FLW EverStart Potomac River Day 2: Schmitt Takes Day 2!

Stevens grabs top spot in Co-angler Division during second day of EverStart Series Northern Division competition

30.Sep.2011 by Gary Mortenson

FLW PRESS RELEASE

MARBURY, Md. – Heading into the 2011 EverStart Series Potomac River event, Bryan

Schmitt of Deale, Md., felt pretty good about his chances. After all, he was fishing in his home waters and had a track record on the Potomac River that was virtually unmatched. However, all of that optimism went out the window when he awoke Thursday morning to get ready for the first day of EverStart competition.



Bryan Schmitt figures out the largemouth bite.
(Photos: Garty Motenson FLW)



“I got up on Thursday and I was feeling pretty bad. I was really pretty sick,” said Schmitt.

Despite feeling ill, Schmitt gave it a yeoman’s effort, finishing the day in fourth place overall with a total catch of 16 pounds, 4 ounces. But while he felt good about the day-one results, his relief was short lived.

“I got up this morning and I was even sicker than the day before,” said Schmitt. “Basically, my fiancée had to kick me out of bed this morning because I was seriously thinking about not fishing. I was shivering all day and just felt horrible.”

Although Schmitt may have felt horrible, by the end of the day, the rest of the pro competition was feeling a lot worse after witnessing the on-the-water masterpiece that the Maryland native produced. By the end of Friday’s competition, Schmitt had leapfrogged three places to claim first place overall with a two-day catch of 32 pounds, 6 ounces.

“I’m just very thankful,” said Schmitt. “I won this tournament last year and I really want to win it again. I just hope I don’t jinx it.”

FLW EverStart Potomac River Day 2: Schmitt Takes Control!

Two Canadians in the Top 10

Potomac River 9/29/11 - 10/1/11 -- Potomac River
Smallwood State Park, Marbury, MD

Top 10
place/name/home town/ day 1 fish & weight/ day 2 fish & weight/ 2 day total
1  BRYAN SCHMITT  DEALE, MD 5 16-04  5 16-02  10 32-06      
2  CORY JOHNSTON  PETERBOROUGH, ON 5 17-07  5 13-06  10 30-13         
3  MIKE MCDONALD  RANDLEMAN, NC 5 16-12  5 14-01  10 30-13       
4  LANCE VICK  MINEOLA, TX 5 14-12  5 15-01  10 29-13      
5  DAVE LEFEBRE  UNION CITY, PA 5 13-04  5 16-07  10 29-11         
6  ROB WEBSTER  JANETVILLE, ON 5 12-05  5 15-12  10 28-01     
7  MIKE HOSKINGS  SPOTSYLVANIA, VA 5 16-03  5 11-12  10 27-15         
8  FRANK IPPOLITI  MERCERSBURG, PA 5 18-12  5 8-13  10 27-09        
9  EDWIN JACKSON  MARSHALL, VA 5 12-15  5 14-07  10 27-06         
10  MICKEY PETTRY  MANASSAS, VA 5 13-00  5 14-02  10 27-02     

Ontario OUT OF DOORS Article Alert!

 Please check out the latest Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine. I have a great article chronicling a day on the water with Joey Muszynski and Mark Moran after giant smallmouth. The pair broke the Canadian 5 fish Tournament Record with just over 32 pounds last year at the Bass Pro Shops' Open. After their record breaking day, we set out to see if they could do the impossible and break their own record. I cannot give the story away but here is a teaser to the article. Expect the magazine at your door or book store in a week or two.

ibassin 3/30 with Bryan Thrift FLW Angler of the Year

Welcome to IBASSIN.COM'S 3/30. Guests get 3 minutes to answer 30 questions before time runs out. Get to enjoy your favourite fishing celebrity like you have never seen them before.

Check out FLW Champion and past Angler of the Year, Bryan Thrift as he deals with the rapid fire questions.

2011 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open #3 Oneida Lake Day 3: Ish Monroe Wins with Frog.

Monroe goes wire-to-wire

By David Hunter Jones

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Sep 24, 2011

He rode a hot frog bite all three days and backed it up with a prototype flipping bait to sack 51-2, more than two pounds ahead of runner-up Michael Simonton.
“I tell you what, this feels awesome. I’ve won on all the (B.A.S.S.) levels; an Elite Series event, Federation-level event and now that I’ve won an Open it feels really good,” he said as he clutched his trophy.

Won with the frog!
(Photos: James Overstreet BASS)

For his win, Monroe earned a brand new bass boat and motor as well as a handsome paycheck of more than $9,000. The total package is worth north of $54,000. He’s not concerned about not picking up the 2012 Bassmaster Classic berth because he qualified through the Bassmaster Elite Series. He would have double qualified if he had fished all three events, the prerequisite for earning the Opens berth. He was fishing Oneida for pride and most importantly, fun.
“The thing that carried me through this week ­ and the whole season — has been the fact that I’ve had fun,” he said. “That’s been my focus throughout the Elites and into these Opens, and it’s worked out really well. I’m having a blast!”
Monroe relied on two baits and several areas. He threw a Snag Proof Ish’s Phat Frog (three different models: white, black and clear) across the top of matted grass along the bank, and when the wind blew, he punched through the grass with a heavy weight and a black and blue flipping bait. The key with the flipping bait was the River2Sea specialty flipping weight. It sports a matte black finish. Monroe reasons that lighter-colored weights give off too much flash under the dark mats and spook fish.

2011 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open #3 Oneida Lake Day 3: Ish Wins!

Ish Monroe wins with a Day 3 bag of 15-04lbs. Co-angler winner is local fisherman Kevin Haley!

(Photo: Rob Russow BASS)

More details coming up!

2011 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open #3 Oneida Lake Day 2: Ish Leads with 35-14lbs!

Monroe ups the ante!

Elite pro takes lead of almost four pounds into final day

By David Hunter Jones

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Sep 23, 2011

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — With east wind wreaking havoc on his frog and 167 other boats seeking protected water, Ish Monroe had a trying Day Two of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open.

Still King in New York!
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)

But the Elite Series pro not only landed a limit weighing 16 pounds even, he extended his lead over the field with a total of 35-14, nearly four pounds ahead of the pack.
Though Oneida Lake is full of substantial smallmouth bass, Monroe is sticking to the shallows and targeting largemouth with a topwater frog.
“My day started slow and I had to bounce around a bit; the wind kind of hurt me,” he said. “If the wind blows north or south, I can pick a bank and fish the area, but that east wind killed me because it rolls across the entire lake.”
Monroe said that his frog — a Snag Proof Ish’s Phat Frog — doesn’t work too well in the wind, so he resorted to flipping creature baits into shallow grass.

2011 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open #3 Oneida Lake Day 2: Ish is still on Top!

Day 2's Top 5 anglers. Very windy and rainy for much of the day. Many anglers did terrible. Not many double digit limits brought in today. Most of the anglers tried to find a balance with smallmouth and largemouth but found they couldn't find a rhythm.

Top 5
1 Ishama Monroe  10 35-14
2 Michael Simonton  10 32- 3
3 John Pelletier  10 31-10
4 Pat Golden  10 31- 9
5 Fletcher Shryock  10 30- 9

2011 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open #3 Oneida Lake Day 1: Ish is on Top!

Ish Monroe leads after Day 1 with 19-14!
Sep 22, 2011
BASS PRESS RELEASE

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Anglers had no problem filling out limits on Day One of the third and final Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open on Oneida Lake in central New York.

Ish is in control after Day One
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)

The trick, however, was finding better-than-average fish to bring to the scales. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., found the five best of the 138-boat field, amassing 19 pounds, 14 ounces to take the lead on the first day of competition.
Monroe’s mantra throughout the Bassmaster Elite Series season and Bassmaster Opens has been “just have fun.” Monroe played his cards close to his vest and was reluctant to share any information on his techniques, but he did allow that his bite was an early one.
“This lake is awesome, just awesome,” he said. “I had everything that I weighed in by 8:30 this morning. It was pretty interesting. It was partly my spot, partly me and partly just having fun. I feel like I can catch ’em like this every single day.”