Nine Top 20 Pounds On Day 1 At Champlain

By MLF Communications Staff

Mild temperatures and a light westerly breeze led to an absolute slugfest on Lake Champlain Friday, with nearly 2,500 pounds of bass crossing the stage after Day 1 of the MLF Pro Circuit event in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, racked up a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces to grab the early lead, ending the day with a 5-ounce advantage over Eldon, Mo.'s Casey Scanlon, the 2019 Pro Circuit champion on Champlain, who finished the day with a limit weighing 21-08.

While a combination of largemouth and smallmouth bass rolled across the weigh-in stage, it seems brown fish may take the trophy this week at the sixth and final regular-season Pro Circuit event, where 154 pros are competing for a top prize of up to $135,000.

“Things kicked off on my very first cast and I had a blast this morning,” Hall said. “I ran to my first spot and had a limit within 10 to 15 minutes, with a total of 17 to 18 pounds right off the bat, including three fish that were close to 4-pounders.

“I hit two or three more spots before I landed on a school that I’d found in practice and it lit up,” Hall continued. “I culled several times on that spot and there were actually more fish today than I’d found in practice, so I think they are coming into the area.”

Hall said he spent most of Day 1 dissecting the fishery with his Garmin Livescope, targeting bass with a dropshot and a swimbait in 15 to 30 feet of water.

“My goal today was 20 pounds, and we got that, then caught two more that put me over, so I’m feeling really good going into Day 2,” Hall said. “There were a lot of fish in the first area that I hit. I think if I stay there, I can definitely get 20 pounds, but I didn’t want to waste a bunch of fish on the first day.”

However, with a solid group of anglers nipping at his heels, Hall said he didn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

“I’m not in the points race, so I’m in it to win it this week,” he continued. “With weights zeroing on Championship Monday, I’m not too concerned with building a big lead. I’m just concentrating on staying in contention for the final day and I’m ready to get back out there on Day 2.”

Shonn Goodwin brought a largemouth weighing 5-14 to the scale to win the day's $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award.

In Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. The Top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Sunday. Only the Top 10 pros continue competition on Monday, where weights are zeroed, and the winner is determined by the heaviest weight from the final day of competition.

Anglers take off at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from the Plattsburgh Waterfront, located at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh. Weigh-ins are also held at the park 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.

Day 1 Standings

1. Kyle Hall -- 21-13 (5)

2. Casey Scanlon -- 21-08 (5)

3. Evan Barnes -- 21-02 (5)

4. Andy Newcomb -- 20-14 (5)

5. Cole Floyd -- 20-09 (5)

5. Matt Becker -- 20-09 (5)

7. Kyle Cortiana -- 20-08 (5)

8. Shonn Goodwin -- 20-01 (5)

9. Kurt Mitchell -- 20-00 (5)

10. Dakota Ebare -- 19-13 (5)

11. Cody Pike -- 19-08 (5)

12. Mark Rose -- 19-07 (5)

13. Alex Davis -- 19-06 (5)

14. Braxton Setzer -- 19-05 (5)

14. Scott Wiley -- 19-05 (5)

16. Michael Neal -- 19-02 (5)

16. Lane Olson -- 19-02 (5)

18. Larry Nixon -- 19-00 (5)

19. Jason Reyes -- 18-12 (5)

19. Brandon Mosley -- 18-12 (5)

21. Phillip Dutra -- 18-11 (5)

22. Skeet Reese -- 18-09 (5)

23. John Cox -- 18-08 (5)

23. Miles Burghoff -- 18-08 (5)

25. Jimmy Neece Jr -- 18-07 (5)

25. Jon Canada -- 18-07 (5)

27. Chad Warren -- 18-06 (5)

28. Tyler Stewart -- 18-05 (5)

28. Billy Hines -- 18-05 (5)

30. Justin Lucas -- 18-04 (5)

30. Jimmy Reese -- 18-04 (5)

32. Jim Moynagh -- 18-03 (5)

32. Tim Frederick -- 18-03 (5)

32. Matt Greenblatt -- 18-03 (5)

35. Gary Yamamoto -- 18-02 (5)

35. Spencer Shuffield -- 18-02 (5)

37. Chase Serafin -- 18-00 (5)

37. Ricky Robinson -- 18-00 (5)

39. Ron Nelson -- 17-15 (5)

39. Joey Cifuentes -- 17-15 (5)

41. Jeff Reynolds -- 17-14 (5)

41. Trevor Fitzgerald -- 17-14 (5)

43. Mitch Crane -- 17-13 (5)

44. Randy Howell -- 17-11 (5)

44. Terry Bolton -- 17-11 (5)

46. Chris Lane -- 17-09 (5)

47. Martin Villa -- 17-08 (5)

48. Scott Dobson -- 17-06 (5)

48. Joe Wieberg -- 17-06 (5)

48. Nick Hatfield -- 17-06 (5)

51. Brett Hite -- 17-05 (5)

51. Colby Miller -- 17-05 (5)

53. Andrew Loberg -- 17-02 (5)

54. Kyle Gelles -- 17-01 (5)

55. Tyler Woolcott -- 16-14 (5)

55. Ricardo Gonzalez -- 16-14 (5)

57. Brian Latimer -- 16-13 (5)

57. Tai Au -- 16-13 (5)

57. Christian Greico -- 16-13 (5)

60. Matt Reed -- 16-11 (5)

60. Pete Ponds -- 16-11 (5)

60. Jason Meninger -- 16-11 (5)

60. Laramy Strickland -- 16-11 (5)

64. Clabion Johns -- 16-10 (5)

65. Mike McClelland -- 16-09 (5)

65. Justin Cooper -- 16-09 (5)

67. Chad Grigsby -- 16-08 (5)

67. Chris Groh -- 16-08 (5)

69. David Walker -- 16-07 (5)

69. Jamie Horton -- 16-07 (5)

69. John Hunter -- 16-07 (5)

72. Bill McDonald -- 16-06 (5)

72. Josh Bragg -- 16-06 (5)

72. Troy Stokes -- 16-06 (5)

72. Jacob Wall -- 16-06 (5)

76. Todd Walters -- 16-05 (5)

76. John Voyles -- 16-05 (5)

76. Mickey Beck -- 16-05 (5)

79. Nick Lebrun -- 16-04 (5)

80. J Todd Tucker -- 16-02 (5)

80. Dave Parsons -- 16-02 (5)

82. Grae Buck -- 16-01 (5)

83. Steve York -- 16-00 (5)

84. Bruce Parsons -- 15-15 (5)

85. Wesley Strader -- 15-14 (5)

85. Clark Reehm -- 15-14 (5)

85. Barron Adams -- 15-14 (5)

88. Steve Lopez -- 15-13 (5)

89. Ramie Colson Jr -- 15-12 (5)

90. Mitchell Webb -- 15-11 (5)

90. Kyle Weisenburger -- 15-11 (5)

90. Robby Lefere -- 15-11 (5)

93. Tom Monsoor -- 15-10 (5)

93. Derrick Snavely -- 15-10 (5)

95. James Niggemeyer -- 15-09 (5)

95. Jared McMillan -- 15-09 (5)

97. Tommy Dickerson -- 15-08 (5)

97. Corey Neece -- 15-08 (5)

99. Blake Hall -- 15-07 (5)

99. Josh Butler -- 15-07 (5)

101. Darrell Davis -- 15-06 (5)

102. Jason Lieblong -- 15-05 (5)

103. Rusty Salewske -- 15-03 (5)

103. Mark Fisher -- 15-03 (5)

103. Blake Smith -- 15-03 (5)

106. Shannon Abbott -- 15-02 (5)

107. Bobby Lane -- 15-01 (5)

107. Keith Carson -- 15-01 (5)

107. Brad Knight -- 15-01 (5)

110. Clayton Batts -- 15-00 (5)

110. Lance Crawford -- 15-00 (5)

112. Tom Redington -- 14-12 (5)

113. Lance Oligschlaeger -- 14-11 (5)

114. Jimmy Washam -- 14-10 (5)

115. Jason Blair -- 14-09 (5)

116. Richard Lowitzki -- 14-08 (5)

116. Dicky Newberry -- 14-08 (5)

116. Matthew Stefan -- 14-08 (5)

119. Shane Lineberger -- 14-06 (5)

120. Rusty Trancygier -- 14-02 (5)

121. Jacopo Gallelli -- 14-00 (5)

122. Nick Gainey -- 13-14 (5)

123. Robert Nakatomi -- 13-08 (5)

124. Joshua Weaver -- 13-05 (5)

124. Cole Harris -- 13-05 (5)

126. Randy Despino -- 13-04 (5)

126. Miles Howe -- 13-04 (5)

128. Stephen Albertson -- 12-14 (4)

129. Stuart Arthur -- 12-12 (5)

130. Charlie Ingram -- 12-07 (5)

131. Scott Towry -- 12-06 (5)

132. Cole Hewett -- 12-04 (5)

133. Mike Surman -- 12-00 (5)

134. Kerry Milner -- 11-12 (5)

135. Jason Abram -- 11-11 (5)

135. Colby Schrumpf -- 11-11 (5)

137. Michael Matthee -- 11-08 (5)

138. Greg Bohannan -- 11-03 (5)

138. Jordan Osborne -- 11-03 (5)

140. Jim Tutt -- 11-01 (5)

141. Terry Luedtke -- 10-15 (5)

142. Takayuki Koike -- 9-13 (4)

143. Charlie Evans -- 9-12 (5)

144. Ron Farrow -- 9-10 (5)

145. Cameron Mattison -- 8-09 (4)

145. Jason Vance -- 8-09 (4)

147. Cal Lane -- 8-08 (3)

148. Grant Galloway -- 8-06 (3)

149. Darrel Robertson -- 8-05 (3)

150. Dylan Hays -- 8-02 (4)

150. Aaron Britt -- 8-02 (3)

152. Jeff McLain -- 7-15 (5)

153. Jeff Bridges -- 6-10 (3)

154. Brandon McMillan -- 4-14 (2)