Last Saturday was the final day of the Wal-Mart FLW Series pro bass tournament on Lake Champlain, and myself and Nick couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to meet some great anglers, event staff and experience the atmosphere that surrounds such a big time event in the angling community.

We headed out of Burlington on Friday night, via the Ferry at Grand Isle, and crashed in Plattsburgh. When we arrived at the America’s Best Value Inn (hey, there was no availability at the Ritz!) we parked next to the BP Tahoe trailing a wrapped Ranger boat, followed by many more pickups – all pulling nice rigs. That set the tone for what the final day of the tournament would bring.

(more…)

As many of you know, we are blessed to have an outstanding bass fishery here on Lake Champlain. From the monster largemouth hiding among the weed beds of the extreme northern and southern ends of the lake to the chunky smallies that make the rocky flats and shoals of the watershed their feeding grounds, there is hardly a nook or cranny on this lake where a bass fisherman can’t find a worthy lunker. Last week the LCI successfully held their 9th annual bass fishing tournament, an event that’s open to any angler from the novice fishermen to the seasoned expert. BurlingtonBoatyard.com representatives volunteered their time at the LCI weigh-in and thoroughly covered the event with interviews that can be seen on this site shortly.

Next week it’s the big dogs turn with one of the largest professional tournaments of the year taking place in Plattsburgh September 10 – 13. In fact, the pros are already out buzzing around the lake in their fancy wrapped boats pre-fishing for bass. They are also mingling with the locals at a number of community events leading up to the tournament.

(more…)