Oneida Subplots Include Post-Season, Classic Berths

For the third consecutive year, the Bassmaster Elite Series visits Oneida Lake near Syracuse, N.Y. The famous walleye and pike fishery was relatively unknown for its bass fishing prior to the tour's first stop there in 2006, but that all changed when the field walloped smallmouths, but Tommy Biffle won with shallow largemouths.

The next year, Oneida played

host to the Memorial Major. But the field only fished Oneida for 2 days, after which the Top 12 moved to Onondaga lake for the finals.

Last year, the venue was again the site of a full-field stop, and Dean Rojas flipped and frogged his way to a win.

This week, Oneida serves as the Elite Series finale, but with a twist – the Top 12 in the season-ending points will be invited to BASS's new Championship Week, where they'll compete for 4 total days on two different bodies of water in Alabama for the Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year (AOY) crown.

That's not all that's at stake this week though. The biggest focus for many of the pros at Oneida this week will certainly be the Bassmaster Classic.

To help get a handle on who's close to the cutoff, here's an overview of the qualification process.

The Top 36

Under the Bassmaster Classic format, the Top 36 in the BASS AOY points are guaranteed a spot in the 2010 Lay Lake Classic.

That cutoff line always shifts somewhat based on double-qualification. For example, defending Classic champ Skeet Reese gets an automatic Classic berth. Since he's guaranteed to finish in the Top 36, that means the 37th-place pro will get a berth.

Same goes for Bassmaster Open double-qualifiers. One event remains in the Southern Open division, plus two in the Central and two in the Northern. Several Elite Series pros are near the top of the three different Open divisions, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Top 40 or so in the Elite Series get a Classic bid.

Still, pros around the cutoff certainly want to control their own destiny – not sit on their hands and wait for results from the Opens this fall.

As a reference tool, below is a look at the current Top 65 in the AOY points. Each pro is followed by his respective points total and a note or two in parentheses.

1. Kevin VanDam -- 1812 (Leads race to possible fifth BASS AOY title)

2. Skeet Reese -- 1795 (Defending Classic champ, could win second AOY title in 3 years)

3. Alton Jones -- 1742 (Has never won AOY and made the title his primary goal this year)

4. Gary Klein -- 1618 (The two-time AOY needs to make up ground in his fight for a third title)

5. Aaron Martens -- 1590 (Just missed the cut twice at Oneida, came from well behind to win the '05 AOY)

6. Michael Iaconelli -- 1587 (Red-hot and recently runner-up at the Forrest Wood Cup, but his Dardanelle disaster may ultimately sink any AOY hopes. Has made three consecutive Top 10s at Oneida)

7. Kelly Jordon -- 1576 (Still hunting for his first AOY title)

8. Todd Faircloth -- 1570 (Lost the AOY title to VanDam at Oneida last year)

9. Randy Howell -- 1568 (Has fished well at Oneida but needs a huge finish to make the post-season)

10. Kevin Short -- 1554 (A career year for K-Pink, but past Oneida misery looms heavily this week)

11. Mark Menendez -- 1534 (For this first time in a while he's not on the Classic bubble, and post-season would be a big bonus for this hardworking pro)

12. Cliff Pace -- 1526 (Only one Oneida finish on record, but has been amazingly consistent this year)

Anglers below 12th (after Oneida) aren't invited to Championship Week:

13. Tommy Biffle -- 1510 (With Oneida finishes of 16th, 15th and 1st, is a strong bet to make the post-season)

14. Brent Chapman -- 1504 (Has earned a check at each Oneida stop, but needs to do better to fish the post-season)

15. Shaw Grigsby -- 1482 (A second consecutive Classic appearance looks like a given, but Shaw would also benefit from post-season exposure, given his deep sponsor portfolio)

16. Kevin Wirth -- 1478 (Ranked 24th in the world, Wirth has missed only one Classic this decade)

17. Gerald Swindle -- 1476 (Swindle's still far from the level of fishing that won him AOY in 2004, but he continues to make Classics, which is crucial)

18. Byron Velvick -- 1473 (A career year for the California-born pro, who's eager to erase his Classic disappointment at the Red River)

19. Casey Ashley -- 1469 (Finished 7th at his only Oneida appearance last year)

20. Steve Kennedy -- 1441 (Was runner-up at the Oneida Major and generally finishes well on deep bites)

21. Russ Lane -- 1438 (Must avoid disaster at Oneida to make his third Classic, and first since 2007)

22. Bobby Lane -- 1432 (Likewise looking to make third Classic. Also has a possible backup through the Southern Opens, where he's 9th with one left)

23. Matt Herren -- 1430 (His second Classic appearance would be on home water for this B'Ham-area pro)

24. John Murray -- 1423 (He's all about make Classics and loves fishing New York)

25. Takahiro Omori -- 1419 (A sore spot for this former Classic champ was an 89th at Oneida last year)

26. Greg Hackney -- 1417 (The Cup champion finally found his winning form and plans to fish the same way at Oneida – i.e., fish his practice and not get crazy)

27. Jeff Kriet -- 1397 (Some good fishing this week will land the Oklahoma pro in his fourth consecutive Classic)

28. Mike McClelland -- 1384 (Poor finishes at Kentucky Lake and Smith Mt. pushed him much closer to the Classic cutoff than he'd like to be)

29. Mark Tucker -- 1374 (Missed last year's Classic after making four straight. Has yet to crack the Top 40 at Oneida despite three tries)

30. Fred Roumbanis -- 1363 (Has turned in three solid Oneida finishes and is hoping to make his third consecutive Classic)

31. James Niggemeyer -- 1362 (Dangerously close to the cutoff, but currently leads the Central Open points)

32. Boyd Duckett -- 1360 (Won the Lay Lake Classic and wants a return trip. Finished 15th at Oneida last year)

33. Bradley Hallman -- 1359 (A solid year for Hallman so far could give him his first-ever Classic berth)

34. Jami Fralick -- 1354 (The South Dakota pro is right near the cutoff, but has posted two Oneida disasters)

35. Stephen Browning -- 1353 (Made one check at Oneida for three attempts. Needs to hold the line this week)

36. Davy Hite -- 1352 (The former Classic champ was a runner-up at a Lay Classic in '96. An Oneida debacle last year nearly knocked him out of the Classic)

37. Matt Reed -- 1346 (Currently the last man in the Classic. Tanked at Oneida last year, but 3 years ago made the Top 12)

Anglers below 37th (after Oneida) aren't guaranteed a Classic berth:

38. Billy McCaghren -- 1336 (A rookie looking for his first Classic berth. Click here to read about his Oneida quest)

39. Timmy Horton -- 1333 (Hasn't missed a Classic this decade, but must clinch his 11th straight berth this week)

40. Denny Brauer -- 1324 (Oneida hasn't been kind to Brauer – in fact, it knocked him out of the Classic last year)

41. Terry Scroggins -- 1301 (In a rut, but leads the Southern Open points with one left, so a backup exists)

42. Bill Lowen -- 1291 (Could make his third Classic in 4 years. Finished 8th at Oneida last year)

43. Brian Snowden -- 1287 (Two Oneida appearances, two trainwrecks for the Snow Man. Must thwart history)

44. Dean Rojas -- 1281 (Will the reigning Oneida champ frog his way to his eighth Classic appearance?)

45. Marty Stone -- 1280 (Emerging from the slump of all slumps, and smart fishing this week could put him in his first Classic since '06)

46. Greg Vinson -- 1267 (Sits at 2nd in the Southern points, so has another shot if Oneida doesn't work out)

47. Jason Williamson -- 1261 (A 68th in his only Oneida appearance means Williamson's got some work ahead of him this week)

48. Rick Morris -- 1247 (Finished near last at Oneida last year, which nearly cost him a Classic berth – surprising, since he made his name in the Northeast)

49. Todd Auten -- 1241 (Made the Classic through the Opens last year, but is likely too far back in the Southerns to make it again, so pressure's all around him this week)

50. Terry Butcher -- 1231 (Two strong Oneida showings – 9th and 21st – mean Butcher could come from behind to make his first Classic)

51. Edwin Evers -- 1227 (Evers is slumping, but sits at 6th in the Centrals with two left)

52. Rick Clunn -- 1217 (Made the Classic through the Opens last year, but is currently 81st in the Centrals, so it's all about Oneida for this four-time Classic champ)

53. Dave Wolak -- 1215 (Wolak grew up fishing central New York and it shows – his three Oneida finishes have been 5th, 5th and 4th. Another of those and he should make the Classic)

54. Pat Golden -- 1213 (A tour sophomore who wants to make his first Classic. He checked at Oneida last year)

55. Jason Quinn -- 1211 (Needs to score an Oneida Top 10 like he did in 2007 – not a mediocre finish like his other two Oneida showings)

56. Bernie Schultz -- 1197 (Two Top 10s at Oneida bode well for this veteran looking to fish his ninth Classic)

57. J. Todd Tucker -- 1195 (A rookie with plenty of work to do to make his first Classic)

57. Mark Tyler -- 1195 (Another fair to middling Oneida finish won't be enough for this Californian-turned-Oklahoman)

59. Mark Davis -- 1169 (Who wouldn't want to see Davis fish his 15th Classic?)

59. Dustin Wilks -- 1169 (Now in his second full season after Tommy John surgery, finished 4th at Oneida last year)

61. Jared Lintner -- 1166 (In danger of missing the Classic for the second straight year)

62. Jeff Connella -- 1152 (Has yet to fish a Classic, or cash a check at Oneida)

63. Kotaro Kiriyama -- 1151 (Bombed at Oneida last year. Is 5th in the Northern Opens with two events left)

64. Britt Myers -- 1150 (Hasn't fished a Classic, and finished near last in his two Oneida appearances)

64. Brian Clark -- 1150 (A sophomore looking to make his first Classic. Finished near last at Oneida last year)

66. Chad Griffin -- 1149 (A rookie who's never fished a Classic)