Lavictoire outfishes field in BFL event on Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Boater Thomas Lavictoire Jr. of West Rutland, Vt., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Empire Division tournament on Lake Champlain on Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 9 ounces. The victory earned Lavictoire $3,407 plus a $601 Ranger contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Lavictoire caught his fish near Mallets Bay on tubes and a drop-shot. He focused on bass that were spawning on beds.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Eugene Gagner of Highgate Center, Vt. (five bass, 17-15, $2,005); Mike Kozell of Lancaster, N.Y. (five bass, 17-0, $1,336); Raymond Gratton of Swanton, Vt. (five bass, 16-12, $935); and Dana Perrotte of Winooski, Vt. (five bass, 16-8, $802).

Gagner took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $550 for a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass he caught on a Senko.

James Morgan of Barre, Vt., earned $2,005 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces that he caught near Rouses Point on a Senko and spinnerbait.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Michael Fairchild of New Hampton, N.Y. (five bass, 13-14, $835); Larry Lafaver of Watertown, N.Y. (five bass, 13-14, $835); Herb Brown of Fryeburg, Maine (five bass, 13-13, $434) and William Wood of Montoursville, Pa. (five bass, 13-13, $434).

Morgan earned $365 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound bass he caught in 8-15 feet of water on a Senko.

Empire Division anglers will visit 1000 Islands in Clayton, N.Y., July 12 for their second regular-season event. The division’s third qualifying event will be held on Lake Chautauqua in Bemus Point, N.Y., Aug. 2. Oneida Lake in Brewerton, N.Y., will host the division’s fourth event. A two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., Sept. 20-21.

Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Albemarle Sound Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing, FLW Outdoors offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.