The 2009 FLW Fantasy Fishing season doesn’t begin until mid-February on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, but die-hard players (like $1 million winner Michael Thompson) will want to pay attention to what’s happening in upstate New York this week. The third event of the FLW Series Eastern Division is currently under way on Lake Champlain.

Lake Champlain also happens to be the host fishery of the final qualifier of the 2009 FLW Tour season. Many of the same pros who are fishing the $1 million FLW Series event will also be fishing Champlain next summer when the Tour comes to town.

The two tournaments are being held roughly two months apart – the FLW Series in early September and the FLW Tour in early July. The water will be cooler in September, but for the most part, Champlain is Champlain.

Notably, FLW Tour sticks Dave Lefebre, Koby Kreiger, Jim Tutt, Shin Fukae, Anthony Gagliardi, Chip Harrison, Jim Moynagh, David Walker and Luke Clausen are all currently in the top 15 after the first day of competition. Those are names you might want to revisit come next July.