PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The FLW American Fishing Series is headed to Lake Champlain July 15-17 for the second of three stops in the Northern Division. As many as 300 pro and co-anglers will compete for top awards of up to $25,000 plus a Ranger boat with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard motor and up to $15,000, respectively.
“Fishing is always good on Lake Champlain,” said Chevy pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa., who finished in sixth place at the 2009 FLW Tour event on Lake Champlain. “You can’t miss; everything will work.
“There will be a mixture of small and largemouth bass caught. You’ll want to use big topwater baits for the smallmouth, and the largemouth bite will come flipping grass with jigs, worms and frogs. Average weights are going to be 14 to 16 pounds per day, but it is going to take 18 to 20 pounds per day to win. Weights are probably going to be separated by ounces, which adds excitement and frustration for the anglers.”
Anglers will take off from Plattsburgh Boat Basin located at 5 Dock St. in Plattsburgh, N.Y., at 6 each morning. Weigh-ins will be held at the boat basin as well, beginning at 2 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
The Lake Champlain American Fishing Series tournament is being hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.
Pros will fish for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with 200-horsepower outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award of $10,000. If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cup guidelines, they will earn an additional $5,000.
The American Fishing Series consists of four divisions: Central, Northern, Southeast and Texas. Each division will consist of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points that could earn them a trip to the American Fishing Series Invitational on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Nov. 4-6. The points champion from each division will qualify for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup and a fifth Forrest Wood Cup qualifier will advance from the Invitational that is open to the top 50 anglers from each division.
About FLW Outdoors
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 189 tournaments in 2010. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing awarding the largest prizes in the history of fantasy sports. FLW Outdoors memberships are available featuring numerous benefits including Player’s Advantage. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com.