By MLF Communications Staff
The sixth and final event of the 2022 MLF Pro Circuit season gets under way on Friday at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y. The four-day event will mark the 13th time that the Pro Circuit (formerly the FLW Tour) has competed on the venue and will showcase 155 professional anglers vying for a total purse of more than $850,000.
When the Pro Circuit last visited the lake in 2019, Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., put together a four-day total of 76 pounds, 2 ounces to take home the top award of $100,000. Legendary pro Gary Yamamoto of Palestine, Texas, holds the Pro Circuit record for the heaviest one-day weight on the fishery, bringing a limit to the scale weighing 24-04 back in 2011.
The full field will compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. The Top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight will advance to Sunday. Only the Top 10 pros, based on cumulative weight from the first three days, will continue competition on Monday, when weights will be zeroed and anglers will compete in a one-day shootout for the grand prize.
Scanlon said the 2019 tournament – when he focused solely on largemouth in Ticonderoga – was his first and only time to ever fish on Champlain, so he’s looking forward to getting back out on the fishery.
“I believe I’m just inside the cut for the TITLE championship, so I need a good showing at this event to make it to the TITLE,” Scanlon said. “It’s a little later than the last time we were there and there haven’t been a lot of major tournaments won in recent years in the area where I won, so that has me a little nervous. But Lake Champlain is a tremendous fishery and I’ve been doing my homework. I spent some time on the northern end of the lake last time as well during practice and I think the smallmouth are going to be a bigger factor this time around.”
Scanlon said he expects to still see some fish spawning, based on local tournaments currently taking place on the fishery, but he expects the fish to be transitioning to more of their summer patterns.
“Champlain is full of fish, so catching fish isn’t a problem, but catching 4-pound-plus quality fish is going to be key,” Scanlon said. “I imagine it’s going to be different than the last time I was there, so I just plan to stay on my toes, keep an open mind and try to focus on what’s going on this time around.
“It’s a big body of water, and with only two days of practice, you aren’t going to be able to see the whole lake,” Scanlon continued. “I plan to spend one day on the north end, focusing solely on smallmouth, then spend another day down south searching for largemouth.
“Champlain is a fishery where you can win on either species – and a combination of the two could be a winning pattern as well – so I just plan to get out there and try to get a good feel for which species is currently weighing heavier and is easier to catch.”
Scanlon said he predicts it will take anywhere from 74 to 80 pounds to win the four-day event.
“The fish should be finishing up the spawn and getting healthy, so we should see some good weights this time of year. You’re typically going to need 18 pounds per day or better to make the cuts and to have a shot at the championship round.”
Scanlon said it would be awesome to pull in another win on Lake Champlain.
“The tournament is shaping up a lot like it did last time for me, with the points scenario – and wins are always great – but it would be really special to go back and win it again on the same fishery,” Scanlon finished.
After four events in the regular season, Alabama pro Josh Butler leads the Angler of the Year race with 896 points. Reigning AOY Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., sits in second place with 882, while Guntersville, Ala. angler Justin Lucas sits in third with 863. Florence, Italy’s Jacopo Gallelli sits in fourth place with 863, while Mitch Crane of Columbus, Miss., rounds out the Top 5 with 857 points.
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET Friday through Monday from the Plattsburgh Waterfront, located at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh. Weigh-ins will also be held at the waterfront daily at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the live on-the-water action all four days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 7 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 season culminates next month with the TITLE Championship, where the Top 48 pros in the points standings, along with 2021 TITLE Champion Jimmy Washam and 2021 AOY Neal, will compete for a top prize of $235,000. The 2022 TITLE will be on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, Aug. 16-21, and is hosted by the Town of Massena.
