Pros champing at the bit on Lake Champlain
Final round underway at Forrest Wood Open
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Clunn. Yelas. Rojas. Biffle. Martin. Dudley. Newby. Moynagh. Hardin. Auten.
That’s the pro field for the final round of competition at the 2002 Wal-Mart FLW Tour’s Forrest Wood Open. It’s huge, full of thoroughbred anglers who seriously know how to catch bass. And rightfully so, because Lake Champlain is a serious bass tank. This huge lake has been breaking tournament weight records all week long, and it’s only right that some of the tour’s best and brightest are the ones who will be battling it out for the biggest prize so far this year, $210,000.
And, man, are they ready.
Dock talk had it that a big wave of spawning bass has moved up on the beds around Champlain today. While that detail remains to be seen until weigh-in, one thing is certain: Conditions are ripe for yet another big day – maybe even bigger than the previous three. At takeoff, temperatures were warm, the lake was dead calm and the light was completely flat under overcast skies. A light rain even started to fall later in the morning. Finalists were anxious to see how the fish would react to the low-pressure system.
“The lake is slick and that means they’ll be chewing,” said David Dudley, referring to the fish.
Today’s final weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart SuperCenter located at 25 Consumer Square in Plattsburgh. Fishing fans are invited to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Family Fun Zone, also located at the Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Plattsburgh, beginning at noon Saturday.
Today’s conditions
Sunrise: 5:09 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 70 degrees
Expected high temperature: 77 degrees
Water temperature: 61 degrees
Wind: calm
Relative humidity: 83 percent
Day’s outlook: mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms
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