Dave Wolak loves being back home. He grew up in Pennsylvania and cut his tournament teeth on key Northeastern fisheries like Seneca, Oneida, the Hudson and of course, Champlain. That experience is important, but it wasn't until he gambled it all and joined the Bassmaster Tour in 2005 that he learned to win the big one.



He won his first tour-level event back in 2006 and waited 5 long years to win his next, which he did today at the Champlain FLW Tour Open. He was the only pro to weigh more than 18 pounds on the final day, and his 19-07 limit clinched him a victory at the venue for the second time in a year (he won last year's Champlain Bassmaster Northern Open).

It marked the third significant win of Wolak's career, his first with FLW, and cemented his reputation as one of the absolute best in the world on mixed-bag, northern venues. It also demonstrated his growth as a pro as he exhibited a confident and collected air that allowed him to fish on the fly and make the critical, correct decisions to focus on different species to combat the ever-changing conditions.

Wolak's 4-day, 81-00 total represented a strong mix of largemouths and smallmouths, and he amassed it across the season's first major cold front and the resultant frigid and windy then still conditions.

Gary Yamamoto, who led day 1 and then shared the lead with Wolak on day 2, just couldn't ride his shallow largemouths for another day. Yamamoto started to fade yesterday, and fell off the map today with a 15-11 limit.

Connecticut pro Daryl Biron, like Yamamoto, started the day a little more than 2 pounds behind Wolak, but also like Yamamoto, never truly challenged. After a 13-14 limit today, Biron finished 3rd and 8 pounds behind Wolak.

Glenn Browne retained his 4th-place position by virtue of a 16-pound catch, while Wesley Strader climbed all the way from 8th to finish 5th with a 17-13 limit.

Wolak's Big Switch

> Day 4: 5, 19-07 (20, 81-00)

The key factor for Wolak was, halfway through the tournament, he changed from a focus on soft cover to hard cover – from grass to objects like wood and manmade banks.

He'd generally start on smallmouths, then move to largemouths, and he weighed a mixed bag every day.

"The key for me this week was being able to make the proper adjustments," he said. "I fished in rain and cold and wind and was able to adapt correctly for every situation. On Thursday and Friday when we had the cold, wind and rain, grass was gold. Yesterday and today I looked for clean, hard bottom. I covered a lot of water using my history and experience on this lake to make wise decisions. I was very fortunate and was able to capitalize on my past failures.

"Current played a huge role in my victory as well," he added. "The lake's still pretty high so I looked for areas that had moving water, especially when I was targeting smallmouth. One of the great things about this lake is that it replenishes itself – if you catch one fish in an area, go back because the fish will go back."

He celebrated his 35th birthday on Thursday, and said of his favorite lake: "Lake Champlain's a pretty special place for me. There's no other fishery in the country where you can catch both large and smallmouth that are the same size. You can fish north or south – anywhere you go you'll catch fish. I must have caught over 50 fish today. It was amazing. I'll be back every year."

His main weapons were Fin-tech Title Shot jigs. The details of his winning pattern, plus pattern information for the other top finishers, will be posted soon.

2nd: Yamamoto Fished Shallow

> Day 4: 5, 15-11 (20, 74-12)

Yamamoto, who set a new FLW Outdoors Champlain 1-day catch record on day 1, fished shallow all week. One problem today: Several of the docks he'd been fishing were removed by the owners this weekend in preparation for winter.

"It wasn't that close," he said of his finish. "It ended up (Wolak) was consistent all the way through and I couldn't pull it out today.

"Looking back, I wouldn't change anything. I had an exceptional first day, and conditions were such that some of the docks I was fishing, they started pulling them out, so I lost some fishing time. But you know, some of the things I look back at, the water color changed from the first practice day to today – it was getting clearer and it probably dropped a foot since I've been here. So those are some of the conditions that affected the fish as far as the shallow-water bite.

"I guess Dave was able to make the adjustments in the area he was at. I was running out of fish."

3rd: Biron Struggled Today

> Day 4: 5, 13-14 (20, 72-15)

Biron, from Connecticut, trailed Wolak by 2 1/2 pounds this morning, but after a tough day finished a distant 8 pounds off the lead pace.

"I knew coming into today that if I was going to win, I really had to go for the gusto," Biron said. "I started on largemouths first thing, caught a dink, then caught 10 more dinks, but I still felt like I was doing the right thing. I knew I needed to catch 21 pounds to give myself a shot, so I stayed with largemouths."

Also of note: He realized today at weigh-in, when he watched tournament footage, that he and Yamamoto were fishing some of the same docks.

He later switched to smallmouths, but the water was slick calm and he thinks that made the smallmouths spooky.

4th: Browne Wanted 3rd

> Day 4: 5, 16-02 (20, 72-06)

Most assumed Browne fished grass all week. Not so. He targeted laydowns and at times, he could call his shots.

He knew he didn't have a shot to win, so his goal today was to improve beyond 4th. He didn't accomplish that, but he does leave the event as the leader in the FLW Tour Open points.

"I just didn't have any big bites today," he noted. "I caught a ton of fish – probably 50 fish – just no good ones.

"But it was a good tournament. I dang near caught 3rd. It just didn't happen. But I'm not complaining. It's the best fishing I've ever had up north and I can't complain about that."

5th: Strader Climbed Again

> Day 4: 5, 17-13 (20, 70-03)

Strader progressed from 32nd to 15th to 8th and finally 5th today.

"I feel great about it," he said. "I would have liked to have had a better chance, or a closer chance to win, but the first day is what killed me. I don't think I could have caught what Wolak caught, but from my past performances here, I'm tickled to death to do what I did."

He noted he's finally beginning to understand northern fisheries, and Champlain in particular. He used to run and gun, but this time, he stuck with an area.

"I think I learned quite a bit this time, as far as when I need to leave and when I need to stay. And it's crazy. I had one laydown that I caught 12 or 13 pounds on every day. It replenished every day. It was amazing. At home, you could never do that."

Notable

> Day 4 stats – 10 pros, 10 limits.

> The FLW Tour Opens points standings can be found here. The season concludes next month at Guntersville in Alabama.

> This event affects the BassFan World Rankings, which will be updated soon.



Day 4 (Final) Standings

1. David Wolak -- Wake Forest, Nc -- 5, 22-08 -- 5, 19-04 -- 5, 19-13 -- 5, 19-07 -- 20, 81-00 -- $100,000 + $25,000

2. Gary Yamamoto -- Palestine, Tx -- 5, 24-04 -- 5, 17-08 -- 5, 17-05 -- 5, 15-11 -- 20, 74-12 -- $31,329

3. Daryl Biron -- South Windsor, Ct -- 5, 21-04 -- 5, 17-10 -- 5, 20-03 -- 5, 13-14 -- 20, 72-15 -- $26,829

4. Glenn Browne -- Ocala, Fl -- 5, 17-02 -- 5, 20-00 -- 5, 19-02 -- 5, 16-02 -- 20, 72-06 -- $22,329

5. Wesley Strader -- Spring City, Tn -- 5, 16-11 -- 5, 17-03 -- 5, 18-08 -- 5, 17-13 -- 20, 70-03 -- $17,829

6. Scott Canterbury -- Springville, Al -- 5, 19-03 -- 5, 18-03 -- 5, 18-02 -- 5, 14-10 -- 20, 70-02 -- $15,129

7. Brian Bylotas -- Olyphant, Pa -- 5, 18-04 -- 5, 18-02 -- 5, 15-15 -- 5, 17-03 -- 20, 69-08 -- $14,229

8. Bryan Schmitt -- Deale, Md -- 5, 20-11 -- 5, 17-08 -- 5, 13-15 -- 5, 16-13 -- 20, 68-15 -- $13,329

9. Kyle Mabrey -- Mccalla, Al -- 5, 18-13 -- 5, 15-11 -- 5, 18-03 -- 5, 11-14 -- 20, 64-09 -- $12,429

10. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, Ga -- 5, 18-12 -- 5, 17-07 -- 5, 16-08 -- 5, 10-00 -- 20, 62-11 -- $11,529