The Columbus Bassmasters headed north with back-to-back events on two of the most exciting fisheries in the Great Lakes. On Saturday, August 8, the club took on the Detroit River, followed by a return to Lake Erie out of Monroe, Michigan, on Sunday, August 9. The weekend also put our anglers in some pretty impressive company. The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour was on Lake Erie August 6–9, meaning our club was sharing the waters with some of the best bass fishermen in the world.
And while the weather forecast had everyone watching the radar, we managed to pull off something that felt almost as impressive as catching a big bag of smallmouth, we dodged the rain all weekend. Despite predictions of storms, both tournament days gave us the opportunity to get on the water and compete.
Saturday’s tournament on the Detroit River provided the perfect way to kick off the weekend. The river is a unique fishery, with current, changing conditions and plenty of water to explore. It can reward anglers who find the right combination of location and presentation and punish those who don’t. When the boats returned to the scales, Bob Schinker came out on top, earning the Day 1 victory.
Day 1 – Top 4 Detroit River Results
- Bob Schinker – 14.07
- Jay Siefring – 12.77
- James Maynard – 12.05
- Will Presley – 10.43
Karl Guegold – Big Bass 4.10
With Detroit River in the books, the anglers headed into Sunday knowing they would have a completely different challenge waiting for them. Sunday brought the club back onto the big water of Lake Erie, with Monroe, Michigan serving as the launch point. The timing couldn’t have been better or more intimidating as the professional anglers of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour were also competing on Lake Erie that weekend. The Bass Pro Tour’s championship round was taking place Sunday, giving our anglers the unusual experience of watching and working around some of the sport’s biggest names while competing in our own tournament.
Day 2 – Top 4 Results Lake Erie Results
- Bob Schinker – 16.81
- Jay Siefring – 15.06
- Will Presley – 10.87
- Karl Guegold – 10.43
Bob Schinker – Big Bass 3.71
Two days. Two different fisheries. Two very different challenges and one heck of a weekend for the CBM. From battling the current of the Detroit River to chasing smallmouth across Lake Erie, the weekend had everything that makes Great Lakes tournament fishing special. Throw in the fact that we were sharing the water with the world’s top professional anglers and somehow managed to avoid the storms that had been forecast, and it made for a memorable couple of days.
Of course, tournaments don’t happen just because the anglers show up. A special thanks goes out to Matt Bertram for taking care of the hotel and dinner reservations and helping make the weekend logistics run smoothly. We also want to recognize Joe Farkas and Kevin Fiant for their help with the weigh-ins. Having extra hands at the scales keeps everything moving and allows the anglers to focus on what they came to do. Also a big thankyou to Mike McClellan for documenting the weekend with pictures.
