FLW EverStart Northern Lake Erie (Eastern portion): Pre-tournament info

By Luigi De Rose

Mike Desforges All The Way!

The FLW EverStart Northern on Lake Erie is one day away. This year it is out of Buffalo, New York and the fishing should be good. The eastern portion of Lake Erie offers two distinct fishing environments; the big lake and the upper Niagara River. Both sections offer great fishing but only the main lake offers a chance to win. The place is smallmouth heaven. If you don't fish for brown then you're going down. 

Lake Erie is a bowl shaped area with not as much structure as one would wish for. Subtleties are the key to unlocking the smallmouth game here. Suspended bass are another technique that will win. Much more technically risky than dragging bottom, colossal bass hover off bottom. Kota Kiriyama won the last Bassmater tournament the last time the Elite anglers were in Buffalo fishing this way. So it can be done.

Techniques will not vary much. Drop shotting and dragging tubes (if the bottom is clean) are really the two best methods. This time of year is not great for big spinnerbaits, jerkbaits or even spoons. Finding the best schools of fish and being able to fish them well is the key to this tournament.

Weather is a huge factor; maybe the most critical factor in this tournament. The eastern portion of Lake Erie offers no shelter from pounding wind and waves. You could duck into the River, but your chances to consistently doing well drops dramatically. 



Gaspare Costabile another top Pick.

Big players will be mostly Canadians again. The taste of blood is in everyone's mouth and they're out for more trophies. 

My pick is simple. Mike DesForges all the way. He has won many times from Buffalo and he is simply the man out there. Not sure if he is fishing, the pairing is not up yet, is Gaspare Costabile. He is a local and had several near misses on Lake Erie with American tournaments. He is another easy pick.