We would pull up to a spot and catch one fish, go to the next spot and do something completely different and with a 10-foot water level difference and catch fish there, too.”
With an earlier boat draw and the lead, Mason said they won’t be changing much on Day 2.
Had it not been for a dead-fish penalty, Doren, a 2021 Bassmaster High School All-American, and Lachniet would have been tied for first, but the penalty pushed the duo back to 15-1 for their Day 1 total.
The Sin City Bass Club anglers made a long run south, but did not find success early on. After trying a couple different things with no success, the duo made a move to some deeper brushpiles and it paid off with a 5-pounder and a 7-pounder. They missed another big fish that would have improved their bag.
“We caught the big one and our confidence went up; we got in a groove and started catching them,” Doren said. “On our forward-facing sonar, we watched a 5-pounder eat (the bait) and we whiffed on it.”
During practice, Lachniet said he and Doren located several groups of fish and would leave after they hooked up with a couple of them.
“We would catch a couple and then we would leave. We knew we were around big fish, but you just never know,” he said. “We are going to plan on doing the same thing tomorrow and not lose any fish.”
Hailing from the state of Florida, Falk and Randall found Chickamauga similar to Lake Seminole, their home body of water. They took that knowledge from their home lake and caught a three-bass limit of 14-2, landing a 7-pounder in the process.
“We are 30 minutes from Seminole and we have grass, ledges, shellbars,” Falk said. “So, we are right at home in Tennessee. We enjoyed the day and had a lot of fun.”
After spending most of practice idling and scanning, the Quincy High School duo got Day 1 started with a small limit, Randall said, and slowly culled up throughout the day.
“We moved on and caught one good one and put it in the box,” he said. “With 10 minutes before we had to leave, I caught a big, big one.”
Falk and Randall rotated through about 10 spots and caught 20 total fish, but only six of those were keepers. Randall said they are planning on running through the same rotation on Day 2.
The full field will compete again Friday with takeoff starting at 6:45 a.m. ET from Point Park and weigh-in back at the park at 2:45 p.m. The Top 12 teams after Day 2 will fish on Championship Saturday.
The Bassmaster High School Series National Championship tournament is being hosted by the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council, Bryan College and Fish Dayton.
2021 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Mossy Oak Fishing
2021 Bassmaster High School Series Presenting Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2021 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala, TNT Fireworks
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The post Tennessee Natives Claim Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster High School Championship appeared first on Bass365.com.
Despite Slow Start, Perkins Leads Bassmaster Northern Open On Oneida
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — On paper, it looks like Bill Perkins had a great day of fishing, but the New York pro said that leading Day 1 of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open at Oneida Lake with 18 pounds, 11 ounces was anything but easy.
Bill Perkins, of Rochester, N.Y., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open at Oneida Lake with 18 pounds, 11 ounces.
Photo by Justin Brouillard/B.A.S.S.
Perkins, who leads second-place Billy Payne of Lackawaxen, Pa., by an ounce, said his day was heavier on quality than quantity.
“My weight doesn’t reflect how tough it was today,” Perkins said. “I got lucky and got the right bites. When you see a guy catch (nearly) 19 pounds, it’s kind of assumed that he (had a good day), but it’s supertough.”
Perkins said the day’s windy, rainy weather definitely impacted his fishing. For one thing, the smallmouth bass he targeted are primarily sight feeders that prefer sunny, clear conditions.
Also, Oneida’s mostly a wide-open fishery and Perkins’ midlake spots were fully exposed to the strong winds that arrived midmorning. Countering the rough water required tackle adjustments.
“I’m using the standard smallmouth fare — drop shots, Ned rigs, stuff like that — but I had to increase my weight sizes just to get my bait to the bottom in time,” Perkins said. “I wasn’t using different baits, I just had to make modifications.”
Slow, patient presentations proved most effective today, as Perkins achieved his best results by letting his bait soak in the productive areas.
“I’m running a bunch of different spots in a dozen different areas,” Perkins said. “I was just recycling through (several) spots.
“It’s just a total timing deal, and that’s the most terrifying thing for me. I don’t think I had much throughout the morning; I don’t think I got a bite from a bass until 11:30 — I was catching a bunch of drum.”
As Perkins explained, what makes Oneida productive can also make it frustrating.
“Those smallies are supernomadic and if they’re there, they’re there, and if they’re not, oh my gosh, they’re not,” he said. “I think they’re just following bait schools, and there’s just so much good (habitat) here, they have a lot of places to be.
“Oneida Lake has so much great cover that there’s a lot of dead water. You have to cover so many spots.”
Perkins said he caught his bass in a range of 9 to 14 feet. He hit several particular depths and ultimately found a particular type of bottom composition most productive.
“The fish are really spread out,” Perkins said. “There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it; they’re just spread out.”
Payne caught his second-place limit of 18-10 by fishing what he described as a presentation less common to Oneida. Noting that he was all alone in his area, Payne said he targeted rock structure and left his fish biting.
“If you want different, you gotta do different,” Payne said. “So, I mixed it up and went out doing what I’m comfortable doing at home. I put it together and we cleaned ’em up.”
Although Payne kept his details slim, he said he fished “one bait, one rod” all day. He said he tried drop shotting, but since that was not in his wheelhouse, he stuck with his power-fishing technique.
Sam George of Athens, Ala., and Thomas Hughes of Cicero, N.Y., tied for third place with 18-2. George caught his bass with finesse baits on two offshore spots. His morning fish came from rocky structure in 20 to 24 feet, and he added three key culls in the afternoon from a slightly deeper spot.
“I didn’t have a lot to go on; I only had nine bites (in practice),” George said. “I found one place that was a big, vast area and I stayed there four or five hours. I was pretty content with it, and I had probably two hours of fishing time left and I went to a place where I had one bite in practice, but it was a big bite.
“I didn’t really know the potential of this spot, but today, when I pulled up, there was a lot more there than I’d thought. I culled probably four or five times in the last hour and left them.”
Hughes said Thursday’s inclement weather nixed his plan to throw topwaters in the morning. Drawing on his extensive local knowledge, he worked an area where he knew the fish would be positioned by the east wind.
“I stayed in one small area all day and ended up getting six bites,” he said. “I had to slow down and really let the bait sit in an area.”
J.T. Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Michael Zampese of Haskell, N.J., share the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors. Both caught fish that weighed 5-3.
David Booth of Erin, Tenn., leads the co-angler division with 11-15. Anchoring his day’s three-fish limit with a 4-10 smallmouth, he caught one bass early on a reaction bait, but everything he weighed came on a shaky head with a homemade 2 1/2-inch soft-plastic newt (salamander-style) bait.
“Luckily, I got up here about 10 days ago to practice and found out (this presentation) worked,” Booth said. “That’s the first time I’ve tried that presentation, but it won’t be the last.”
Mark Kendra of Great Meadows, N.J., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 4-13.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, leads the Northern Open points standings with 387 points. Mike Iaconelli of Pitts Grove, N.J., is in second with 373, followed by Spike Stoker of Cisco, Texas, with 372, Hugh Cosculluela of Spring, Texas, with 359 and Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio, with 357.
Jacob Powroznik of North Prince George, Va., leads the overall Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens points standings with 863.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6 a.m. ET at Oneida Shores Park. The Day 2 weigh-in will take place back at the park at 2 p.m. The Day 3 weigh-in will shift to the Bass Pro Shops in Auburn, N.Y., at 3:15 p.m.
The full field will compete the first two days before the boater side is cut to the Top 10 anglers for Championship Saturday. The co-angler champion will be crowned after the Day 2 weigh-in. Coverage of the event will be available at Bassmaster.com.
Visit Syracuse and Onondaga County Parks are hosting the event.
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Basspro.com
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
|
The post Despite Slow Start, Perkins Leads Bassmaster Northern Open On Oneida appeared first on Bass365.com.