Smallmouths are supposed to be nearly impossible to keep off your lures when you go to Lake Champlain in midsummer, and fat largemouths can be caught this time of year by flipping bushes and grassbeds in either the extreme northern or southern ends of the lake. Tour wins have been achieved by fishing exclusively for smallies in the main lake, or like last year, exclusively for green fish in the grass.

In June 2006, the FLW Tour encountered a new Lake Champlain that was 5 feet higher than normal pool, and Tracy Adams won with a 17-pound-per-day average – with days 1-3 leader Dion Hibdon close behind. Both fished for largemouths on the south end of the lake.

Then 2 weeks later, on the same weekend as this year, the Bassmaster Elite Series hit Champlain. Like in the FLW, one man led the first three days (Chris Lane) only to drop out on the day it counted. Denny Brauer won instead, and both were fishing largemouths.



But unlike the FLW, the Bassmasters found a better bite on the north end of the lake.

The FLW Tour did not make a stop at Champlain this year, but the Bassmaster Elite Series is back, and official practice started Monday. Flippers dominated in high-water conditions last year. but now the water is back to normal pool – or even a little below – and the shallow-water bite isn't as strong as it was in 2006.

Before getting into more about the bite, here's more about the lake itself.

BassFan Lake Profile

> Lake Name: Champlain
> Type of Water: Natural lake
> Surface Acres (full pool): 278,400 (435 square miles)
> Primary structure/cover: Grass, rocks, flats, drops
> Primary forage: Alewives, rainbow smelt, shiners, perch/bluegill, crawdads
> Average depth: 68 feet (deepest spot is 400 feet)
> Species: Smallmouth and largemouth
> Minimum length: 12" for all species
> Reputation: Good numbers of smallmouths, fewer but often bigger largemouths
> Weather: Daytime highs 70-77, sunny to cloudy with scattered thunderstorms
> Water temp: 65 to 70 degrees
> Water visibility/color: 2-3 feet north and south with stain, more than 10 feet in the clear er middle
> Water level: normal pool to a little low
> Fish in: 2-20 feet
> Fish phase: Some spawn, mostly post-spawn
> Primary patterns: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, flipping/pitching tubes and jigs, topwater, soft-jerkbaits, dropshots, Carolina-rigs (in other words, nothing seemed to stand out in practice, but everything caught some fish)
> Winning weight: 65-70 pounds (4 days)
> Cut weight (Top 12 after 3 days): 45 pounds
> Check weight: (Top 50 after 2 days): 30 pounds
> Fishing quality (1=poor, 5=great): 2 for Champlain
> Biggest factors: Variable wind and weather, a few late-bedding fish
> Biggest decision: Which fish to target: smallmouth or largemouth
> Wildcard: Kicker fish, weather

No Big Grass Bass?

Bass season on Champlain opened June 16, so they've been fished for only 3 weeks now. On the first day of practice, most of the Elite Series field went either north to Missisquoi Bay or south to Ticonderoga to try to find largemouths in the grass. At the end of a long day's search, some were discouraged.

Virginian John Crews went north on Monday.

"The water up here looks to be about 3 feet lower than last year, which is a big drop on this lake," he said. "I was a little disappointed (with what I found). The fish are a little difficult, in the post-spawn (phase), so it's tougher than in June.

"It seems like the weights will be down a little from last year, but still good. After all, it's Champlain."

Kelly Jordon and Tim Horton were not pleased with what they found at Ticonderoga on that same day.

"I went to Ticonderoga, and the grass is not very good," Jordon said. "There's very little to no matted grass, and the water is 2 feet low. We're scratching our heads. The fish are scattered, kind of here and there. Some guys caught decent fish but there's no pattern.



ESPN Outdoors
Photo: ESPN Outdoors

John Crews has found the fish at the north end of Champlain to be more finicky than usual.

"There are lots of little fish and a few good ones, but it's not setting up good. By midday at least half the guys who started there were gone and maybe headed up north. They're saying 'We're not making that long run for this!' They're punting."

Horton might be one of those giving the south end the boot.

"The grass is not as good as last year," he said, echoing Jordon. "It might be more of a smallmouth tournament. I think everybody that went south (Monday) will go north (Tuesday). On a big lake like this, you really need 4 or 5 days of practice.

"Champlain is full of bass, so the weights should be on par with last year, unless the largemouth bite is off. If smallmouth dominate the tournament, the weights will be a couple of pounds (per day) lower than last year."

He said he thought the bass were pretty much done spawning, but then again he didn't go looking for bedders.

What About the Smallmouth?

Bassmaster Classic winner Boyd Duckett spent half a day practicing on Monday (he's recovering from a fever that knocked him flat for 4 days), and found an easy 12-pound limit in the north-end grass, but was unimpressed. Late in the day he started looking for smallmouth.

"There are a lot of little fish in the grass up in Missisquoi, but no big ones like last year," he said. "I'm fishing for smallmouth today (Tuesday), but I'm finding that bite is off too. I think they're very recently post-spawn, and just not biting. I'm seeing a lot of suspended fish.

"I did catch two nice ones this morning, a 4 and a 3, but I'm not getting many bites. When the smallmouth are in a feeding mood it's awesome, but when they're like this it's really tough."

Top 10 to Watch

Here are BassFan's recommendations for the Top 10 to watch in this event, listed in no particular order:

1. Kevin VanDam – Tough bite + smallmouth bass = KVD. The No. 1 angler in the BassFan World Rankings presented by Tru-Tungsten and leader in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race dominates the sport like few, if any, have ever done. Can't leave him off the list.

2. Boyd Duckett – Loves fishing offshore drop baits, and has won a lot of tournaments fishing grass in Alabama, so he will be ready whichever way the lake fishes. He logged Top 10 finishes in the last two events, so he's got some serious momentum going, and he lists Champlain as his favorite lake. His only problem is he's been ill recently, so he's struggling with fatigue.

3. Mike Iaconelli – Seems to be getting back on track, and has good vibes at Champlain. Won here in 1999, and also lists Champlain as his favorite lake.

4. Aaron Martens – If the smallmouth dominate, so should Martens. If he can sight-fish for monster smallies in the main lake (wind being the main factor), he has an uncanny ability to find deep spawners when everyone else thinks they're done. Big cruisers are vulnerable to his eagle eye too.

5. Skeet Reese – At 2nd in the Rankings and the AOY race, he is coming off only his second finish out of the money all year, and getting passed by KVD in the points has got to be eating at him. Look for a man on a mission to avenge himself.

6. Chris Lane – Not only did he lead the first 3 days here last year, he is currently 12th in the Bassmaster AOY race, so he's rolling along pretty well. No reason to think he'll stumble here.

7. Kevin Wirth – The crafty Kentuckian has done well before on northern smallmouth waters, and finished 27th here in 2006 when largemouths dominated. He can adapt to what the lake offers.

ESPN Outdoors
Photo: ESPN Outdoors

Aaron Martens' uncanny ability to find deep spawning fish could serve him well this week.

8. Paul Hirosky – The Pennsylvanian was struggling last year, as he is this year, but scored his best finish of the season with a Top 12 at Champlain. Maybe he can do it again.

9. Derek Remitz – This smokin' rookie is listed as being from Alabama, and Texas prior to that, but BassFans are reminded that he grew up fishing in Minnesota. Northern lakes are home to him, yet look how well he's done down south and out west. The Wolverine could strike again.

10. Matthew Sphar – Hasn't lit the world on fire in his rookie year on the Tour, but he's the highest-ranking rookie whose home is listed as up north (Pavilion, N.Y.). He had a Top 10 here in a Northern Open, and needs a good finish to move up toward that magic 36th in the points for Bassmaster Classic qualification – he's currently 58th.

Launch/Weigh-In Info

Anglers will launch at 5:30 a.m. each day from the Plattsburgh Boat Basin (5 Dock St., Plattsburgh, N.Y.). Weigh-ins will be held at 3 p.m. each day at the same location, and 3:45 p.m. on Sunday.

Weather Forecast

Here's the weather forecast for the tournament days. The winds that buffeted anglers Wednesday shouldn't be a problem on day 1, though there may be some waves in the morning.

> Thur., July 12 – Sunny – 76°/59°
- Wind: From the WNW at 8 mph

> Fri., July 13 – T-Showers – 70°/57°
- Wind: From the SSW at 5 mph

> Sat., July 14 – Scattered Showers – 74°/62°
- Wind: From the WSW at 8 mph

> Sun., July 15 – Isolated T-Storms – 77°/62°
- Wind: From the SW at 9 mph

Notable

> > BassFan Big Stick John Murray has fished here three times (twice on the FLW Tour and last year's Elite Series event) with mediocre results – his high finish was 65th and his low was 82nd. To read his practice report, click here to go On Tour With The BassFan Big Sticks.

> On day 4 last year, Chris Lane was not allowed to continue to fish his primary area in the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge area of the lake, after pulling strong bags from there for 3 days. This year, the entire area is off-limits from the start.

> BASS told BassFan: "A little clarification on Champlain waters: In the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge area, just the areas that are posted 'restricted' will be off-limits. We will have Mark Sweeny, who oversees the refuge, at the briefing to answer any questions from the anglers."