The Major League Fishing (MLF) crew this week has invaded southwestern New York, where they’re filming an event at Chautauqua Lake.
This is the second MLF series – it’s being called the Summit Cup – and another is planned for later this year (that location has not been disclosed). MLF commissioner Don Rucks made the announcement at the Athenaeum Hotel on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution today alongside local officials.
The competition began Monday after many of the contestants finished up at the Oneida Lake Elite Series. Filming will wrap up Saturday, when the championship round will take place. The television programming for this event will begin airing on the Outdoor Channel on Jan. 1, 2013, with the championship round set to air on NBC on Feb. 9, 2013.
New rules were implemented for the Summit Cup with conservation in mind, including penalties assessed for fish hitting the carpet of the boat. Contestants are also required to release the fish beneath the gunwale.
The 18-mile-long lake that covers 13,000 acres is about 90 minutes south of Buffalo and has hosted BFLs and Federation events in the past, but is often overlooked as a bass-fishing destination since it’s situated just a few miles east of Lake Erie.
To see a group shot of who's competing this week, check out our Facebook page.
