Category: competitive fishing events

Dear Italo,Thank you very much for honest answer to my question regarding joining you on the trip.I would like to ask your opinion on the subject of walleye tournaments: this is another something that gives you one time experience and likely very challenging one. Would you recommend or know anybody who would like to have a partner for this type of adventure? I haven’t participated in tournaments before, but have been fishing for walleyes for quite some time. Please let me know your thoughts?Sincerely,Sergey Novoshinov

Posted on October 24th, 2019

Hi Sergey, fishing tournaments are a great way to make new fishing friends and sharpen-up your fishing skills and to have a chance of winning some prizes. I don’t know of individuals who are looking for a tournament partner personally. I would encourage you to contact Andy Polotta who runs the CSFL Fishing Tournaments . He operates multi-species events and would know if someone is looking for a fishing partner. You can reach him at, COMPETITIVE SPORT FISHING LEAGUE​ 215 Loretta Crescent Stouffville ON L4A1H4 EL 905-640-2277FAX 905-640-2278 andrew@csfl.ca …God bless you.

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

Hi Italo Im Joining the wny bassmaster this year this will be my first tournament first lake this summer will be upper Niagara river any tips for fishing tournaments what to use Thanks

Posted on June 30th, 2015

smallie01

Hi Menoua….If you can fish both the Canada/US sides I would really encourage you to fish 4″ TriggerX tubes (Goby color or Peanut Butter & Jelly), along the bottom with a 1/4 or 3/8 oz., jighead (depending on wind conditions). One of my top drifting locations for larger smallmouth is the “bottle-neck” on the Canadian side, just north of where Townline Rd., ends at the Upper River. Drift the 18-28′ range, and especially the gentle drop-off, off the Canadian shoreline and the Grand Island shoreline (almost in the middle of the river in that arm). After getting your limit of descent smallmouth, you may want to try and get a largemouth over 4lb. Good location to target big smallmouth is the north end of Grand Island in the NY side where the current tapers off and there is calmer water with scattered weeds/rocks in 8-12′ of water. The Rapala Dives To Flat series of crankbaits works well there in the running depth from DT4F – DT7F. Hope you do well…..God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

i have seen some of your fishing shows and my grandfather and i would like to ask if we could be on one of your shows. Hopefully in or ferly close to Sudbury Ontario

Posted on August 1st, 2014

Hi Elijah….Thanks for your offer to fish with me, but I have a very busy schedule and right now we have to plans to fish/film close to Sudbury, ON this summer. We will be covering the Wikwemikong, ON Bass & Pike Derby, http://www.wikwemikong.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152&Itemid=129 , in Aug., so you may want to fish in it with your grandfather and possibly even get caught on camera for that show….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

Do you know any great shore fishing derbys close to Welland and if so what kind of fish

Posted on May 26th, 2014

Hi Kyle…If you want to know about fishing derbies in the Niagara Region, give Pete’s Bait and Tackle a call at, 905-934-2512. They know of all the shore fishing derbies that go on and often sponsor them….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

I would like to start fishing tournaments and was wondering where to get started in Ontario

Posted on September 16th, 2013

Hi Jim…Best to start with 1-day events and get the feel of tournament fishing. One of the largest competitive fishing organizations in Ontario is, http://csfl.ca/ ….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

Dear Italo I just love going onto your site and also watching you show. Great information to help increase my chances of catching more fish. The information that you share with your readers I am overwhelmed with the information you share with everyone. I am fishing for crappie in rice lake around Mcgregor Bay next weekin your experience do you know of any hotspots worth trying depth to fish thanks ever so much

Posted on April 13th, 2013

Hi Fisher Girl…Thank you for your kind words. I have not fished there for crappie, but they should be in pretty shallow water around any cover like old weed growth, trees that are in the water, & boat docks….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

Hi itlalo I ve been thinking of trying to fish some local fishing tournaments but since I never fish one im not sure how to go about it. I read into it a bit and at that recent fishing show cbaf was there and I chatted a bit with them they basically sounded like a pretty good club to Join. I was looking at the simeco anglers chapter. But perhaps you can advise me on how I should go about starting up on tournaments Is it best to join a club like I mentioned as to my understanding u need to be a memeber to participate in the tournments they hold However I also understand there are plenty of local events open to anyone I also read its best to start in a Pro am one to get a feel for it first whats ur thought on that I do own a boat a Lund with A 60 hp merc not a bass boat with a 250 by any means but a decent fishing boat not sure if you an enter with any boat or a bass boat is must to have a shot In any event I would love to get your opinion on the matter and some info on how to get into tournament fishing on a Amauter entry type level . Thanks in advance for your advise and input

Posted on February 21st, 2013

Hi Rob…You don’t necessarily have to join a club, you can just enter tournaments that interest you. I would encourage you to start by fishing more “causal”, 1-day events just to get familiar with competitive fishing. As you get used to competing, than you can go into 2-day tournaments that have a higher entry fee and bigger return for the top 10 finishers. I would wait to fish a Pro-Am until you get a little bit of experience in the 1-day “buddy-tournaments”. The size of your boat is not that important, especially if you are fishing smaller waters (like the Kawartha’s, instead of let’s say Lake Erie). As long as you have a functioning livewell, a 60 hp is fine to get you to the fish. In my tournament fishing days I saw lot’s of smaller boats, even with engines smaller than 60 hp., beat out a lot of big bass boats with big outboards!. I suggest you dialog with Andy Pollota at, bassmania@on.aibn.com..God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

how do you think I could get involved in tournaments around southern and eastern ontario as being a teenager.

Posted on January 30th, 2013

Hi Aidan….Most of the tournaments in southern Ontario are “buddy” events where you fish with a buddy as a 2-man team. The only condition in most of these events is that you have to have a boat that is equipped with a working live well since these events are catch & release. There are also some tourmanets that are referred to as “draw-tournaments”, where individuals are matched up together for the day’s fishing, but they are really competeing individually and everyones weight is tabulated individually. The best thing to do if you are serious about getting into competitive fishing events is to contact Andy Pollota who operates many of the bass, pike, walleye and panfish competitive events in southern Ontario. You can reach him at, http://csfl.ca/ (Competitive Sportfishing League)….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

Hi Italo Ive got some good help from you in the past and was wondering if you could help get me into tournement fishing can you think of any good bass tourneys around niagara that would be good to start in Thanks Ps: I saw one of your gar fishing episodes and have to say that was really neat fishing and if you want to try another lure that catches a ton of gar try a vibrex spinner reds the best color for me in a size 2 or 3 I catch a ton of gar on those

Posted on June 18th, 2012

Hi Griffin…Thanks for the longnose gar spinner tip! I am not familiar with bass trounaments around NIagara. Most of he tournaments I am familiar with are in the Kawartha’s and held on lakes just north or east of Toronto. Good bass tournament organizations to look into are Top Bass , and is the Competitive Sportfishing League. I would encourage you to check both sites and look into the 1 & 2-day bass tournaments and locations….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram

Hi Italo were are some places in toronto were they are fishing tornaments.

Posted on December 22nd, 2011

Hi Wendell….There is one large salmon tournament that runs each year out of the ports in the GTA called the Salmon Hunt. From time to time there has also been a bass tournament held in Lake Ontario right in front of Toronto, but not regularly. Most bass and walleye tournaments are held on other lakes in southern Ontario. To get a listing of some of these tournaments you can visit, http://www.probassfishing.ca/tournaments.html ….God bless you, Italo

Posted in
Like me   Follow Me  
Subscribe youtube   Newsletter Subscriber   InstagramFollow in instagram