Wanting the warmth

Stren anglers hoping clouds won’t steal their Champlain hopes

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Yesterday was challenging, tomorrow will be nasty, but today offers a pretty good setup for Stren Series Northern Division anglers on Lake Champlain.

After facing the confounding affects of a cold front that arrived the night before day one, anglers woke today to a partly cloudy morning with slightly warmer temperatures and flags lacking the horizontal posture they had displayed a day prior. Considering that those flags will be wet and whippy tomorrow, competitors will need to make the most of what the lake offers for the second round of competition.

At yesterday’s weigh-ins, many reported that the fish they found in practice moved with the drop in temperature. Others found moody, reluctant bass lacking aggression. Day one leader Joe Lucarelli of Center Harbor, N.H. was counting on smallmouth, but when he couldn’t get a bite going, he shifted his focus toward the green fish and sacked up a 21-pound, 8-ounce limit.

Conversely, Florida pro Matt Greenblatt had established a good largemouth bite over shoals on the Vermont side, but that changed with the declining temperature. Throwing Texas-rigged Senkos, Greenblatt figured his fish would slide a little deeper on day one, but they reacted more profoundly and he had to switch up and go after smallies with finesse tactics.

A couple of weather points for today. First, the clouds will likely benefit anyone throwing topwaters. Second, the clouds may hinder the sun’s warming affects and make for a slow start. The latter half of the day one weigh-ins saw greater numbers of big sacks, as those with later flights enjoyed more of the superior afternoon bite.

“We need the warmth,” said Ontario pro Bill Chambers. “If we get some good sunshine, that will turn them on. We found yesterday that by the end of the day, the fish were (becoming more aggressive). It’s cool this morning so we’re looking at a slow start, but the afternoon should pick up.”

Chambers said he’ll target largemouth with frogs early and then switch to flipping and dead-sticking worms. Others, like defending Lake Champlain champion Jason Ober (currently ninth with 19 pounds) fared well on day on with drop shots. Tubes, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and Carolina rigs also brought good fish to the boats.

Lucarelli said he’ll continue throwing a jig and a Texas-rigged Gary Yamamoto Flappin Hog today, but he’s hoping to get something going with the brown bass.

“I have a smallmouth spot that could be perfect, but it just hasn’t gone yet,” he said. “Today, I’ll probably make a pass through because I learned a little bit more about the spot yesterday. This spot has a ton of forage on it and I think the fish just keep going to it.”

Tournament logistics

Anglers will take off from the Plattsburgh Boat Basin located at 5 Dock St. in Plattsburgh, N.Y., at 6:30 a.m. each morning. Weigh-ins will be held at Dock Street Landing beginning at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public. The Lake Champlain Stren Series tournament is hosted by the City of Plattsburgh.

Pros will fish for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard and equipped with a Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $7,500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant in the contingency program.

Co-anglers will cast for a top award of a 177TR Ranger powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard and trailer. If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cup guidelines, they will earn an additional $5,000. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $2,500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant in the contingency program.

Friday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:12 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 42 degrees

Expected high temperature: 69 degrees

Water temperature: 69-70 degrees

Wind: from the E at 5 mph

Humidity: 52 percent

Day’s outlook: Partly cloudy