A choice at Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — There’s always a choice to make at Lake Champlain: Do you stay near Plattsburgh and fish for smallmouth bass or do you make the long run south to Ticonderoga and concentrate on largemouth bass?

Usually at this time of year, the choice would be easy: With the smallmouth bass being skinny, having just finished spawning, you’d run south for largemouth bass. But that’s not such an easy choice this week. When the four-day Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels begins Thursday, some anglers may still being trying to make that decision.

“I’ve been running around extremely concerned,” said Elite Series rookie Jamie Hartman, who, being from Newport, N.Y., has more experience on this lake than any other angler in the field, but very little this time of year. “I’ve got no place to hunker down. I haven’t found any consistent fish, nothing grouped up. I’m in panic mode.”

Steve Kennedy, who finished third the last time the Elite Series was here in 2007, has almost always run south to Ticonderoga. But Kennedy didn’t find largemouth bass in his usual spots there during practice this week.

“I think it will take a mixed bag (of smallmouth and largemouth) to win,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t see enough largemouth up shallow to hold out for four days down south. That doesn’t mean somebody didn’t get on them down there.”

There are two other factors making the decision to run south difficult: 1) the forecast is for a south wind of 7 miles per hour with gusts to 12; and 2) with only one Elite Series regular season event after this one, several anglers are trying to protect their Angler of the Year points and not risk a make-or-break choice.

“This is the worst place in the country for either a north or south wind,” said Jonathon VanDam, who finished fifth last week at the St. Lawrence River.

(Editor’s note: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the forecast for Thursday is as follows: “Occasional showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce small hail and gusty winds. High near 77. South wind 6 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.” Anglers should expect sunny skies and north winds around 6 to 7 mph Friday through Sunday.) 

“Instead of fishing for a win this week, I’m looking for a top 25 finish,” said Skeet Reese, who moved up to 46th in the AOY standings after an 18th place finish last week on the St. Lawrence River. “It’s all I care about. A top 25 finish here and a top 25 at the next one, that should put me where I need to be (to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic).

In 2007, Reese finished second to winner Timmy Horton, who had a total of 83 pounds, 10 ounces.

“This will be the first time I haven’t run south down to Ticonderoga,” Reese said. “I just feel like it’s time to do something different. I’m fishing for smallmouth. It might be the stupidest decision I’ve ever made.”

As for predictions on what it will take to win here, most anglers guessed an average of 18 or 19 pounds a day, with 14 to 15 pounds a day required to make the Top 51 two-day cut.

Bill Lowen is going to fish primarily for largemouth bass, but he isn’t going to make the long, potentially bumpy run south. Lowen said he’s going a short distance north and fish for both species.

“I’ve always run to Ticonderoga in the past,” Lowen said. “But I’m a guy that doesn’t fish good when I have to run far and fish fast. I do best when I get somewhere and grind. That’s why I’m going north.”

Some guys may sleep on the decision, and see how hard the south wind is blowing Thursday morning.

“Ticonderoga is always a huge factor here,” said Kevin VanDam, who won the 24th B.A.S.S. tournament of his career last week at the St. Lawrence River. VanDam enters this event in third place in the Angler of the Year standings, only 17 points behind leader Brandon Palaniuk. “If it’s windy, it doesn’t give guys much time. That will hurt the group down there. But if it’s calm, it will be won down there.

“I’ve never gone down there. I’ve always chosen to stick it out up north.”

We’ll see who goes where beginning at the 6:15 a.m. takeoff Thursday. It will be held at Plattsburgh City Marina.

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — There’s always a choice to make at Lake Champlain: Do you stay near Plattsburgh and fish for smallmouth bass or do you make the long run south to Ticonderoga and concentrate on largemouth bass?

Usually at this time of year, the choice would be easy: With the smallmouth bass being skinny, having just finished spawning, you’d run south for largemouth bass. But that’s not such an easy choice this week. When the four-day Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels begins Thursday, some anglers may still being trying to make that decision.

“I’ve been running around extremely concerned,” said Elite Series rookie Jamie Hartman, who, being from Newport, N.Y., has more experience on this lake than any other angler in the field, but very little this time of year. “I’ve got no place to hunker down. I haven’t found any consistent fish, nothing grouped up. I’m in panic mode.”

Steve Kennedy, who finished third the last time the Elite Series was here in 2007, has almost always run south to Ticonderoga. But Kennedy didn’t find largemouth bass in his usual spots there during practice this week.

“I think it will take a mixed bag (of smallmouth and largemouth) to win,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t see enough largemouth up shallow to hold out for four days down south. That doesn’t mean somebody didn’t get on them down there.”

There are two other factors making the decision to run south difficult: 1) the forecast is for a south wind of 7 miles per hour with gusts to 12; and 2) with only one Elite Series regular season event after this one, several anglers are trying to protect their Angler of the Year points and not risk a make-or-break choice.

“This is the worst place in the country for either a north or south wind,” said Jonathon VanDam, who finished fifth last week at the St. Lawrence River.

“Instead of fishing for a win this week, I’m looking for a top 25 finish,” said Skeet Reese, who moved up to 46th in the AOY standings after an 18th place finish last week on the St. Lawrence River. “It’s all I care about. A top 25 finish here and a top 25 at the next one, that should put me where I need to be (to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic).

In 2007, Reese finished second to winner Timmy Horton, who had a total of 83 pounds, 10 ounces.

“This will be the first time I haven’t run south down to Ticonderoga,” Reese said. “I just feel like it’s time to do something different. I’m fishing for smallmouth. It might be the stupidest decision I’ve ever made.”

As for predictions on what it will take to win here, most anglers guessed an average of 18 or 19 pounds a day, with 14 to 15 pounds a day required to make the Top 51 two-day cut.

Bill Lowen is going to fish primarily for largemouth bass, but he isn’t going to make the long, potentially bumpy run south. Lowen said he’s going a short distance north and fish for both species.

“I’ve always run to Ticonderoga in the past,” Lowen said. “But I’m a guy that doesn’t fish good when I have to run far and fish fast. I do best when I get somewhere and grind. That’s why I’m going north.”

Some guys may sleep on the decision, and see how hard the south wind is blowing Thursday morning.

“Ticonderoga is always a huge factor here,” said Kevin VanDam, who won the 24th B.A.S.S. tournament of his career last week at the St. Lawrence River. VanDam enters this event in third place in the Angler of the Year standings, only 17 points behind leader Brandon Palaniuk. “If it’s windy, it doesn’t give guys much time. That will hurt the group down there. But if it’s calm, it will be won down there.

“I’ve never gone down there. I’ve always chosen to stick it out up north.”

We’ll see who goes where beginning at the 6:15 a.m. takeoff Thursday. It will be held at Plattsburgh City Marina.