Northeast Division double to take place on bountiful Lake Champlain
The Northeast Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine will have double the fun on Lake Champlain on August 17 and 18. The regularly scheduled event followed by a make-up date from Lake Oneida earlier this year will serve as two separate events in a single weekend.
Tournament Details
Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Northeast Division
Plattsburgh, NY
August 17 and 18
About the fishery
Lake Champlain is one of the premier fisheries in the country and needs little introduction among bass anglers. The massive waterway on the New York-Vermont border stretches more than 100 miles and is home to healthy populations of both largemouth and smallmouth bass.
It’s already hosted events on the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and Toyota Series this summer, and the Bassmaster Elite Series will visit the week before the double BFL weekend. All those tours keep returning because of the incredible opportunities in this dynamic fishery.
One angler who gets to see it up close and personal throughout the year is Plattsburgh, New York, pro Brett Carnright. He won a 2023 Toyota Series event on Champlain along with seven other Major League Fishing Top-10 finishes on his home fishery. He and many others believe Champlain is fishing as well as ever.
“As far as weights, the lake is fishing very well and should continue all summer, because it doesn’t seem to be slowing down,” he said. “The weights at the Toyota Series, across the board, were the best I’ve ever seen. This year, it has really shown out.”
Carnright believes that both smallmouth and largemouth will be in play during these two events.
“In mid-August, it’s primarily a deep smallmouth bite, and the largemouth fishing in the grass should be excellent as well,” he said. “The grass is healthiest at the end of July and through August. If you can find that topped-out milfoil, you can find some areas where the largemouth are really grouped up.”
The large lake holds potential throughout, but Carnright tabbed the Inland Sea as the likely winning area. His wild card is far south in Ticonderoga.
“It’s probably going to go down in the Inland Sea,” he shared. “It’s been better than any other section for the past three to five years because there are more baitfish and 4-pound-class smallmouth there than anywhere. Usually, I’d say the northern end for largemouth, but we had a big rain event in July, and the water came up a foot. Since then, Ticonderoga has been in play and kicking out some 20-pound bags of largemouth. The south end could be a sneaky player.”
What to expect
The size and sheer number of bass in Lake Champlain shield it some from fishing pressure, but Carnright believes that could still be a factor.
“The Elite Series guys will be fishing right before our tournament, and they’ll be fishing the best stuff for a week straight,” Carnright began. “They will put a lot of pressure on some of the popular areas on the lake. If you can find a few places they miss, you’ll have a shot at some fresh fish that hasn’t been beaten on for a week.”
Regarding techniques, he believes a wide range of tactics should work.
“For smallmouth, it’s primarily going to be a ‘Scoping deal with minnow baits on a jighead,” he said. “Guys will also catch them on drop-shots and then spybaits in shallower water. If conditions are calm, you will see a topwater play, and for largemouth, jigs, senkos, ChatterBaits and Texas-rigged plastics could all be a factor.”
Weight wise, Carnright is anticipating solid bags and plenty of them.
“I think somewhere close to 22 pounds will win both of these events, and there will be a lot of guys with 19, 20 and maybe 21 pounds,” he said. “There’s an opportunity for guys to catch a quick 20-pound limit of smallmouth ‘Scoping before noon and then go kicker hunting for a big largemouth or two after that, which would be a good way to win. I also think you’ll see a good amount of mixed bags.”
On Sunday, the second event, he expects similar weights but possibly a shift in the dominant species.
“It should be the same weight, and you might see a mix again, but I think smallmouth will dominate the Top 10,” he predicted. “The better largemouth areas will get fished hard Saturday, and they are not as apt to reload as the smallmouth areas are.”