Post by newsfeeder on Jul 9, 2006 8:50:21 GMT -5
Despite the fixation by fishing fans on Oneida Lake's bass tournament, perhaps the largest catch in Oswego County this weekend came during the 12th annual Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon and Trout Team Tournament in the city of Oswego.
A total of 71 professional and amateur angler teams competed Saturday for about $60,000 in prize money along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, at the same time Bassmaster Elite rounds were playing out along Oneida Lake's North Shore.
Tom Pultorak, of Mexico, and his team reeled in a 29-pound chinook salmon, far outweighing the 5-pound bass being caught on ESPN cameras. "It gave a real good fight," Pultorak said of the 10 a.m. catch. "Half an hour later, we got him. It took a lot, a lot of line, but we winched him in."
The secret to success was baiting within a few miles of shore, several anglers said. For several hours Saturday afternoon, anglers hauled fish-laden coolers to a tent in Oswego behind the Best Western Captain's Quarters Hotel, where the team's catches were weighed and scored. Catches varied widely throughout the day, from teams with no fish to others with 10 catches or more.
"There were some really tough catches, some fantastic catches, and some in between," said tournament coordinator Troy Creasy.
Competitors came from as far away as Florida and New Jersey for the tournament, organizers said. Mike Stablewski, of Lancaster, Erie County, reeled in 83.55 pounds of fish during his team's second year at the tournament. He fishes all four tournaments organized by the same sponsors, spanning Oswego, Wayne, Orleans and Niagara counties.
"We try and do them all," he said. "It's a nice tournament."
The top team score fetched $6,500, while the prize for biggest catch bagged $400, according to tournament guidelines. The event is billed as the largest fishing tournament on Lake Ontario in Oswego County.
Fishing ran from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the scores combined over the two-day tournament. Amateur teams were comprised of three competitors with no Coast Guard-licensed boat captain, while professional teams hired a fishing captain for the tournament.
Competition sponsor Health Imaging also donated $5,000 for an Oswego County child to take a free Positron Emission Tomography test, which can help detect cancer in the early stages.
In addition, a portion of the entry fees is donated to conservation projects to keep stock levels high on the lake, organizers said. In 12 years, $15,000 has been donated to those projects.
from www.syracuse.com
A total of 71 professional and amateur angler teams competed Saturday for about $60,000 in prize money along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, at the same time Bassmaster Elite rounds were playing out along Oneida Lake's North Shore.
Tom Pultorak, of Mexico, and his team reeled in a 29-pound chinook salmon, far outweighing the 5-pound bass being caught on ESPN cameras. "It gave a real good fight," Pultorak said of the 10 a.m. catch. "Half an hour later, we got him. It took a lot, a lot of line, but we winched him in."
The secret to success was baiting within a few miles of shore, several anglers said. For several hours Saturday afternoon, anglers hauled fish-laden coolers to a tent in Oswego behind the Best Western Captain's Quarters Hotel, where the team's catches were weighed and scored. Catches varied widely throughout the day, from teams with no fish to others with 10 catches or more.
"There were some really tough catches, some fantastic catches, and some in between," said tournament coordinator Troy Creasy.
Competitors came from as far away as Florida and New Jersey for the tournament, organizers said. Mike Stablewski, of Lancaster, Erie County, reeled in 83.55 pounds of fish during his team's second year at the tournament. He fishes all four tournaments organized by the same sponsors, spanning Oswego, Wayne, Orleans and Niagara counties.
"We try and do them all," he said. "It's a nice tournament."
The top team score fetched $6,500, while the prize for biggest catch bagged $400, according to tournament guidelines. The event is billed as the largest fishing tournament on Lake Ontario in Oswego County.
Fishing ran from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the scores combined over the two-day tournament. Amateur teams were comprised of three competitors with no Coast Guard-licensed boat captain, while professional teams hired a fishing captain for the tournament.
Competition sponsor Health Imaging also donated $5,000 for an Oswego County child to take a free Positron Emission Tomography test, which can help detect cancer in the early stages.
In addition, a portion of the entry fees is donated to conservation projects to keep stock levels high on the lake, organizers said. In 12 years, $15,000 has been donated to those projects.
from www.syracuse.com