Second round of sunshine

Stren field enjoys repeat performance in 1,000 Islands area

CLAYTON, N.Y. – At the morning checkout from French Creek Marina, another beautiful day of sunny, calm conditions greeted Stren Northern Division anglers who are no doubt eager to grab their share of the 1,000 Islands bounty so well represented in the tournament’s opening round.

Day one competitors turned in strong performances from the front and back of the boat, with the top-10 line at 18 pounds, 10 ounces on the pro side and 16-9 for co-anglers. Big smallies were common and pro Charlie Hartley topped the day with a brown fish weighing 5-9.

Hartley credited the abundance of quality fish in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to an environmental scourge that has proven beneficial to the fishing scene. “This area is full of huge gobies – that’s why (the bass) are so big.”

Hugh Worth III of Erie, Pa. leads the pro field with 21 pounds, 4 ounces. He’ll likely return to the river and continue throwing his ¾-ounce black and chartreuse jig in matted weeds. Fishing his baits on 65-pound braided line is the key to yanking his fish from the thick vegetation.

Worth said he’s confident that his area holds plenty of fish to carry him through another day. “I’m pretty sure I can get the same amount of weight again. I was getting that every day in practice. Every day I was catching 4-pounders.”

Florida pro Matt Greenblatt caught a day-one limit weighing 14 pounds, 7 ounces, but he said he believes he can improve on that number today. Greenblatt will be throwing a dropshot with a 4-inch Berkley Gulp! Sinking Minnow in green pumpkin and black and a small spinnerbait – both at a relaxed pace.

“I’m around fish and the slower presentation seems to be the key,” he said.

Although most boaters chose to take advantage of the calm weather to fish Lakes Ontario and Erie, Greenblatt will stick to the St. Lawrence. “The weather is always an issue. If the wind blows up, the (Great Lakes) are not fishable. You have to have a backup pattern – I just use the lakes as my backup pattern. If my bite shuts down in the river, I’ll go out to the lake.”

Johnstown, Pa. pro Jason Ober won the Stren Northern Division opener at Lake Champlain in July. After placing 34th on day one with 16-3, he’s eager to improve his position.

“I missed some opportunities yesterday, so I’m looking for a little rebound today,” he said. “I think the fishing’s going to be great again today, you just have to go out there and catch them. I think as long as you can go and capitalize on the good weather, it’s anyone’s game at this point in time.”

Ober will fish Lake Ontario and target large sandy spots surrounded by rocks and weeds. He’ll be throwing a tube early and then moving to a weightless Senko later in the day.

Anglers will enjoy yet another day of pleasant weather on day three, but too much of a good thing can become a bad thing without prudence. Finding lots of fish is encouraging, but managing one’s spots will be important for making the bite last through the event.

Tournament logistics

The Stren Series event, which runs August 20-23 is the second event of the Northern Division’s schedule of four regular season tournaments. The total purse for the 1,000 Islands event is $275,225. The winning pro could earn as much as $65,000 in cash and prizes if various contingencies are met, and the winning co-angler could earn as much as $35,000.

Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. (Eastern Time) at French Creek Marina located at 250 Wahl St. in Clayton, N.Y. Friday’s weigh-in also will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 20823 N.Y. State Route in Watertown, N.Y., beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Thursday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:15 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 60 degrees

Expected high temperature: 80 degrees

Water temperature: 70-72 degrees

Wind: from the SSW at 5 mph

Humidity: 45 percent

Day’s outlook: Sunny