Ober back in front

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Professional Clint Brownlee of Tifton, Ga. (left) and co-angler Greg Schultz of Wayzata, Minn. prepare their catch for Friday's FLW Series event weigh-in. The top five pros will compete in today's final round.

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August 28, 2010

Hall wins co-angler title

Anonymous Press-Republican The Press Republican Sat Aug 28, 2010, 03:23 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — Jason Ober of Johnstown, Pa., caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 4 ounces Friday to recapture the lead in the FLW Series Eastern Division tournament on Lake Champlain. With a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 58-13, he now holds a solid 3-pound, 8-ounce lead over his closest competitor, Shinichi Fukae heading into the final day of competition.

Christopher Hall of Clarks Summit, Pa., won the Co-angler Division Friday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 47 pounds, 8 ounces. His prize was a Ranger 177TR boat with a 90 horsepower Evinrude or Yamaha outboard motor. Tony Bushey of Champlain placed second.

The top five pros advanced to the final day and will take off at 6:30 a.m. from Dock Street Landing. The final weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m.

Ober was tied for the top spot after Day 1 and then slipped to second Thursday.

"There is a good chance I will zero (today)," said Ober, who has one win and two top-10 finishes on Lake Champlain in the past two years. "I have been using a drop-shot in the same area all week long, on one rod. I hope the fish last, but there is a chance they won't be there (today). The bite has been tough for me all week. I have really had to work hard to get my fish, but in this game quality and quantity are two very different things, and I have definately been on some quality fish.

"I think I understand this lake; I don't get discouraged and I try to grind it out. (Thursday) I left my area prematurely, which might hurt me (today). I probably could have gotten a 20-pound bag if I would have stuck it out."

Lake Champlain is known for its large smallmouth bass. However, many believe that a tournament on Lake Champlain is won on largemouth.

Ober is a smallmouth bass angler, and all of his fish this week have been just that. He is hoping for a lot of sunshine and no wind today, which is exactly what is predicted, so he can bring in the winning bag of smallmouths.

Fukae caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 55-5, all smallmouth, to advance to the final round as the No. 2 seed.

"I have been using a drop-shot in deep water all week long," said Fukae, who has two top-10 finishes on Lake Champlain and is looking for his first win on the lake. "I will do the same, same tomorrow."

Fukae believes that the bait fish in 10 feet of water have been key to his fishing.

The 146 pros totaled 623 bass weighing 1,680 pounds Friday. The catch included 112 five-bass limits.

In the Co-angler Division, Bushey finished with 15 bass weighing 47-7 and took home $4,918. Plattsburgh's Edward Pecore was also in the top five with a total catch of 42 pounds.

Hall opened the tournament in second place Wednesday with five bass weighing 17-12 while fishing with pro Mark Melnyk. Thursday, he went out with Stephen Sykas and stayed in second on the strength of a five-bass catch weighing 14-13. He sealed the win Friday with a five-bass catch weighing 14-15 while fishing with Scott Canterbury.

"Pairing and execution are key to any co-anglers success," said Hall, who earned his first victory as a co-angler. "I was paired with three excellent partners, and that is half of the equation. You need to get with guys that keep you on fish and then you need to be able to execute. I was fortunate enough this week to execute almost perfectly.

"I had the spinning rod glued to my hand all week working the drop-shot; I just filled my bag with drop-shot baits like the 5-inch wacky senko and was able to adapt with each pro."

On the first day of competition, Hall indicated that he and his partner were fishing the New York arm of the lake. The second day he was taken on a run to Ticonderoga, and Friday he and his partner were near the Inland Sea.

Pro standings

(Top five advance)

1. Jason Ober, Johnstown, Pa., 15 bass, 58-13

2. Shinichi Fukae, Palestine, Texas, 15 bass, 55-5.

3. Chevy pro Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 15 bass, 55-4

4. David Wolak, Wake Forest, N.C., 15 bass, 53-12

5. Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 15 bass, 53-6

6. Michael Wolfenden, Warwick, R.I., 15 bass, 52-14, $8,389

7. Jim Gildea, Weston, Mass., 15 bass, 51-12, $7,896

8. Jason Knapp, Uniontown, Pa., 15 bass, 51-1, $7,402

9. Scott Parker, Londonderry, N.H., 15 bass, 50-11, $6,909

10. Lancen Halbert, Enoree, S.C., 15 bass, 50-7, $6,415

Final Co-angler standings

1. Christopher Hall, Clarks Summit, Pa., 15 bass, 47-8

2. Tony Bushey, Champlain, 15 bass, 47-7, $4, 918

3. Jeff Gengler, Tulsa, Okla., 15 bass, 44-13, $3,688

4. Chester Williams, Shavertown, Pa., 15 bass, 44-9, $2,459

5. Edward Pecore, Plattsburgh, 15 bass, 42, $1,967

6. Dr. Michael McGhee, Blackstone, Va., 15 bass, $1,475

7. Kurtis Michaux, Clermont, Fla., 15 bass, 40-15, $1,229

8. Anthony Brooks, Cornelia, Ga., 15 bass, 39-9, $984

9. Blaine Bucy, Follansbee, W. Va., 15 bass, 38-14, $861

10. Richard Rhodes, Calvert City, Ky., 15 bass, 38-2, $738