Smallmouth should prevail at Champlain Toyota Series

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The MLF Toyota will visit Lake Champlain this week for the first event of the the year in the Northern Division.

Pro Bryan LaBelle of Hinesburg, Vermont, is one of the best anglers on Lake Champlain and said he expects bedding smallmouth to be in play.

“I think with the cold season, the smallmouth are going to be the way to go,” he said. “That’s what I’m seeing right now. I think the green fish will probably be in a funk, and they’ll be thinned out. Definitely a lot of smallmouth are going to spawn out too, but I think there will be enough big ones around that guys will find them and the tournament will likely be won that way.”

LaBelle said he anticipates the winning weight will be about 61 pounds over the three-day event. Champlain veteran Brett Carnright of Plattsburgh figures on something in the same ballpark – he predicted that it would take 60-12 to win and thinks it will take 13 smallmouth and two largemouth.

Anglers will begin each day at 6 a.m. ET, launching from Plattsburgh City Marina at 5 Dock St. Weigh-ins will take place at the same location starting at 2 p.m. daily.

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