Jon Bondy of Windsor Ontario is a rare breed here in Canada. He is a full time fisherman, who at 34 years of age has never had a job other than fishing. He has competed in tournaments since he was 16 years of age and has guided full time for 13 years. Jon is recognized as one of the premier full time multi-species fishing guides in the Windsor-Detroit area and is fully licensed to fish both U.S. and Canadian waters. Logging over 200 days every year on the water from March to December he is a busy guide who has clients from as far away as Japan.
As his prowess with a rod and reel grows Jon finds himself fishing bigger and bigger tournaments - often traveling south of the border to compete in some of the larger events. In 2005 while only fishing five major events Jon secured two 'Top 10' finishes in Bassmaster tournaments, including one second place spot. In 2006, Jon completed his rookie season on the Bassmaster Elite Series. This is the premier professional circuit in North America. His best 2006 finish was on Table Rock Lake, Mo where he took 5th place overall. He's won over $117,000 during the last two seasons and qualified last year to fish the 2007 Bassmasters Elite Series. Jon is the only Canadian pro who qualified for this series!
Although Jon has been featured on local and national T.V. as well as in many outdoor magazines and newspaper articles, we are proud at Fish On Line Canada to be able to bring you this article on Jon's first tournament of the year at Lake Amistad on the Texas/Mexico border held March 8-11, 2007.
J.B.: I just love Amistad. I couldn't wait to come back. The place is just a desert with a lake in the middle. Lots of cactus and mesquite trees. The water is extremely clear, as clear as any Ontario lake, and you can easily see 20 ft down. The lake is surrounded by sand and limestone, so there is no run off to color it. They have seen a huge increase in the number of tournaments here, but the fish are still pretty dumb.
Jon Bondy 'fishing in the dessert' on the Texas/Mexico border on renowned,
Lake Amistad - home of some of North America's biggest largemouth bass
W.W.: What was your game plan going into the event? Did you have a successful pre-fish? What was most productive technique and baits for you? How did your prior experience on Amistad help or hinder you this year?
J.B.: My practice was about the same as last year, but I found some deeper fish this year, as the cooler water had very little fish on beds. A lot of guys said practice was tough for them, but I found it not too bad. I just assumed that they would not catch the 30lb sacks like last year, because most anglers weren't bed fishing…boy was I wrong! I was doing well fishing a 3/8 oz watermelon jig and watermelon Zoom super chunk in deep bushes on points outside of spawning pockets, and had some good bites on a 7” watermelon Senko rigged with a 3/16 screw- in weight. My best spot was a long point topping out in 32 feet, but the wind howled up on it all day on the first day, so I couldn't fish it. This part of the world sees lots of wind. The best way to describe this place would be that it looks more like smallmouth water than largemouth. Clarks Hill is like that too; very clear and the largemouth live deep.
W.W.: Swimbaits seem to be gaining popularity every year on the US Bass circuits, and played a prominent role on Amistad. How often do you fish them and would you say you are on the swimbait bandwagon? If yes why - if no, why not?
J.B.: I pulled up on Steve Kennedy* in practice and he was fishing about 200 yards off shore which was unusual for him. I went over to ask if he had a fever, and right then he hooks a 7 or 8 lb fish on a swimbait out in the middle of nowhere. It was the first bass he had ever caught on a swim bait. The next day he whacks almost 37 lbs on it. That is a perfect example of how good these guys really are…they can adapt in a second. I threw a few swim baits in this event from 5”-9” and caught two nice ones, but not any 8 or 10 lb monsters. I hooked a big striper on day two with one. The thing about swim baits is that they work great, and will dominate an event, but rarely for several days. You need a specific set of conditions for them to work, but I still need more time with them.
This photo of US pro Steve Kennedy taken by Jon Bondy holding that 7 or 8 pound Amistad
largemouth caught during prefish on a swimbait; his first bass ever on this type of bait.
Steve ended up in 3rd place overall with 101.10 pounds of bass for four days of fishing (20 bass).
He took home $34,000 for the 3rd place finish. The winner was rookie Derek Remitz
with 111.7 pounds for a $102,000 paycheck.
*Steve Kennedy, the 2006 Toyota Bassmaster Rookie of the year was recently featured during the ESPN production of the 2007 Bassmasters Classic. It followed his progression as a struggling angler on the tournament circuit from when he and his wife camped for the first five years - beginning with a tent, to a small truck camper. Now, they own a beautiful motor home that they use to travel together with from tournament to tournament, still camping but with a little more of the creature comforts built right into their home on wheels.
W.W.: This is just the first of eleven Elite Series events that you are fishing in 2007. Which events are you most looking forward to? Which would you say do you have the most confidence in - at this very early stage - and which ones may give you trouble? Have you fished all the waters you will be visiting?
J.B.: I have fished all the lakes except the two in California and I am looking forward to Erie the most. I also like Grand Lake in Oklahoma, and Smith Mountain. I like tougher fisheries, not the places where you have to catch giants like at Amistad or Santee Cooper. My best finish in 2006 was at Table Rock (5th place) when only two guys caught a limit all four days, and 20% of the field blanked on day one. It was deep water and light line with small fish, and I did well. I am most worried about the Potomac River and the California Delta. The Delta is 1800 square miles of canals, and swamp and everything looks the same. The Potomac is my least favorite. In three events I have yet to cash a check there. In tidal water I catch them one day and not the next.
W.W.: Will you be fishing any US events besides the BASS Elite Series in 07? If so, which ones? Logistically, please explain how you will try and minimize driving, maximize your pre-fish time and try and make the expenses of being the lone Canadian on this premier BASS circuit at least somewhat manageable? How about your sponsors - how much of a help are they? Did you get set up with a cool looking wrapped boat for this season? Please give us some details if you can. What about Canadian tournaments this summer - any room for those?
J.B.: Besides the 11 Elites, I will be in the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork*. This event is a $1,000,000 no entry fee event, and there are others planned. I went to Fork last week and caught some real giants. That place is unreal for monsters. Just at the one marina where I was launching, about 3 or 4 bass over 10 lbs were coming in per day. As for logistics I do all the driving, laundry, spooling reels, you name it. I room with some of the guys I met last year, but no one particular guy all the time. I have become somewhat of a novelty act being the only guy from Canada.
(More info on the PAA and the event can be found at www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com.)
People have taken a special interest in how I do, and Canucks come up and talk to me all the time, even down here in Del Rio, Texas on the Mexican border. As for my sponsors, they really came through this year, especially Mercury. My wrap sponsor is MooseTracks Ice Cream (photo included) and they have become my title sponsor. Moosetracks is a trademarked ice cream flavor that is available in over 125 brands, including Sobey's in Canada. In some markets it actually outsells vanilla. Check out www.moosetracks.com. I have no plans for any Ontario events this year, but I will be guiding every day that I am home….
Jon Bondy's Wrapped Boat featuring Moose Racks ice Cream
Although Jon Bondy placed a disappointing 92nd out of 108 pros at the Amistad Bassmaster Elite Tournament, he does have another ten events to go in his quest to become the first Canadian angler to qualify for the Bassmasters Classic since Hank Gibson of Keswick ON did it in 1990. On behalf of Fish On Line Canada readers … go Jon go!
Wil Wegman
