Witter wins co-angler title at Champlain
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Kenneth Witter of Pine Valley, N.Y., led all but the first of the EverStart Series Northern Division tournament at Lake Champlain to capture the co-angler title and the $5,000 first-place prize. Witter, who had never fished an EverStart Series event prior to this tournament, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 1 ounce.
“This weather and fish changed a little today,” Witter said. “I fished the same way I had all week but just slowed down. We were fishing up to 25 deep. I had a great week and caught good smallmouths and largemouths. I know the lake fairly well and practiced four days, and that really helped.”
After leading the opening round, Witter regained the lead Friday after being paired with pro Art Ferguson. Paired together again Saturday, Witter said that played to his advantage.
“I was lucky enough to fish with the same guy two days in a row,” he said. “When you do that, you get to know each other. It makes it easier, so I had an edge.”
Second place on the co-angler side went to 22-year-old Rob McMurray of Troy, Mich., who caught 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 6 ounces in the finals. He collected $4,000.
“Out of all 10 competitors, if there was one person I didn’t want to knock out of the lead, it was him,” the 34-year-old Witter said. “I told him every tournament is going to be a learning experience.”
Third place went to Dale Clark of Harrison, Mich., for nine bass weighing 25 pounds, 12 ounces. He won $3,500.
Chuck Willis of Dayton, Ohio, finished fourth and collected $2,500 with 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 6 ounces.
Brad Taylor of Catlettsburg, Ky., finished fifth and won $2,000 with nine bass weighing 23 pounds, 10 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 co-angler finishers at EverStart Lake Champlain are Lawrence Infurna of Fair Haven, Vt., with a final-round weight of 22 pounds, 6 ounces (6th place, $1,900); Mark Grahn of Wautoma, Wis., with 21-12 (7th, $1,800); Alphonse Gratton of Enosburg Falls, Vt., with 16-13 (8th, $1,700); Tony Holzer of East Palestine, Ohio, with 14-3 (9th, $1,600); and Craig Brannon of Crooksville, Ohio, with 13-9 (10th, $1,500).
Grahn wins co-angler standings
Grahn also won the 2004 Northern Division co-angler points title with 703 points. His tournament finishes on this season’s circuit: seventh, 65th, 22nd, seventh. This is his first year competing on the EverStart Series.
Coming up
The 2004 Northern Division season is done, as is the entire EverStart Series regular season. Next up is the EverStart Series Championship, which will be held at Lake Cumberland near Burnside, Ky., Nov. 3-6.
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