With the BASS Elite Series making its final stop for 2012, we will be watching closely to see what role Oneida smallmouth bass have in the final standings. Lake Oneida is well known for its smallmouth bass fishing but it also has a healthy population of largemouth bass so you never know what impact the smallmouth bass will have in the final analysis.

Oneida Lake, located ten miles north of Syracuse in Oneida and Oswego Counties, is the largest lake lying wholly within New York State. Oneida Lake is a relatively shallow natural lake with an average depth of 22 feet and is named for the Iroquois Nation Oneida Tribe. The Oneidas called the lake “Tsioqui” or “white water”, a reference to the wave action on the lake on windy days. Source

BASS Elite Series Oneida Smallmouth

In 2008, Dean Rojas pulled off a win at Oneida. Let’s see what he has to say about this year’s tournament.

This week 97 of the top, bass fishing pros from across the country have been fishing Oneida Lake, practicing and taking note of good spots for the the prestigious B.A.S.S. Ramada Championship that begins Thursday morning.

Targeting the lake’s largemouth paid off big back then for Rojas, but he contends that he hasn’t eliminated a smallmouth strategy from his 2012 game plan.

“The lake has big largemouth, but a lot of big smallmouth, too. You have to keep an open mind because largemouth might not be the winning pattern this time,” said Rojas. “I have to be tactical about how I approach the lake.” Source

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In 2011, Ish Monro won the tournament thanks to his share of largemouth bass caught on his custom designed frog lure. This year is a whole new ball game and only time will tell if the BASS Elite Series Oneida smallmouth bass rule the day or if the laregemouth bass once again is dominant due to its larger size.

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