One of the country’s premier bass fishing competitions – from a kayak – is making its debut in the Finger Lakes this week, drawing 114 anglers from across the country. They'll be vying to qualify for the Tournament of Champions of the 5th Annual Hobie Bass Open Series.
Bailey Eigbrett will be among the competitors. The 25-year-old does not use a large bass boat; he fishes from a foot pedal-powered, single-seat, 14-foot Hobie Kayak.
"I love to be in a kayak more than a bass boat because I am more immersed in what's around me in nature," Eigbrett said. "One thing that's really cool about being in a kayak is it's less disturbance."
The Hobie competition features a prize pool to find the best ten bass is $24,000. Eigbrett calls it "the best in the nation" and says it's not often held in the Northeast.
"They're coming up to a really special place," said Eigbrett, who considers Cayuga Lake his home turf. It's the lake he grew up fishing.
"It's a really, really special fishery, from largemouth to small mouth [bass], and it takes very, very heavy bags to win on this lake all times of the year," he added.
Last year, Eigbrett was the New York State Kayak Bass Fishing Angler of the Year. He also won first place in the Hobie Bass Open Series at Lake Eufaula, Alabama.
"It was really rewarding to win at this level, especially in my first year and then going against the best of the best," Eigbrett said, who loves fishing from a kayak because "you can see what's going on around you without disturbing as much. Whereas a bass boat [has] trolling motors and a lot more things going on that could be louder...you're scaring off more fish. It helps me learn more about how these bass behave, being that I can get so close and personal with them."
Eigbrett fishes from his peddle kayak without a paddle, using his feet. He says that's easier than constantly picking up and putting down a paddle to grab the rod.
"Especially when you're out here in the wind. Not every day is a beautiful day," he said. "So, it's when you're in heavier conditions, pedaling is definitely much more of an advantage."
Fishing from kayaks can enable anglers to fish the same as those that use larger, faster, power boats. As for Eigbrett, he likes to fish offshore in deeper water with at least ten rods. His kayak has a battery that powers two fish finders with Down Imaging and Live Scope.
"I am one of those junkies that brings way too much gear, but that's just in my nature," he added.
In 2021, 52.4 million Americans fished, according to The Boating and Fishing Foundation. That's 2.4 million fewer than the year before. However, the numbers are higher than they were before COVID-19. In the last decade, kayak fishing doubled its share of anglers, growing steadily over the past three years.
The Hobie Kayak Bass Open Series on Cayuga Lake in Seneca County will last two days. Registration has closed. Kayaks can leave shore at 5 a.m.; fishing begins at 5:30 a.m., ending by 2 p.m.
The awards ceremony is set for 4 p.m. Sunday at the Quality Inn in Waterloo. Anglers can fish any legally connected body of water or portion of Cayuga Lake and its tributaries if they launch and land from the published launches.
Correction: We originally stated that Eigbrett won first place in the Bassmaster Open Kayak Series at Lake Eufaula in Eastern Oklahoma. It was the Hobie Bass Open Series at Lake Eufaula, Alabama.