Bass Tournament News

Deep Smallmouth Rule Main Lake

ERIE, Pa. (Sept. 1, 2010) – The FLW American Fishing Series is headed to Lake Erie Sept. 9-11 for the last of three stops in the Northern Division series. As many as 300 pro and co-anglers will be competing for top awards of up to $25,000 plus a Ranger boat with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard motor and up to $15,000, respectively.

“It’s not the primo time of year to be on Erie, but the weights are always going to be big here,” said Chevy pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa.

Lefebre said drop-shot rigs and light line will be necessary for fishermen fishing deep for smallmouth.

“There could be some fish caught shallow, but the majority of fish will be caught 25 feet deep or deeper,” Lefebre said. “And it’s possible someone could catch 25 pounds a day.”

Lefebre said he expects 55 to 60 pounds to be the winning weight for the event.

“Guys will have to use light line and use their electronics to find the little dips and humps and stuff out there on the main lake,” Lefebre said. “There may be some fish caught suspended out in 80 to 100 feet of water. That’s when you really have to use your graph.”

Anglers will take off from Presque Isle Bay State Park located at 301 Peninsula Drive in Erie, Pa., at 6:30 a.m. each morning. Weigh-ins will be held daily at 2:30 p.m. at Presque Isle Bay State Park. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The Lake Erie American Fishing Series tournament is being hosted by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Visit Erie.

Pros will fish for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with 200-horsepower outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award of $10,000. If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cup guidelines, they will earn an additional $5,000.

The American Fishing Series consists of four divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast and Texas. Each division will consist of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points that could earn them a trip to the American Fishing Series Invitational on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Nov. 4-6. The points champion from each division will qualify for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup and a fifth Forrest Wood Cup qualifier will advance from the Invitational that is open to the top 50 anglers from each division.

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For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.