Close finish for co-anglers on Champlain

Bushey squeaks past Frazier by narrow margin

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – If one of his fish had been dieting, or if one of Micah Frazier’s fish had gobbled one more perch, Tony Bushey may have seen a different ending to a day that actually concluded in victory at the Stren Northern Division event on Lake Champlain.

Hailing from Champlain, N.Y., Bushey entered the event in seventh place, but after sacking up the day’s biggest co-angler weight – 15 pounds, 15 ounces – he endured the pulse-pounding experience of sitting in the hot seat and watching six competitors weigh fish. Adding his day three score to his 14-5 and 17-0 from days one and two gave Bushey 47-4. That number would come under serious assault, the drama of which was etched on Bushey’s face.

When Frazier, the day two leader, brought his fish to the scale, Tournament Director Ron Lappin stated that he’d need 13-4 to regain the top spot. Each fish seemed to agonize Bushey and when the moment of truth came, he looked as if the stress might cause him to burst into spontaneous human combustion.

So, just imagine how wide his smile of relief reached when Frazier’s weight of 13 pounds even made his final total 47-1. Bushey wins by 3 ounces.

Bushey started his day dropshotting, but when that did not pan out, he went with a Carolina rigged Speed Craw and caught his best fish over sparse grass in 20 feet of water. Switching to braided line with fluorocarbon leader provided “wicked sensitivity.”

“The key to this spot was the grass – it was holding lots of bait,” Bushey said. “Also, there were rocks for the crayfish.”

For his efforts, Bushey won a Ranger boat, motor and trailer package.

Frazier comes close, settles for second

Micah Frazier of Newnan, Ga. reached the top-10 on the strength of his 16-pound, 7-ounce day one bag and his day two weight of 17-10, which put him in the lead with a margin of just 9 ounces. On a lake chock full of fat fish, he needed another big limit to prevent any competitors from sneaking past him. As luck would have it, his pro’s pattern left him with few options, so he spent most of the day dragging a Carolina rig.

“I struggled today, but I feel real fortunate to have what I have,” Frazier said.

Frazier assembled his Carolina rig with a green pumpkin Speed Craw on a 3/0 hook, three feet of fluorocarbon leader and a ¾-ounce tungsten weight.

“I kept an eye on the depth finder in the back of the boat and tried to find the best place to throw (the rig),” Frazier said. “My pro would idle around looking for spots and I’d look to see where the bait and the bass were.”

James Schneider of Watervliet, N.Y. placed third with 46-8, while Plattsburgh’s Edward Pecore took fourth with 45-15. Terry Chapman of Stanley, N.C. finished fifth with 45-11.

Best of the rest

Rounding out the top-10 co-angler leaders at the Stren Series Lake Champlain event:

6th: Gary McClain of Chesapeake, Va., 44-15

7th: Michael Drumsta of Clarks Summit, Penn., 43-4

8th: Michael Sweeney of Mansfield, Mass., 42-2

9th: Bruce Frazier of Newnan, Ga., 40-3

10th: Patrick Chow of Gilford, Ontario, 39-5