With two events remaining, all eyes are on the Angler of the Year race on the Bassmaster Elite Series. For over a decade, the Elites have often concluded their season with a northern swing, throwing a wildcard into the mix when it comes to determining the champ. To win AOY, and angler must remain consistent from south to north and finish strong on the big waters.
Up next is Lake Champlain, the theme for our discussion today. In my book, Champlain competes for the best fishery of all time, capable of cranking out 20-pound bags with ease, bass both green and brown, from April through November. The fishery continues to do so despite relentless pressure for over two decades, numerous national tournaments annually and still a bit of catch-and-keep practice from locals. Truly, the water flowing through Lake Champlain must be something special.
I remember my first exposure to the place, watching Roland Martin take down a big tournament there in the late '90s. If my memory serves me correctly, it would be Roland’s last national win. A “jig-n-pig” was credited for the take.
A few years later, Rick Clunn would make a run at a Champlain title, only to be defeated by a then-newcomer named Iaconelli, notching his first national title on Champlain’s famed waters. It seems that Champlain’s a place bound for the record books of bass fishing.
The best anglers have always risen to the top there. Unlike more minuscule fisheries, where the hotspots are known by all and surprises rarely exist, Champlain is still full of mystery. Sure, the grassbeds of the south and the rockpiles of the north get fished hard. But just when things appear conventional, Champlain throws a curveball. Guido Hidden won there using unconventional methods, blending fish from secret mid-lake locales. So did Gary Yamamoto, plucking them with his pet Senko.
More recently, we’ve seen names you’d expect near the top at Champlain. Schmitt, Palaniuk, Feider. A Canadian will certainly enter the mix, Champlain often setting up for big-water anglers accustomed to chasing smallmouth around. This year, however, there’s a joker in the deck.
For the first time in recent memory, Lake Champlain is high. Waters crested 3 feet above last season’s pool. Shoreline vegetation, much of which has grown up over recent periods of low water, is flooded. This could get interesting.
The majority of anglers in this field banked on a northern swing dominated by brown bass, sonar and dropshots. Lake Champlain, however, is setting up to be a largemouth slugfest, with flippin’ sticks and frog poles tossed in the mix.
Anyone interested in the sport knows of Champlain’s legendary southern end, home to Ticonderoga, endless milfoil and thick shoreline cover. With water flooding this zone, big largemouth should make an appearance.
An earlier Toyota Series event was dominated by smallmouth, caught spawning and by sonar-scanning. Bags topped 20 pounds, and it took just under 60 to win the three-day tournament. At Champlain, like everywhere else, it seems, sacks of smallmouths have grown recently due to savvy tech anglers picking off bigger fish more readily. Whereas once largemouth were thought to always outweigh smallies in a tournament bag, the same can no longer be said.
Still, summertime largemouth make up the biggest fish in the lake, and should prevail at this one. The Angler of the Year race is shockingly close, with just one point separating the top two contenders. Brandon Cobb is trailed by Kyle Welcher. Will one have the courage to make the run, or will both stay close to home and play it safe through the guarantee of offshore smallmouth?
Of major concern are the anglers 40 points back. We all know John Cox, and how he’ll fish this event. High water, flooded cover and largemouth? Check all the boxes.
Parallel with Cox in the AOY hunt is Drew Cook. A quick scan of Cook’s angler info sheet lists shallow-water power fishing as his primary strength. His favorite lake: Champlain. Oh boy.
True, this is not the final tournament of the year. Following Lake Champlain, the Elite Series will visit the St. Lawrence River to settle the score. It’s anyone’s ballgame.
But the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title will, in fact, be decided at Champlain. Given the playing field, the gigantic amount of water, the elevated lake level and the always-present variable of weather, this will be the turning point. At the end of the year, when the trophy is presented, we will be able to look back at Lake Champlain and see a monumental shift in the standings. The victor will have played his cards correctly.
I have no prediction. Money says Cobb will be tough to beat, given his propensity for offshore success. But behind him trail self-proclaimed largemouth junkies; rods spooled with fresh braid and frog hooks sharpened. This will be one to watch.
(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)
