(Sep. 18, 2012 - PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.)... Jamie Hartman of Newport, N.Y., weighed a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 37 pounds, 4 ounces to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Northeast Division super tournament on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., on Sunday. For his victory, Hartman earned $7,806.
"I fished the north end of the lake, targeting the big smallmouth," said Hartman. "I fished the outside contour drops and stayed in the 12- to 15-foot range. I fished soft plastics very slowly. The main technique for me was Carolina-rigging a Power Team Lures Craw D?oeuvre. I caught around 15 keepers each day."
Hartman said that there really seemed to be a two-hour window each day where the bite was really hot. On day one, it was from noon to 2 p.m., and on day two, it was 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
"In the morning it was very windy," Hartman continued. "Then it calmed down and it got very sunny. The key for me in this tournament was my decision making. I had to move from spot to spot in my area to find the active fish, so having patience and making the right decisions were crucial to my victory."
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
| 2nd: | Darren Schwenkbeck | Keeseville, N.Y. | 10 bass | 36-15 | $2,403 |
| 3rd: | Kevin Bishop | Hilton, N.Y. | 10 bass | 36-12 | $1,603 |
| 4th: | Dana Perrotte | Colchester, Vt. | 10 bass | 35-4 | $1,121 |
| 5th: | William McKelvey | Belfast, N.Y. | 10 bass | 35-0 | $961 |
| 6th: | Tim Aldrich | Shutesbury, Mass. | 10 bass | 34-4 | $881 |
| 7th: | Gary Longley | South Londonderry,Vt. | 10 bass | 33-6 | $801 |
| 8th: | Richard Damianos | Cortland, N.Y. | 10 bass | 33-5 | $721 |
| 9th: | Joe Zombek II | Scranton, Pa. | 10 bass | 32-15 | $641 |
| 10th: | Mike Kozell | Lancaster, N.Y. | 10 bass | 31-6 | $561 |
Alex Antipenko of Brooklyn, N.Y., weighed in 10 bass totaling 33 pounds, 6 ounces Sunday to win $2,403 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
| 2nd: | Richard Jordan Jr. | Muncy Valley, Pa. | 10 bass | 31-11 | $1,202 |
| 3rd: | Jason Shipton | Muncy, Pa. | 10 bass | 31-4 | $801 |
| 4th: | James Smith | Johnstown, Pa. | 10 bass | 29-0 | $561 |
| 5th: | Bill Spence | St. Albans, Vt. | 10 bass | 28-1 | $481 |
| 6th: | Fred George | Marysville, Pa. | 10 bass | 26-6 | $441 |
| 7th: | Chad Dorney | Macungie, Pa. | 10 bass | 26-5 | $401 |
| 8th: | James Wilkins | State College, Pa. | 10 bass | 25-14 | $360 |
| 9th: | Andrew Zapf | Whippany, N.J. | 10 bass | 25-9 | $320 |
| 10th: | George Barnes | Hughesville, Pa. | 10 bass | 24-14 | $280 |
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 11-13 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, S.C. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing - the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
ABOUT FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy - the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the "Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water," through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game - FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit the FLWOutdoors or FantasyFishing websites and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.
