Dubroc wins co-angler title at weather-shortened FLW Series event
Carolina rig takes Louisiana co-angler to victory lane at Champlain
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – With the canceling of day three of the Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on wind-whipped Lake Champlain, the Co-angler Division competition came to an end based on day-two standings, which put Charles Dubroc of Hessmer, La., in the winner’s circle.
Dubroc fished with Folgers pro Anthony Gagliardi on day one to catch 14 pounds, 13 ounces and Gaspare Costabile of Niagara Falls, Ont., on day two to catch 17 pounds, 9 ounces to win with a two-day total of 32 pounds, 6 ounces.
The Louisiana native collected $25,000 for his win.
“This is going to go along way in helping me realize my dreams,” said Dubroc, who is fishing the FLW Series as a co-angler and the Stren Series Texas Division as a pro.
“In January of this year, I decided to follow my dream of becoming a professional angler, and it’s an expensive endeavor, so this win and revenue is going to help a lot in taking the next step. I can’t thank FLW Outdoors enough for giving guys like me the legitimate opportunity to come out here and get started in fulfilling those dreams.”
Though Dubroc has caught a few smallmouths on Lake Texoma in the past, he had never really experienced true smallmouth fishing until this week on Champlain.
“This has been an incredible learning experience,” he said. “My head hurts from trying to fit all the information I’ve learned the last two days into it. The way these pros pick these vast flats apart and find the sweet spots holding smallmouths is incredible.”
Dubroc got his first lesson in smallmouth fishing from Gagliardi on day one when the two anglers used Carolina rigs to catch smallmouths from water 15 feet deep.
On day two, Dubroc took what Gagliardi taught him and put it to good use. He rigged his Carolina rig with a ¾-ounce weight and put a Zoom Ultravibe speed craw in watermelon red on the back.
“I came here with the intentions of fishing a tube, but Anthony put me on that Carolina rig, and he really set the tone for me to win this tournament – I can’t thank him enough.”
Baciuska second
Lynn Baciuska of Afton, N.Y., finished second with a two-day total of 29 pounds, 2 ounces.
Baciuska fished with BP pro Shin Fukae on day one to catch 17 pounds, 2 ounces and Dale Evans of Ridgeville, S.C., on day two to catch 12 pounds.
He caught his fish on drop-shots and tubes but switched to a big spinnerbait yesterday afternoon.
“I fish Champlain from time to time, and I knew where several good wind-blown points were,” Baciuska said. “I told Dale about them and he obliged; we went and tried them, and I caught a couple of good ones on the spinnerbait. My best fish actually followed the spinnerbait in, and I dropped a tube down and caught him.”
Baciuska collected $9,665 for his runner-up finish.
Rest of the best
Local co-angler Jason Perry of Plattsburgh, N.Y., finished in third place with a two-day total of 29 pounds, 1 ounce worth $8,698.
Dana Perrotte of Winooski, Vt., finished in fourth place with a two-day total of 28 pounds, 1 ounce worth $7,732.
Mark Phillips of Fayetteville, Ark., finished in fifth place with a two-day total of 27 pounds, 9 ounces for $6,765.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the FLW Series Eastern Division event on Lake Champlain:
6th: Dustin Edwards of Ellington, Conn., two-day total of 27-4, $5,799.00
7th: Jim McDevitt of Eldon, Mo., two-day total of 27-4, $4,832
8th: Joshua Wagy of Dewitt, Va., two-day total of 26-14, $3,866
9th: Matt Greenblatt of Oldsmar, Fla., two-day total of 26-1, $2,899
10th: Danny Bishop of Buchanan, Ga., two-day total of 26-1 $1,933