Photo: BassFan
Bill McDonald looked right at home fishing the big water of Lake Erie for spring smallmouth.
BassFan Staff
Last week, representatives from several equipment and tackle manufacturers, media personalities from print, TV and web outlets and pro staffers converged on Lewiston, N.Y., for the annual spring Niagara Media Event.
Fishing options included Lake Erie, where the trophy smallmouth season opened on May 3 after a brutally long and cold winter that saw ice chunks still floating around inside the break walls and harbors. 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.
The fishing variety was virtually endless and the event organizers deserve kudos for managing everything without a hitch, including the weather which remained clear and calm for the most part.
BassFan was invited to participate and editor Todd Ceisner had the opportunity to spend a day in the boat with FLW Tour pro Bill McDonald as well as 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 McDonald.
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Rigged And Ready
FLW Tour pro angler Bill McDonald prepares his boat for launching at Erie Basin Marina in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 7, 2014. Until last week, McDonald had never fished the eastern end of Lake Erie out of Buffalo. (Photo: BassFan)
Search Mode
McDonald watches his Raymarine electronics as he idles to the first waypoint for the day. The conditions on Lake Erie were typical of April, not mid-May. The water temperatures were in the low 40s and the smallmouth weren't ganged up like they usually are. (Photo: BassFan)
Got 'Em
It didn't take long for McDonald to lean into his first fish under overcast skies. (Photo: BassFan)
Splashdown
Here comes McDonald's first fish back to the boat, courtesy of a Strike King Coffee Tube. (Photo: BassFan)
Bronze Glory
McDonald was all smiles after landing his first smallie of the day. (Photo: BassFan)
Tubes, Tubes, Tubes
Strike King Coffee Tubes were the bait of choice throughout the week. Rigged on a 1/4-ounce or 5/16-ounce tube jig and dragged along the bottom in 27 to 30 feet, they were effective at putting fish in the boat. (Photo: BassFan)
Packed With Power
McDonald threw his tube on a Dobyns Champion Extreme casting rod paired with a Lew's Speed Spool reel. (Photo: BassFan)
And ... Action!
McDonald's boat was rigged with an iON Air Pro 3 wi-fi camera mounted on the windshield to capture all of the action. (Photo: BassFan)
The Wait Is On
McDonald strokes his tube off the bottom waiting for the next bite. (Photo: BassFan)
Fish On!
McDonald leans into another Lake Erie bronzeback. (Photo: BassFan)
Another Victim
It never gets old seeing a 4-pound bass come to the surface in the clear waters of Lake Erie. Most of these fish haven't seen a bait in more than 6 months after a long, icy winter in western New York. (Photo: BassFan)
At The Controls
Here's a look at how McDonald has the front deck of his Ranger set up. (Photo: BassFan)
Double Take
McDonald and Raymarine sales rep Jeff Fink (background) show off two Lake Erie beauties. (Photo: BassFan)
Big'uns Were Biting
Mark Davis, host of Big Water Adventures, holds up two 12-pound walleyes caught not far from where McDonald had been fishing. The walleyes fell for the Strike King tubes as well. Also pictured are Bob George (left) of Buck Knives and photographer Gary Tramontina. (Photo: BassFan)
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2014 Niagara Media Event – Part 1
