Outdoors

York anglers haul in tourney's top prize

The old adage practice makes perfect doesn’t just apply in sports like hockey or football.
In the world of tournament angling, pre-fishing an event can also make a world of difference.
It definitely paid off for pair of York Region piscators, who came away $20,000 richer from a tourney in Belleville last weekend.
Aurora’s Dave Chong and his partner, Rob Lee of Thornhill, were proclaimed winners of the Canadian Fishing Tour’s One Day Classic after they hauled in a total live weight of 42.85 pounds of smallmouth bass.
With 43 two-man teams qualified from three different tournament series competing in the two-day event, Chong, 48, and Lee, 42, brought in a first-day total of 22.80 lbs. and 20.05 lbs. the second day.
Their total weight was a mere .05 lbs. better than their nearest rivals, Rob Hyatt and Mike Desforges.
“We were confident we could win it after our pre-fish,” Chong said. “If the fish stayed where they were, we had a good shot at winning. Luckily they did because smallies can move around. There’s so much water out there for them to move around in. I’ve had them burn me before.”
Chong was quick to point out the baits they utilized also played a vital role. During the tournament they tossed out Mizmo tube jigs and drop shot rigs that included Erie Darters and Strike Zone gobies.
Motoring some 75 miles to their angling hot spot, Chong said they hauled in their total weight by 8:45 a.m. on the first day of the tournament.
“We probably had two, 20-lb. bags on the first day,” he said.
Returning to the scene of the crime on the second day, Chong said fishing was a bit more challenging.
“We caught a lot of smaller fish. We were fishing in five-foot waves and we lost two big fish that I thought would hurt us. Fortunately it didn’t.”
Fishing as a tandem for the past 12 years, Chong and Lee noted the victory is to date their biggest highlight since they’ve been fishing the tournament circuit.
“This ($20,000) definitely pays for the rest of the year,” Chong said with a laugh. “It hadn’t been a stellar year up until that weekend. We had some top-10 finishes this year but this was our first major win of the year. It was a great weekend.”

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Wegman continues to teach the tricks of the bass fishing trade at Seneca College

Pitchin, flippin, crankin and drop shotting are some popular techniques utilized by anglers to catch largemouth and smallmouth bass.

To the angling segment who are proficient in enticing bass to devour their offerings, these methods are standard operating procedures and have proven to be successful.

But to those who might consider themselves as being at the other end of the angling spectrum, these techniques are relatively foreign.

By learning these modes, they might improve their catch ratio the next time they wet a line.

It is this segment of the angling population that noted piscator and outdoor writer Wil Wegman would like to assist through a continuing education course he teaches at the Seneca College King City campus.

The Successful Bass Fishing Course will make its first cast Sept. 5 and continue for the following three Tuesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Embarking on his 20th year of teaching this course, Wegman said it feels like just yesterday when he first approached Seneca College with the idea of introducing such a program devoted strictly to the growing sport of bass fishing.

If there were any skeptics, they were soon silenced as the program has proven to be a success as evidenced by full classes. In some years, there's even been a waiting list.

"I can't believe it has been this long," Wegman said of his course, which began with 25 students.

What's made Wegman's course popular and unique is the manner in which sport fishing has evolved through the years. This is largely through new innovations that invade the market including new baits and electronic devices like the GPS.

"Techniques come and go but there are always new and exciting ones to try and learn about," he said.

Among other topics Wegman will raise in his program are how to read a body of water for the frirst time, seasonnal patterns, simplifying tackle selection, how, when and where to fish for smallmouth and largemouth bass. A strong emphasis, he added, will be placed on catch and release.

Not only does Wegman's course involve sitting in a classroom. Part of the course itinerary is for students to be on the water where they will receive a hands-on approach to bass fishing through a class tournament he runs called the amBASSadors Cup.

This year's event will take place Oct. 8 on Lake Couchiching in Orillia at the town docks starting with registration at 7 a.m.

In celebrating his 20th year of the course, Wegman will be holding a special tournament by inviting course graduates to participate in this event.

Entry fees for all former students is the same as it has been since day one

- $100 per two-person team if payment is received before Sept. 15, or $110 if paying after or morning of, the event.

The tournament is completely catch and release heaviest five bass wins, standard tournament rules apply, weigh-in at 3 p.m.

The top 10 teams will receive special amBASSadors Cup 20th Anniversary (custom made by Northern Exposure) medallions. Winners each receive the coveted amBASSadors Cup trophy and their share of the prize money up for grabs.

Former course graduates who would like to take part can email Wegman

Enrollment fees for this year's course is the same as it has been for the last 20 years; $100 per person. A recent incentive to attract new young anglers to this wonderful sport however, allows all those under 16 years of age to sign up with a full-paying adult relative, for the low price of only $10. Cost of enrollment for all students also covers entry into your first amBASSadors Cup and automatically makes you eligible to fish any further bass tournaments hosted by Seneca College and Wil Wegman.

For more information or enrolling in this semester's bass fishing course, log on to: www.senecac.ca