PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Sept. 12, 2008) - Pro Pete Gluszek of Mt. Laurel, N.J., caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces Friday to widen his lead in the FLW Series bass fishing tournament on Lake Champlain. With a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 56-10, he holds a 1-pound, 3-ounce lead over his closest competitor, BP pro Jim Moynagh of Carver, Minn., heading into the final day of competition. "The beauty of Lake Champlain is that when one pattern fails another one is developing," said Gluszek, who is looking to claim his first FLW Series victory. "I have a lot of confidence on this lake that I can find fish in any condition."
With the change of conditions today Gluszek's pattern that he developed yesterday fell apart.
"The sea was angry today and it wiped out everything," Gluszek said. "I was able to get a small limit in the boat before the wind really picked up. Then the wind started cranking and picked up to about 25 mph.
"I couldn't hold the areas I wanted to fish and at that time I only had nine pounds. I started to scramble around and take advantage of what the weather was doing. I started looking for a new pattern."
Starting from scratch today Gluszek's pattern was finding a combination of rocks and weeds. He added that largemouths love these conditions and if you can find an area that is protected from the wind you are guaranteed to catch quality fish. This pattern was key for Gluszek today and after he started fishing rocks and weeds he culled up seven pounds.
Gluszek's pattern today landed him a 6-pound, 13-ounce fish on his first cast.
"Yesterday, my key pattern was flipping grass," Gluszek added. "On day one my primary pattern was fishing around hard structure like wood and rocks but as the water began to stabilize and warm the fish became active in the grass. I found that I got multiple fish that way."
Gluszek's limit on day three consisted of one smallmouth and four largemouths, which seems to be the winning combination for him.
Moynagh caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 55-07 to advance to the final round as the No. 2 seed.
Rounding out the top five pros are Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va. (15 bass, 54-13); Kellogg's pro Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas (15 bass, 54-10) and BP pro David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn. (15 bass, 53-12).
Also clearing the top 10 cut weight of 51 pounds, 5 ounces in the Pro Division are Shinichi Fukae of Mineola, Texas; Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas; Chip Harrison of Bremen, Ind.; Luke Clausen of Spokane, Wash.; and Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala.
Gluszek earned the day's $464 Big Bass award in the Pro Division thanks to a 6-pound, 13-ounce bass.
Overall there were 700 bass weighing 1,735 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 176 pros Friday. The catch included 110 five-bass limits.
Chuck Thurlow of Auburn, Ala., won the Co-angler Division and $20,000 Friday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 47 pounds, 15 ounces followed by Bob Snyder of Marion, Ind., in second place with 15 bass weighing 46-02 worth $9,492.
Thurlow opened the tournament in 10th place Wednesday with five bass weighing 15-15 while fishing with pro Nick Gainey of Charleston, S.C. On Thursday he jumped to seventh place on the strength of a five-bass catch weighing 13-12 while fishing with pro Erwin Cole of Murfreesboro, Tenn. He wrapped up the win Friday with a five-bass catch weighing 18-04 while fishing with pro Mike Desforges of Burlington, Ontario.
"I feel really blessed to get this opportunity," said Thurlow, who has four top-10 finishes in FLW Outdoors competition. "I have come close to winning before but I have never been able to close the deal.
"I knew that I had to have 16 pounds today to make it close and after I caught my last fish I knew that I had the tournament won." Thurlow caught his bass this week on a Carolina-rigged plastic craw.
"I came here planning to drop-shot," Thurlow said. "I had seven rods rigged to fish a tube but once I got on that Carolina bite, I caught every fish that way."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ronald Mueller of Prosperity, S.C. (15 bass, 43-15, $8,542); Wayne Frierson of Manning, S.C. (15 bass, 42-06, $7,594) and Sam Mitchiner of Garner, N.C. (15 bass, 41-02, $6,644).
Matt Greenblatt of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., earned $285 for the Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught while fishing with pro Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich.
Overall there were 485 bass weighing 1,129 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 144 co-anglers Friday. The catch included 56 five-bass limits.
The 10 remaining pros will take off at 6:30 Saturday morning from Dock Street Landing located at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh. Saturday's weigh-in will be held at Trinity Park located at City Hall Place in Plattsburgh, beginning at 4 p.m. Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday's weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Trinity Park. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include a trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.