WEATHER WOES
BASS tournaments are notorious for attracting bad weather. The first day of the CITGO Bassmaster Northern Open presented by Busch Beer was a case in point. Lake-effect precipitation from a low pressure system passing over nearby Lake Ontario turned Oneida Lake into an ugly place to go bass fishing. Some anglers were pounded by a hailstorm. Others encountered sleet and snow mixed with the rain on the back side of the front. In fact, Oklahoma pro O.T. Fears and his partner had an impromptu snowball fight from the white stuff falling into their boat. When the front finally passed, a rainbow shined across the weigh-in site at Oneida Shores Park. The window of calm weather lasted only a day. A second front ripped through on Friday night. As a result, the final day was canceled, with the awards ceremony held as a cold rain fell on the already waterlogged anglers.
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
As the weather turned dangerous at Oneida Lake during the first round of competition, at least four local fire departments sent their marine patrol units out to aid any anglers caught in the bad weather. In one case, the bass boats were better equipped to handle the turbulent water than the boats sent out to assist them. Firefighters from West Monroe, N.Y., were responding to a report of a man overboard when the department's 18-foot airboat capsized in the rough water. A crew from another fire department was sent to their aid and pulled the West Monroe crew from the water. The firefighters, wearing coldwater dry suits, were not injured during their more than 20 minutes in the chilly waters of Oneida.
COMMENDABLE
Michael Schmitt Jr., who was recently appointed conservation director for the New York BASS Federation, posted an admirable seventh place finish with a catch of 22 pounds, 3 ounces on the nonboater side of the competition at Oneida Lake. What's perhaps more impressive is Schmitt's age and what he's already accomplished for himself and his Federation. Schmitt joined the Hudson Valley Junior Bassmasters at age 12 and served three years as club president before joining the adult chapter. He's been making waves ever since. Last year Schmitt was awarded the New York State Conservation Council's "Youth Conservationist of the Year." As a counselor for Bryan's Camp, a summer youth camp named in memory of 1994 CITGO Bassmaster Classic winner Bryan Kerchal, Schmitt organizes the fishing skills workshop for the participants. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, he organized the Seniors Outdoors and Relaxing (S.O.A.R.) program. Youths from the junior chapter take seniors fishing in a pond stocked with fish and paid for through the club's fund-raising projects.
CLASSIC BOUND
"I don't know which to be happier about, the win or the Classic berth," said Art Ferguson shortly after winning the Oneida event. "I had a bad year last year and fell out of the Tour, so going into these Opens I really focused on requalifying for the Tour. Coming into this tournament I was leading the points, so my priority became making the Classic. The next thing I know, I'm leading the tournament. Then I've won the tournament. I had no idea it was going to turn into this. I'm just thankful for the way it has all played out." It was Ferguson's second BASS win. His first BASS victory came during a Tour event on Alabama's Wheeler Lake in 2000. "To win two Bassmaster events in my career is more than I would have expected. For not being a big-name fisherman, I feel that's quite an accomplishment."
TOP NONBOATER
Lee Cox of Hagerstown, Md., was the big winner on the amateur side with a catch weighing 26-11. "I would have liked to fish today (Saturday), but truthfully, sitting in first place after Day 2, I was happy to see it come to an end," he said. "There are a lot of good fishermen out there, and I feel like any one of them in the Top 10 or 15 could have gotten a good bag today and surpassed what I had. I was fortunate, and I'll take the win anyway I can get it." Cox's first-day pro was Florida veteran Steve Daniel. "I've always admired him and thought he was a good fisherman. He was on some quality fish, and we probably caught three limits apiece. I think the key in being a nonboater is paying attention, being observant of what your pro partner is doing and be ready to be versatile. With one partner, you might be topwater fishing, power fishing, the next one you might be finesse fishing, deep. So carry a surplus of tackle and try to be observant to what the pro is doing. And take advantage of whatever you've got."