After an extended break, the B.A.S.S. Bassmaster Elite Series resumes this week at the “Blue Ridge Brawl” on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. Channellock-sponsored Paul Hirosky said that while he feels good about his chances, the lake will pose some challenges.
“The key to winning this tournament will be converting bites into fish in the boat,” Hirosky said during a final practice run on Wednesday morning. “It’s harder fishing at this lake, and you can’t afford to let one get away.”
Hirosky said that while the rare big fish can be caught, Smith Mountain Lake normally returns the smallest weights on the Elite Series circuit. Last year, he made the top-50 in a Northern Tour event on the lake with a weight of only eight pounds. Hirosky said there will be plenty of dock fishing going on this week.
Elite Series anglers have had more than a month off since the last tournament in Guntersville, Ala., and many are ready to return to competition this week. Hirosky spent his off time shooting a TV program, fishing without the pressure of competition and catching up on some much-needed yard work.
“I feel confident and very good about the tournament,” Hirosky added. “When fishing is in your blood like it is mine, you get hungry to get out there again.”
Smith Mountain Lake, located in the Blue Ridge Mountain area of southwestern Virginia, boasts 20,600 acres and 500 miles of shoreline. At 40 miles long, the lake is Virginia’s second largest freshwater lake.
“We’re looking forward to Paul returning to the water this week and securing a strong finish,” said Scott Jonap, vice-president of sales and marketing for Channellock. “There’s no denying he’s hungry for a tournament victory. We hope the knowledge he gained fishing the lake last year will bring a good catch this week.”
About Paul Hirosky
Hirosky’s passion for fishing began as a young boy growing up in northwestern Pennsylvania fishing in backyard creeks. After earning his pharmacy degree, Hirosky began entering local and regional fishing contests in his spare time. His passion and success grew, and he has been a competitive bass angler for the past 11 years. Hirosky has placed in the money at 90 percent of tournaments he has competed in over the last five years, winning close to 20 of those tournaments. The 2005 season was a break-out year for the young pro. He qualified for the B.A.S.S. Elite Series, the B.A.S.S. Northern Tour and the Open Championship. He won the 2005 B.A.S.S. Northern Open at Sandusky, Ohio, and ranked sixth in the 2005 Northern Open point standings.
About B.A.S.S.
A subsidiary of ESPN, B.A.S.S. has more than 600,000 members. The Bassmaster Elite Series is the world’s most prestigious professional fishing series and consists of 11 tournaments held on waters throughout the eastern and Midwestern states. In 2005, 12.2 million viewers followed the Bassmaster Tournament Trail on ESPN2. For more details, visit Bassmaster’s website.
About Channellock
Founded in 1886, Channellock, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the manufacture of high-quality pliers and assorted hand tools. For more information on CHANNELLOCK® products, rich history, sales contacts and current news, visit CHANNELLOCK’s website.
