Seth Feider’s main goal this week has been accomplished. He’s taken another big step toward the Angler of the Year title with a top 10 finish at Lake Champlain. He probably needs only a top 50 finish next week at the St. Lawrence River to wrap up the title. So why not fish for a win today, right? He starts in sixth place, 4-11 behind leader Bryan Schmitt.
“You probably need 23 pounds to win today, and I don’t think you can do that on smallies, so I’m going all largies today,” Feider said just before takeoff. “I’m going to put a flipping stick and a jig in my hand and see what happens.”
There have been 17 five-bass limits weighing 20 pounds or more this week. Buddy Gross caught the heaviest – 21-13 on Day 1. Schmitt weighed the next two heaviest – 21-11 on Day 1 and 21-5 on Day 2.
In 2017, when the tournament was shortened to three days due to high winds at Lake Champlain, Aaron Martens rallied from 19th place the final day with a sack of largemouth bass weighing 23-5. Undoubtedly Feider remembers that. He weighed-in 20-6 that day and finished second to Martens by 14 ounces.