Austin leverages weather to lead TBF Eastern Divisional on Lake Champlain
Vermont angler helps keep his state atop standings
COLCHESTER, Vt. – If it’s true that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, then Tim Austin of Williston, Vt., proved that the fishing isn’t always better on the other side of the lake.
After posting a day-two limit of 14 pounds, 14 ounces, Austin leads the TBF Eastern Divisional Championship at Lake Champlain’s Malletts Bay in Colchester, Vt. Finishing fourth on day one with 15-1, his 29-pound, 15-ounce total sits just 10 ounces ahead of Dave Andrews of Bolton, Mass., who held onto his second-place spot.
Paired with boater Michael Kane of Clinton, Conn., Austin worked the Thayers Beach area at the southern end of Mallets Bay and fished blade grass in 17 feet of water. Carolina rigging a watermelon craw on a 2/0 hook with a ¾-ounce weight, he filled his bag with smallmouths.
“I felt confident fishing for smallmouth in that depth,” Austin said. “That’s what I’ve been doing in prefishing, so that’s what I stuck with.
“Generally, I like to anchor, but it was kind of easy going (in the bay). So we used the trolling motor to move around. We covered about a quarter square mile area today.”
With his home approximately eight miles from the tournament site, Austin has fished Lake Champlain for the past 15 years. He said his local knowledge played a big role in targeting the right depth.
“I would say that knowing that the grass doesn’t grow past the 18-foot mark helps,” Austin said.
Austin and Kane had planned on fishing a similar scenario elsewhere in Champlain, but rough weather had whipped up the main lake, and tournament organizers decided to restrict all boats to the protected waters of Mallets Bay.
Austin said the limitation actually worked to his advantage. “I knew it’s a better bite in the afternoon, so that gave me time to wait it out.”
Rest of the best
Ronald Herbert Jr. of St. Paris, Maine, finished third with a two-day total of 26-15. Frank Perkins III of Winthrop, Maine, took fourth with 25-12 and Bryan Folino of Cheshire, Mass., was fifth at 25-10.
State team standings
Team standings maintained the same order as day one with Vermont’s 219 pounds, 7 ounces holding a 27-pound margin over second-place New Hampshire’s 192-5. Massachusetts sits in third place with 176-4, while Maine holds the fourth-place spot with 164-5. Rhode Island – 123.11 – and Connecticut – 118.10 – are in fifth and sixth, respectively.
Winners of the three-day TBF Eastern Divisional Championship presented by The National Guard will be determined when competition concludes Saturday.