Tournament Fishing: Local tournament trails announce schedules for bass season

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Those guys and gals standing up in the front of their bass boats on our local lakes or rivers are probably members of the cast-for-cash bass group, honing their skill for the coming competitions.

They and I are hooked on bass fishing and enjoy the friendly competition of local and regional contests. A few fish national tournaments. Just in case anyone doesn’t know, all bass caught are well taken care of in chemically treated livewells during the tournaments, then released alive after being weighed. I’d say more than 98 percent of the fish are released alive. Here are the schedules of several local clubs.

NORTHEAST BASS

Probably the area’s most popular trail, its events attract an average of 45 two-person teams to five qualifying events. There’s an annual membership fee of $35 per person and fee of $200 per tournament to fish this trail. The distribution of this entry fee is: $60 for the championship fund, $10 for tournament lunker and $130 for tournament payback. One out of every six teams that enter will receive cash.

This year’s tournament schedule is: June 10, Lake Champlain at South Bay; June 24, Saratoga Lake (no launch site listed); July 15, Oneida Lake (no launch site listed); and Aug. 5, Lake Champlain at Ticonderoga. The championship will be held Sept. 15-16 at Lake George/Lake Champlain, both at Ticonderoga. For further information, call Andersen Boat at 399-5003 or go to www.andersenboat.com.

GREENBUSH BASS ASSOCIATION

Another popular local team tournament trail, this year offers eight cast-for-cash opportunities. There’s no membership fee. The entry fee is $75, and because of the five-bass limit, these events can be fished alone.

The tournament schedule is: Saratoga Lake at state launch, June 17, Aug. 5 and Oct. 7; Lake Champlain at Ticonderoga, June 30, July 21 and Aug. 18; Great Sacandaga Lake at Broadalbin, Sept. 9 and 30.

MOHAWK MASTERS

This is the 20th year for the Mohawk Master tournament trail. Their tournaments are unique in that they are a one-person (singleman) event with all tournaments held on the Mohawk River. There’s no membership fee. The entry fee is $45, with an optional $5 for the lunker fee.

The schedule (all on the Mohawk River) this year is: June 16, AlCathys, Waterford; July 14, Kawanis Launch, Rotterdam; Aug. 4, Dufels’ at Schoharie Crossing in Fort Hunter; Sept. 8, Mohawk Valley Marina, Alplaus; and Oct. 6 at Kiwanis Launch.

SCHENECTADY ELITE ANGLERS

This club is a fun, but competitive trail that hosts bass tournaments throughout upstate New York. They usually have 90-100 members and average about 30 teams per event. There’s a $30 club membership fee and $100 tournament fee which includes lunker. There are a number of awards at the end of the year for various angler achievements throughout the tournament season.

This year, they will fish five club qualifying events and the end-of-the-year champ­ionship. The tournaments are: June 9, Lake Champlain at South Bay; June 23, Great Sacandaga Lake, McMurrys; July 7, Oneida Lake, South Shore; July 28, Mohawk River, Mohawk Valley Marine; Aug. 18, Saratoga Lake, state launch; Sept. 1, Mohawk River, Dufel’s. The two-day championship will be held Saturday, Sept. 22 at Lake Champlain, South Bay, followed by Sunday, Sept. 23 on the Mohawk River at Kiwanis.

The three open tournaments which have a $150 per-team entry fee are: July 22, Great Sacandaga Lake at McMurrays; Sept. 3, Mohawk River, Kiwanis; and Oct. 13, Mohawk River, Dufel’s.

MOHAWK VALLEY ANGLERS CLUB

MVAC is a small fishing club that dates back in the early 1980s. Its tourn­aments are held in nearby waters, and the club has about 50 members. The annual club membership fee is $20, and all seven club tournaments have a $50 team entry fee with optional $5 lunker fee. Open tournament fees are $80.

Their first tournament is open — June 2 on Onota Lake in Pittsfield, Mass., followed on June 3 by their first club event on the same lake. The remainder of the club tournaments are: June 16, Great Sacandaga Lake at Broadalbin; July 7, Canadarago Lake, state launch; July 28, Saratoga Lake, Lee’s Campground; Aug. 25, Mohawk River, St. Johnsville Marina; Sept. 15, Mohawk River, AlCathys; Sept. 29, Mohawk River, Kiwanis; and the champion­ship, Oct. 6, Mohawk River at Can­ajoharie.

The one remaining open tournament will be held Oct. 20 on the Mohawk River at Dufel’s.

For more information of the Greenbush Bass Assn., Mohawk Masters, Schenectady Elite Anglers and Mohawk Valley Anglers Club go to, www.basstrails.com/site/clubs/clubs.php?state=NY.

WEEKNIGHT TOURNAMENTS

I’ve only heard from one of the three weeknight tournament sponsors, Saratoga Tackle, about its 2012 tournaments, which, beginning June 19, will be on Tuesdays, rather than Thursdays, this year. Tournament hours will remain 5-8 p.m. Take-off and weigh-in will be at Lee’s Campgrounds, next to the state launch site. Fees, which include launching at Lee’s, are $60 for the tournament, $10 for lunker. Because of the five-bass limit, anglers can fish alone. For further information, call 584-3952.

I’ll post the schedules of the Lake Lonely single-man, one-bass and South Shore Mar­ina’s partner tournaments as soon as they’re available.

JOIN A CLUB

For fishermen and women interested in joining a bass club (no boat necessary), here are some of the local club contacts in this area. I think anyone would enjoy being a member of any of them.

Adirondack Bass — Rich Guyette, 744-4620;

Albany Area Bassmasters — Paul Pflieger, 355-3334 or 469-3019;

Capital District Bassmasters — Dave Goyette, (845) 588-0750;

Helderberg Bassmasters — Frank Arcolano, 861-6449;

Nitro Bass Club — Brian Weygand 669-5234.

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