Lake Champlain Preview Report FLW Everstart July 2013

I'm headed to Lake Champlain, New York next week. 

 

Lake Champlain is the third stop in the 2013 FLW Everstart Northern Division. I have never been to Lake Champlain but I have heard that it's a pretty big lake ( 121 miles long x 14 miles wide ) with some impressive sized waves ( 5 ft + ) when the conditions are right.

 

My sleeping arrangements have been made. A few good fishing buddies and I are staying in a lake side cabin for the week. It really does not get any better than that.

 

This is one bass fishing tournament where my instincts will need to be there sharpest. Lake maps, depthfinders and other researched information will help a good deal as well.

 

A quick check of the weather reveled some fairly decent temperatures for the next week. Stable weather conditions are always a plus! Average temps are predicted to be around 80 degrees with winds around 5 - 10 mph.

 

The top water bite should be very good if that's the case. I have also gathered in my research that Lake Champlain grass beds can be matted heavily in July. It could be that this Lake Champlain bass fishing trip will involve some exciting weedless frog action in the AM. This is where I will start on my first day of practice. Frog imitators like Gambler Cane Toads, Gambler Buzz'n Cane Toads and Megabass Pony Frogs should do well in this scenario.

  

  

I'm still debating around what time I should drink my extra strength 5 Hour Energy Shot. Probably don't want to be wired up to much if my frog needs to be sitting on the top of the water at a stand still for 30 seconds, 45 seconds or a couple minutes at a time first thing in the morning. 

 

After all, timing is everything, maybe I'll try a berry or new grape flavored extra strength 5 Hour Energy Shot after I put the frog down. Just around an hour or two before 1:00 PM when I will try speeding things up with my "secret swim jig" from Buckeye Lures in and around the edges of grass beds.

 

Hopefully by this time I will have a few lunkers in the boat looking to round out or upgrade my limit with swimming type search baits like Rat-L-Traps, War Eagle Spinnerbaits, Bladed swimming jigs w/ custom Gambler skirts, Gambler BIG EZ, Gambler TZ and the new Gambler Little EZ.

 

If the top water bite, frog bite and swimming style baits fail early. I might go to flipp'n, pitch'n & punching the grass beds with my Eco Pro Tungsten weights tied on. Crawdads and creature type baits like the Gambler Flappy Daddy should do the trick in this situation.

 

Mixed in between all that I most certainly will be slowing things way down looking for a few quality bites on a soft plastic stick bait like the Gambler Ace rigged either wacky style or Texas rigged weightless on 6lb - 8lb fluorocarbon.

 

My favorite Big Bear Rods should be in before I leave. I busted up a some rods a few months back that needed new upgrades while being repaired. Looking forward to getting all my Big Bear Fishing Rods back in working order before leaving for New York.

 

Speaking of new, I ordered a few new shallow diving crankbaits for this Lake Champlain tournament after I heard that grass beds are in the lake. I was feeling kinda froggy so I jumped on the Megabass Knuckle 60. What this crankbait does is allow you to fish in 1 ft of water, just above the grass beds.

 

Additionally, a small adjustment to the lip allows you to fish the Megabass Knuckle 60 at a depth of 5 ft. Better suited for fishing around docks, rip rap and lay downs. This Megabass crankbait features some nice rattles for extra fish attracting ability. The paint jobs on this bait are at a very high standard and if the Knuckle 60 works half as good as it looks, feels and sounds.

 

A big o'l livewell full of 6 pounders might be in order? Keeping in line with getting excited before a major $40,000.00 bass fishing tournament. I made another pre tournament purchase, a rather stylish purchase of Amphibia sunglasses.

 

I know, I know, how vein is that right? I'm going out on the lake to catch some stinky o'l fish and I'm sitting hear worried about how I look while I'm doing it. Your absolutely correct, this is no small audience we are talking about here. 500 million FLW LIVE Internet and another 500 million FLW TV viewers is serious business to everyone involved !!!

 

So, I wanted to have a look. No not just any look, I was after the kinda look that becomes part of your name brand, marketing identity and legacy for years after your gone from your sport.

 

A recently discontinued color of sunglasses from Amphibia captured my attention.

The color is crimson red and it matches my crimson red fishing shoes from Zeko shoes. It also jives with my red and white fishing jersey, my red truck and my red and white bass boat.

 

Now don't go hating on me but if I win this Lake Champlain tournament you will forever know me as the guy in the "hard to find red Amphibia sunglasses". If I loose at least I will look good and will be easily recognized while I'm doing it.

 

See you on the lake,

 

Melvin Smitson