Sixteen anglers who competed on the Bassmaster Elite Series this year but failed to qualify for next year's Classic on that circuit are in New York this week for the final Northern Open at Oneida. Among that contingent is Dave Wolak, a regional powerhouse and the winner of last week's Champlain FLW Tour Open, along with last year's Champlain Bassmaster Open.
The vast majority of the Elite pros who'll fish this week finished 38th or below in the final Toyota Tundra B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year (AOY) standings, and this represents their final opportunity to punch their ticket for Louisiana's Red River in February. Most are familiar with Oneida from previous Elite derbies and lower-level events, but many have never been here this late in the year.
Oneida made its name as a smallmouth fishery, but the Elite anglers have proven in recent years that largemouths are the key to maximum-weight bags. The weather in the region has been unsettled in the wake of the cold front that arrived during the FLW Open and brought 3 days worth of powerful easterly winds, but fish are plentiful as always and not terribly difficult to catch.
Bites won't be a problem for most, but the key will be getting the right ones. The general consensus is that it will take an average of at least 15 pounds a day to contend for the win.
BassFan spoke with several of the Elite contestants midway through the official practice period in an attempt to gauge their chances of slipping into the Classic via a late, back-door invitation. Their responses are below.
Jami Fralick
"It's been a little tougher for me than it's normally been – I just don't think I'm going to be able to find the numbers that I usually can. I like Oneida, but I haven't ever really done well here. It doesn't really fit the way I like to fish.
"I like to have something to myself, and there's been enough tournaments here that everybody knows where the rockpiles in front of the grass beds are. You just have to pick the five or so that you want to fish and get in there and fish them with everybody else."
(Note: Fralick is also fishing the Central Opens and thus will have another shot at notching a Classic-qualifying win next month at Table Rock. – Ed.)
Mike McClelland
"It hasn't been quite as good as I'd expected it to be, but when you do catch one, the fish are a lot healthier than they are in July or August. I do feel like I've really done my research for this one. I'm staying with Stephen Browning (who's already qualified for the Classic) and we've pulled up (records) of every tournament there's ever been here in September or October and it doesn't take as much weight to win as it does in the late spring or summer.
"This time of year is a little tougher and if you get the five right bites, you don't have to catch 20 fish a day. I've had three really strong finishes here and it's a lake I really enjoy fishing. I'll be able to pull out my Spro McStick and cover a lot of water. I think I can catch a few good smallmouths, but the key will be getting a decent largemouth or two every day."
Kevin Short
"My record here stinks – I've never caught them here – but I actually think my chances are pretty good. I've had the best practice I've ever had here and for the first time ever I actually think I understand what's going on.
"This place is a little small for a field this size (125 boats or more). It's a great place for 75 to 100 boats, but it's fishing a little smaller right now. The largemouth bite that's usually up there on the bank isn't working out real well because that water's really cold."
John Murray
"I feel good. This lake is all about that one big bite or two and it's kind of a crapshoot because it's hard to get a better average than everybody else – you need that 5- or 6-pounder. I've had some good days here and some horrible days, but I'm ready to go give it a shot and see what happens.
If Jami Fralick doesn't win this week, he'll get another shot next month at Table Rock.
"It seems like the cloudy days are better for largemouths and sunny days are better for smallmouths. I just need to figure out a way to catch a big one and I haven't done that yet."
Bernie Schultz
"It seemed like the lake came alive (Tuesday). The front came through over the weekend and the wind blew like hell out of the east, but then we got low skies and drizzly weather and there were fish schooling all over the lake. Some you can catch and some you can't, but I found them everywhere from 2 feet of water to 15 feet.
"I'm catching a lot of the type of fish that'll get you 10 to 13 pounds, but I'm having a hard time getting the 3-plus-pounders. It may be a matter of attrition or I may just be missing the bigger fish right now, but I don't feel like I'm zeroed in on them."
Boyd Duckett
"I'm catching a lot of fish, but I don't know whether I can get enough big bites to get to that 15- to 16-pound average that it takes to win here. I've only had one (practice) day over 15 pounds. The others have been in the 13 to 14 range.
"From what I can tell, the bottom bite seems to be the slowest. It's usually easier to catch them on tubes and dropshots and things like that.
"I've caught some 3 1/2-pounders, but it's not consistent. I've caught some largemouths, too, but I might be only able to get 10 to 12 pounds that way. I'm going to have to try to get around the right school of smallmouths."
