As a result, a significant portion of the field are generally split between three camps: those anglers who have a hill to climb in an attempt to secure either a Classic berth or solidify post-season positioning, those who already have either (or both) locked up, and those anglers who have only one speed, which is to go for the win.

In the former camp, it’s go big or go home – literally – as it all comes down to this one final tournament. Conversely, those who have nothing to gain but plenty to lose, will be playing it safe and going for the easy bite (brown fish), in all likelihood. The latter club, on the other hand, consists of the usual suspects who, no matter what the stakes, are going to risk it all shooting for the win every time.

The consensus after practice was that it would take 12 to 13 pounds a day to be sure of a Top 50 check, but nearer to 14 or 15 pounds in order to survive until Sunday.

The safe bet for consistency is to go with the brown fish as they are abundant and, compared to their green cousins, easier to catch. However, to win at Oneida, the consensus is that you have to go green – as proven by both Tommy Biffle in 2006 and Dean Rojas in 2008. The question then is whether you can mix and match and still be a real contender.

Randy Howell lead the charge in the opening round, in the process spurring the debate, by hauling a 17-pound, 9-ounce mixed bag to the scales. Just under a pound behind him, ending Day One in second place, Takahiro Omori, who’s been fishing lights out coming down the stretch, with 16 pounds, 11 ounces.

Ending the opening day in third place was Dustin Wilks with 16 pounds, 4 ounces, and two time Memorial winner, Peter Thliveros, with 15 pounds, 15 ounces putting him in fourth place to get things started.

Tommy Biffle, winner at Oneida’s inaugural Elite campaign in 2006 (then called “The Empire Chase”), was in fourth place when the curtains came down on the first day with 15 pounds, 13 ounces. Mark Menendez, winner at this year’s Diamond Drive on Lake Dardanelle, ended the day in the six spot with 15 pounds, 10 ounces. 

Howell Split his Day
With a chance last year to end the week in the Top 10, Howell came to Oneida this week determined to not make the same mistakes. His opening performance proved that his pre-tournament mental preparation is paying off. “It was a good day, without a doubt,” he said. “I moved around quite a bit, but I never moved far.”

Knowing that a solid limit of smallmouth is a good start but not enough to challenge for the win, Howell spent a large part of his day chasing the green fish. “After I’d caught a pretty good limit of smallmouth, I decided to go fishing for largemouth,” he said. “That’s just really hard to do mentally when they’re biting so good out deep. It’s tough to go up on the bank and fish for largemouth.”

With nearly 16 pounds in the livewell despite a slower-than-expected day, Howell followed his instincts and was able to cull up as a result. “I pulled into one little spot and caught a three-pounder, which culled a really nice smallmouth out, and went running around a little bit more,” he said. 

“As I was running back to the weigh-in my gut kept telling me to go flip a little community tree that everybody and their brother fishes. I pulled up there and flipped up a four-and-a-quarter.” 

Howell, without divulging anything, credited his bait and technique for producing the bigger bites – 18 in all. His hope is that the fish he culled out today won’t haunt him as the week progress. “I culled some really nice smallmouth today, and I just hope that I don’t wind up needing them later this week,” he said. 

“I’m not going to over think anything though. I’m just going to do the same basic thing I did again tomorrow. I feel good about what I’m doing right now.”

Omori In the Hunt Again 
With a day one total of 16-11, Takahiro Omori will enter Friday less than a pound behind Howell. “Everything went perfect today,” said Omori. “I know that on the first day, the key is to go catch big largemouth so I went to all my good stuff and everything worked out.”

Landing around 15 keepers throughout the day, Omori, unlike Howell, caught all largemouth. Omori’s best keepers came off a small stretch of grass line. While he plans on visiting the spot again tomorrow, he said that he is also running all over the lake fishing numerous spots.

After a solid day one in 2008 on Oneida Lake, which found him in the Top 10, Omori hopes the momentum continues. When asked if he left anything for Friday, the always smiling Omori responded, “That’s a good question, I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.” 

Omori revealed that the majority of his bites came in the morning. “I just went to my first spot and fished as hard as I could.”

Wilks Hoping to Hang On
Dustin Wilks finished fourth in last year’s Champion’s Choice at Oneida. He came armed this week with a few key spots from last year, and they began paying immediate dividends in quality, but not quantity. “First thing this morning I went back to a spot from last year and caught two big ones right off the bat,” he said. 

“Last year I could catch 20 or 30 there without a problem, but today it was just those two.”
With most of his limit by 10:00, Wilks commented that the later part of the day was slower than he’d hoped for. “I was hoping to be able to get into some of the bigger largemouth, but it never happened,” he explained. 

“When you have four or five hours of idle time between bites, it’s tough to keep your motivation. I just don’t have any largemouth that I’m confident in.”

Forced to scramble, Wilks was able to stay with the bigger bite throughout the opening day. “All my places had one big fish and then I would have to move on,” he said. “I don’t have an explanation for why that was, but either way I’m glad I had plenty of water to fish.”

Tomorrow, Wilks plans for more of the same, but noted that he’ll likely change his rotation slightly. “I’ll spend a little more time in some of the areas I fished today,” he said. “Hopefully there’s more there than just the one or two fish that I caught initially, but I don’t know.”

Peter T. Blessed With One Green Fish
Leaving the launch this morning, Peter Thliveros was convinced that he’d have a 12- to 13-pound limit by the end of the day, given that his practice had produced those results consistently. The planned weight would be enough for a solid showing, but the near-16-pound stringer he brought to the afternoon’s weigh-in was a huge boost in the right direction. 

“It would’ve been a great day it I hadn’t jumped a three-and-a-half-pounder off this morning,” he said. “That would’ve given me another pound, which would’ve really propped me up, but today’s weight should really help me out as the tournament grinds on.” 

Anchoring the impressive limit was a five-and-a-half-pound largemouth – something that Peter didn’t expect, and said he’s not likely to repeat again. “The largemouth I caught was an absolute gift,” he surmised. “There’s no way that I’ll duplicate that tomorrow, but it does kind of give me hope.

“It was on a spot where I’ve caught a big largemouth here before, so I don’t know. Maybe I’ll do a little bit more looking now that I know that.”

Fishing a Zoom Super Hog in 15 feet of water, Pete revealed that despite his final tally, the bite was really slow - with only two fish by 10:30 this morning. “As the day wore on, the fishing got better for me,” he said. 
“It was kind of surprising for me because usually this time of the year the fishing is pretty strong here after a full moon. The only thing I can think of was that there just wasn’t any kind of breeze.”

Coming from Florida, one can’t help but wonder over the success that Peter’s has had at Oneida over the years. “Actually, this lake fishes a lot like home because of the grass,” he explained. “The way the lake is set up, I’m just really comfortable here.”

Biffle Mixed Into Contention
In 2006, Tommy Biffle brought a limit of largemouths to the scales at Oneida for four straight days en route to victory. In doing so, he opened a lot of eyes. “I’ve had some good tournaments here, but back then there were just a few of us fishing for largemouth,” he said. “As a result, I tried to find some smallmouth and largemouth both.”

Wanting to ensure a limit, Biffle started on smallmouth before going in search of the more obscure largemouth. “I started on smallmouth this morning, and caught a pretty decent limit,” he said. “That’s what I’m planning doing every day this week because I just fish so much better with a limit in the boat.”

Over the course of the next seven hours, Biffle managed to cull all but two of the initial five smallmouth he’d boated. “It only took me about 20 minutes to get that limit of smallmouth,” he said. “It then takes pretty much all day to get a few decent largemouth bites, and even when you have all day, you’d better have a backup plan because there are so many guys beating the banks.”

After competing in four tournaments at Oneida – and fishing for largemouth exclusively in three of them – Biffle pointed out that he has their home range dialed in. “I pretty well feel like I know where every one of them lives,” he said. 

“When I started practicing this week, I didn’t enter a single spot into my GPS. I ran back through my water and entered waypoints, and after comparing them from years past most everything I’m fishing is within a few yards from where I had other spots before.”

As for challenging for another win, Biffle pointed out that it all comes down getting some cooperation from the bass: “You’ve just got to be lucky and get the right bites. We’ll just have to see what happens tomorrow.”

Menendez Mixed it Up
Mark Menedez has had mixed results at Oneida, and hasn’t ever been in contention for a win here. This week, things could change. “I fished for largemouth, but wound up weighing a sack of smallies,” he jokingly said. “I mixed it up during practice, but couldn’t get the right bites for largemouth so I’m pretty well committed to the smallmouth.”

Thursday’s 15-10 stringer is the biggest bag Menendez has ever weighed at Oneida. “I’m just thrilled with what I brought in today,” he said. “Everything started happening pretty quick when I pulled up to my first spot, and I pretty much left them biting.”

Over a particular bait or technique, Menendez explained that his program is all about location, location, location. “I think there is a specific cover that you’re looking for out here,” he said. “When you find the right blend, it’s pretty much automatic out there.”

DAY ONE STANDINGS