BUFFALO – Taking advantage of his considerable experience on massive Lake Erie, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Paul Hirosky of Guy Mills, Pa., persevered through windy conditions Thursday to boat a limit of 21 pounds, 11 ounces, and lead the Empire Chase presented by Mahindra Tractors.
Hirosky, who leads Matt Reed of Madisonville, Texas, by a mere 5 ounces, scored his lone BASS victory in 2005 on Erie in a Bassmaster Open event, part of a qualifying circuit for the Elite Series. Despite a slow start, the 37-year-old eventually found his “sweet spot” and built his limit around 10 spots he located in practice.
Fishing fans can see all of the on-the-water action on The Bassmasters at 9 a.m. ET Saturday, July 28, on ESPN2.
“My original plan was to make a long run,” Hirosky said. “But with the rough conditions I thought I would play it safe and stay close to the check-in area.”
In all, Hirosky said he caught 12 keepers with a drop-shot rig. He said the key to his success was a slow, methodical approach on top of rocky areas in deep water.
“I had a great day,” said Hirosky, who has fished Erie hundreds of times. “My familiarity with the fishery really helped me out there and I have the confidence I need to do well.”
Unlike Hirosky, Reed took a calculated risk and is one of a contingent of anglers making a long run southwest from the launch point on Erie. When Reed arrived at his area more than 40 miles from the launch location, he caught consecutive 4-pounders on his first two casts. He built his limit to nearly 20 pounds by 9:30 a.m., and headed back toward the launch site.
Despite sharing his honey hole with a host of other anglers, Reed, 45, said the area has plenty of fish and should remain productive throughout the four-day tournament. Reed was unsure, however, whether anglers would be able to make the run in worse conditions.
“That area is so awesome. You can catch fish all day there,” said the one-time BASS winner. “It’s a rough ride though, and my back doesn’t feel all that great right now.”
Just one ounce behind Reed was Kevin Langill (21-5) of Terrell, N.C. Rounding out the top-five were 2004 Toyota Rookie of the Year Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 21 pounds, 2 ounces, and one-time BASS winner Kevin Wirth of Crestwood, Ky., with 21 pounds, 0 ounces.
With only three events remaining that affect the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, leader Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., put himself in position to maintain his lead with a solid 24th-place showing. But two-time Bassmaster Classic Kevin VanDam is close behind in a tie for 26th. Heading into the Empire Chase, Reese held a slim 12-point lead over VanDam. The new standings will be tabulated after the tournament.
Meanwhile, Robert Suhr of Roscommon, Mich., led the co-angler division in the chase for a Triton/Mercury boat package valued at $50,000 with 20 pounds, 1 ounce. Local favorite Randy Bell of Hamburg, N.Y., trailed with 19 pounds, 9 ounces, and Canadian Bill Wray was third with 18 pounds, 13 ounces.
Local sponsors: Local sponsors include the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Bassmaster Elite Series sponsors: Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Advance Auto Parts, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Evan Williams Bourbon, Ramada Worldwide and Costa Del Mar.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com. Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN's latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation Nation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 530,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
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