Bass in no short supply

Road to top-5 finale paved with plenty of fish for Stren anglers

CLAYTON, N.Y. – They may not go so far as to pinch themselves, but Stren Northern Division anglers are in for yet another day of gorgeous weather and great fishing in the 1,000 Islands area.

Day three saw a brilliant sunrise bursting through clear skies, as crisp, cool air stood mostly still in light breezes. The only downside is that the lack of wind eliminates the element of baitfish concentration, which in turn leads to more predictable bass location.

Nevertheless, day two saw quality limits reaching deep into the standings, and big fish were many. Co-angler Steve Lucarelli’s 6-pound largemouth looked like the sure bet for Big Fish honors until Brian Wisiniewski rolled in with a bulging smallie that went 6-9.

One to watch is fourth-place pro Charlie Hartley who has been on a pile of big smallmouth in the St. Lawrence River. The Grove City, Ohio angler took Snickers Big Bass honors on day one with a 5-9 and weighed its twin on day two. Hartley said he’s concentrating on one rocky reef that seems to be loaded with quality fish.

“I’ve caught 5-pounders two days in a row, so there’s a 25-pound bag there,” Hartley said. “It’s unbelievable – all of those fish off one reef. It’s very stressful fishing. You don’t get many bites. It’s hard to get a bite, but when you get a bite, it’s worth getting.”

The race for top-5 qualifying is a tight one, with less than five pounds separating first from tenth in both divisions. Mike Desforges of Burlington, Ontario leads the pros with 40 pounds, 9-ounces, but Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich. trails by only five ounces.

In the co-angler division, Dustin Edwards of Ellington, Ct. sits just two ounces behind day two leader Kenneth Roderick of Putnam, Ct. Edwards said he has fared best when fishing areas of adjacent rock and grass. “That’s good cover for (the bass). They sit there and wait for something to swim by and they jump out and get it.”

Soft plastics are the dominant bait choice, with tubes, dropshots and wacky-rigged Senkos getting thorough workouts. Lucarelli used a green pumpkin Senko with a weighted weedless hook and an O-ring to tempt his big largemouth. Hartley has found success with a Venom Goby on a dropshot.

If clouds overtake the skies, anglers may find an afternoon topwater bite.

When the going gets tough…

With competitors racing away from the French Creek takeoff, Keeble pro Dave Lefebre idled past the committee boat and eased his way toward the city pier where a handful of spectators were watching the morning excitement. Hard to imagine even a seasoned pro taking time to pose for pictures at takeoff, but Lefebre was actually the first angler to start fishing – unfortunately, for reasons beyond his control.

On day two, Lefebre’s Yamaha outboard had a close encounter with an immovable object. “I hit a rock and cracked the gear casing.”

Significant prop damage paled in comparison to a two-hand chunk of casing had been knocked from the engine. No doubt disappointed, Lefebre pointed out that making it back to port after sustaining such damage speaks volumes about Yamaha quality.

“If anything, that’s a testimony to the motor’s reliability,” Lefebre said.

Risking another run with a damaged engine would be too risky, so Lefebre said he’ll spend the day working docks and seawalls around the Clayton waterfront.

Tournament logistics

The Stren Series event, which runs August 20-23 is the second event of the Northern Division’s schedule of four regular season tournaments. The total purse for the 1,000 Islands event is $275,225. The winning pro could earn as much as $65,000 in cash and prizes if various contingencies are met, and the winning co-angler could earn as much as $35,000.

Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. (Eastern Time) at French Creek Marina located at 250 Wahl St. in Clayton, N.Y. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 20823 N.Y. State Route in Watertown, N.Y., beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Thursday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:16 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 65 degrees

Expected high temperature: 86 degrees

Water temperature: 70-72 degrees

Wind: from the S at 5-7 mph

Humidity: 55 percent

Day’s outlook: Sunny