The 10th-annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship got underway this morning with 138 teams vying for a record purse of $172,000, including the first-place prize of $50,000.
Defending champs Bill and James Lindner were the first team to hit the throttle on Sand Bay at 7 a.m. in defence of their title. However, a lot has changed since yesterday when pre-fishing ended at 3:30 p.m.
After a week of pre-fishing in hot, humid conditions, the anglers awoke early this morning to cool temperatures and a northwest wind.
One tournament official noted the sudden change in the weather could force the anglers to discard their game plans and try to come up with something new.
As well, cold fronts often cause fish to stop biting for a while, which could be reflected in the numbers when the teams return for the Day One weigh-in this afternoon.
The first of the five flights of boats is due to start weighing in at 3:30 p.m. under the big tent at the Sorting Gap Marina.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
