Photo: BassFan
Mark Davis chases big fish all over the globe on his TV show, but Lake Erie smallmouth still get his blood pumping.
By BassFan Staff
Representatives from several equipment and tackle manufacturers, media personalities from print, TV and web outlets and pro staffers converged on Lewiston, N.Y., last week for the annual spring Niagara Media Event.
Fishing options included Lake Erie, where the trophy smallmouth season opened on May 3. The lower Niagara River was also an option with the Devils Hole section kicking out steelhead, lake and brown trout. Finally, boats also headed out onto Lake Ontario to chase smallmouth, salmon or trout.
Water temperatures were rising into the upper 40s as the week wore on and the fishing variety was virtually endless no matter the venue.
BassFan was invited to participate and editor Todd Ceisner had the opportunity to spend time in the boat with Mark Davis, host of Big Water Adventures, and former walleye tournament pro Gregg LaMere.
Below is a photo gallery of Ceisner's day on Erie with Davis as well as his day on Ontario with LaMere.
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On Your Mark
Last Thursday, BassFan editor Todd Ceisner had the privilege of fishing with Mark Davis, the host of Big Water Adventures. Davis hails from South Carolina and fishes all over the globe, but he has always had a soft spot for Lake Erie smallmouth. (Photo: BassFan)
Roomy And Versatile
Davis' Blue Wave 2400 Pure Bay is designed for big water and it was a joy to fish out of while on Lake Erie. (Photo: BassFan)
Didn't Take Long
Davis is a ball of energy on the water, constantly thinking what his next move should be if the fish aren't biting. He has a knack for figuring them out pretty quick as he proved with this smallmouth. (Photo: BassFan)
On The Move
Davis watches his Garmin GPSMap 1040XS as he idles to the next waypoint. (Photo: BassFan)
Weather Or Not
When fishing big waters off shore, having Garmin's radar technology on board helps Davis stay ahead of the weather. Luckily, it only showed clear skies over Lake Erie. (Photo: BassFan)
Room To Spare
The front deck of Davis' boat features a Garmin GPSMap 741XS and the Motorguide Xi5 trolling motor that features Anchor Mode which allows him to lock the boat on a GPS coordinate and stay there no matter what the conditions. (Photo: BassFan)
Down Below
The floor of Davis' boat features a large livewell that he uses mostly when saltwater fishing. (Photo: BassFan)
Hooked Up
While fishing a spot known for smallmouths, Davis' tube got picked up by something he immediately sensed wasn't a bass. The man just has a knack for finding and catching big fish, no matter what species. (Photo: BassFan)
Lengthy Battle
It took about 15 minutes for Davis to bring this mammoth lake trout to the surface. He'd initially thought he had hooked a walleye or maybe a sturgeon based on how the fish was staying down. (Photo: BassFan)
Laker Lunker
The lake trout Davis caught on Lake Erie measured 37 inches and weighed close to 32 pounds. It became affectionately known as Troutzilla. (Photo: BassFan)
300 Horses
When it was time to make a big move, Davis cranked up his 300-horsepower Suzuki. It's one of the quietest outboards we've ever been around. (Photo: BassFan)
Air Up There
James Hall, the editor of Bassmaster Magazine, joined us in the boat for the afternoon and he accomplished his goal of catching a fish out of the tower of Davis' boat – a largemouth caught near the ramp. (Photo: BassFan)
All Smiles
Last Friday, Ceisner was paired with former walleye tournament pro Gregg LaMere and Mike Kelley from Flambeau Outdoors. Here, LaMere shows off his first smallmouth caught on Lake Ontario. He can now say he's caught fish in all five Great Lakes. (Photo: BassFan)
Ontario Bronze
Despite having to use left-handed tackle all day, it wasn't long before Kelley lipped his first smallmouth of the day. (Photo: BassFan)
Jerkbait Jackpot
After catching fish on nothing but tubes, Ceisner got this smallie to eat a Megabass Ito Shiner. (Photo: BassFan)
Get The Net
After moving to a spot off Fort Niagara, LaMere leaned into a big fish that took a while to show itself. (Photo: BassFan)
Super Scooper
Kelley deftly netted the fish for LaMere. It turned out to be a 10-pound lake trout that picked up a tube. (Photo: BassFan)
Historic Fish
LaMere shows off his laker caught in the shadows of historic Fort Niagara, the oldest continuously occupied military installation in North America. (Photo: BassFan)
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2014 Niagara Media Event – Part 2