Rookie Fujita moves into lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain

Kyoya Fujita of Minamitsuru, Japan, is leading after Day 2 of the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 45 pounds, 3 ounces.  

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

August 19, 2023

Rookie Fujita moves into lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Everyone is allowed the same amount of fishing time, but after an opening round disappointment, Kyoya Fujita was particularly motivated to make the most of a full Day 2.

Returning to the same area of the Inland Sea where he fished on Day 1, the rookie from Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan, tallied a two-day total of 45 pounds, 3 ounces to lead the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

After placing 10th on Day 1 with 21-5, Fujita added 23-14 — the event’s heaviest bag and leader for VMC Monster Bag honors. He heads into Semifinal Sunday with a 7-ounce lead over Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio.

“I had a boat problem on Day 1, so I couldn’t fish everything I wanted to fish,” Fujita said through a translator. “Today, I had more time to fish, so I did better.”

Fujita said he caught his fish on a drop shot and a minnow-style bait on a light ball-head jig. Keeping his distance, watching his fish on Garmin LiveScope and making precise presentations with a medium retrieve speed was the key to his success.

With cloudy skies and intermittent rain dimming the scene, Lake Champlain bore the turbid aftermath of a storm system that postponed the tournament’s second round by one day. While other competitors reported struggling to find consistency, Fujita said the Day 2 conditions did not hinder him.

“(The weather) was no problem,” he said. “I didn’t change anything from Day 1.”

Fujita’s action started early, as BassTrakk showed him with a limit of approximately 17 3/4 pounds shortly after 8 a.m. The first angler to report reaching 20 pounds, he continued to pick off quality fish and made his final cull around 12:30.

Fishing some of the same spots he visited on Day 1, Fujita expanded on his main area. He did most of his work on one particularly productive spot, but rotating through a handful of other spots allowed him to accumulate his leading weight.

“I don’t know why this one spot was better,” he said. “I located that spot in practice, and I just kept fishing it. My area had a lot of baitfish and that was important.

“I had a good day; I caught (approximately) 50 fish.”

Throughout the day, the Bassmaster LIVE cameras showed Fujita’s trademark calm, measured demeanor. Clearly, this relaxed style facilitated his flawless performance.

“The key to my success was I never lost a fish today,” Fujita said.

Redwine, who placed second on Day 1, also spent his day in the Inland Sea. He added a limit of 21-14 to his first-round bag of 22-14.

After a slow start, Redwine benefited from an afternoon day-maker, as he anchored his limit with a 5-pounder around 2:30. An hour later, he followed with a 4.

“I started on the same spot where a lot of things happened the first day early on,” Redwine said. “I caught one decent one and a few smaller ones, and I gave myself until about 11 o’clock. I left there and spent two hours elsewhere and caught one 4 1/2-pounder.

“I gave myself another two hours before going back to that starting spot and just grinding it out. Later in the day, the fish just set up better. I think the wind just slicked off and the rain stopped momentarily, so the fish were able to sit up higher in the water column and commit to my baits.”

Fishing in 20 to 40 feet, Redwine caught his fish on a Damiki rig. Sometimes, he’d vertically drop on the fish, but most of his presentations were casting.

Bryant Smith of Roseville, Calif., is in third place with 44-1. After placing fifth on Day 1 with 22-1, Smith virtually mirrored his performance with a 22-pound bag.

Making the strongest showing of his rookie season, Smith said the Lake Champlain fishery is like nothing he’s encountered in any of the West Coast’s diverse fisheries. However, he noted that his comfort level is growing daily.

“I know what I’m doing now, and I have confidence in it,” Smith said. “I know what to look for; the whole thing is just running into the right groups of fish.”

Like much of the field, Smith committed to the Inland Sea and used his Lowrance Active Target forward-facing sonar to hunt fish that were relating to bait schools. Referencing his contour map for likely areas, he caught his fish on a Damiki rig and a drop shot.

Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky., took the day’s Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-4 and shares the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament with Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis.

Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 660 points. Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., is in second with 643 points, followed by Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 619, Przekurat with 616, and Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., with 613.

Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 598. Fujita is in second with 595.

Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m. FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders at 8 a.m. before coverage shifts to Bassmaster.com. 

The tournament is being hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau. 

2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 8/17-8/21Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Kyoya Fujita           Minamitsuru, Yamanashi  10  45-03  104  Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   23-14   2.  Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            10  44-12  103  Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 5   21-14   3.  Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA           10  44-01  102  Day 1: 5   22-01     Day 2: 5   22-00   4.  Cody Huff              Ava, MO                 10  43-13  101  Day 1: 5   23-03     Day 2: 5   20-10   5.  Jay Przekurat          Stevens Point, WI       10  43-12  100   $1,000.00  Day 1: 5   22-11     Day 2: 5   21-01   6.  Justin Atkins          Florence, AL            10  43-12   99  Day 1: 5   22-06     Day 2: 5   21-06   7.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         10  42-09   98  Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   21-01   8.  Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY             10  41-06   97  Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   21-03   9.  Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN          10  41-03   96  Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   21-07   10. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ           10  40-12   95  Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   19-04   11. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        10  40-08   94  Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 5   19-14   12. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI            10  40-06   93  Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   18-12   13. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  40-06   92  Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   19-09   14. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  40-00   91  Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 5   20-06   15. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA               10  39-13   90  Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   20-07   16. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  39-13   89  Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   20-04   17. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          10  39-07   88  Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   20-11   18. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           10  39-06   87  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   20-07   19. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD               10  39-05   86  Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 5   19-01   20. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI               10  39-01   85  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   20-14   21. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            10  39-01   84  Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   19-03   22. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10  39-01   83  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   19-10   23. Joey Cifuentes III     Clinton, AR             10  38-15   82  Day 1: 5   20-06     Day 2: 5   18-09   24. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL           10  38-11   81  Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   20-00   25. Cooper Gallant         Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10  38-07   80  Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   21-04   26. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  38-07   79  Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   18-14   27. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          10  38-06   78  Day 1: 5   20-09     Day 2: 5   17-13   28. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA    10  38-06   77  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   19-14   29. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  38-03   76  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   19-04   30. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          10  37-15   75  Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   19-15   31. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA            10  37-14   74  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   19-07   32. Wes Logan              Springville, AL         10  37-10   73  Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   17-15   33. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             10  37-10   72  Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   18-01   34. Kyle Welcher           Opelika, AL             10  37-09   71  Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   21-00   35. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA 10  37-08   70  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   20-00   36. Bradley Hallman        Edmond, OK              10  37-07   69  Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   17-02   37. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            10  37-07   68  Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 5   18-04   38. Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK           10  37-03   67  Day 1: 5   21-07     Day 2: 5   15-12   39. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           10  37-01   66  Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   18-04   40. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          10  37-00   65  Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   17-11   41. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  37-00   64  Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   18-07   42. Taku Ito               Chiba JAPAN             10  36-15   63  Day 1: 5   19-01     Day 2: 5   17-14   43. Cole Sands             Calhoun, TN             10  36-14   62  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   17-15   44. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            10  36-11   61  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-03   45. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL        10  36-08   60  Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 5   18-07   46. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL           10  36-06   59  Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   18-06   47. Bob Downey             Detroit Lakes, MN       10  36-05   58  Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   20-02   48. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA              10  36-01   57  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   17-10   49. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  36-00   56  Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   16-14   50. Bryan New              Saluda, SC              10  35-15   55  Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   18-08   51. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA           10  35-14   54   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   17-03   52. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN            10  35-11   53   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   15-13   53. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  35-11   52   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   19-05   54. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  35-04   51   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   16-04   55. Skylar Hamilton        Jefferson, TN           10  35-03   50   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   19-03   56. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            10  34-12   49   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   21-10   57. Mike Huff              London, KY              10  34-11   48   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   18-04   58. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  34-11   47   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   16-08   59. Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI           10  34-09   46   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   16-07   60. John Cox               Debary, FL              10  34-04   45   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-10     Day 2: 5   17-10   61. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT          10  34-04   44   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   16-13   62. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            10  34-03   43   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   15-12   63. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  34-01   42   $3,500.00  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   19-04   64. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             10  34-00   41   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   17-13   65. Frank Talley           Temple, TX              10  33-11   40   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   19-10   66. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  33-11   39   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   16-03   67. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  33-09   38   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   17-07   68. Jeff Gustafson         Kenora, Ontario CANADA  10  33-08   37   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 5   17-11   69. Kenta Kimura           Osaka JAPAN             10  33-03   36   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   17-02   70. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  32-13   35   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   20-05   71. Darold Gleason         Many, LA                10  32-09   34   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   17-08   72. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             10  32-03   33   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   18-07   73. David Williams         Newton, NC              10  32-01   32   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   15-04   74. KJ Queen               Conover, NC             10  31-12   31  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   20-08   75. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC           10  31-11   30  Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   16-08   76. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  31-02   29  Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   15-13   77. Keith Poche            Cecil, AL               10  31-01   28  Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   16-14   78. Chad Pipkens           DeWitt, MI              10  30-05   27  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   16-01   79. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  30-04   26  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   16-00   80. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                10  30-00   25  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   15-03   81. Jake Whitaker          Hendersonville, NC       9  29-14   24  Day 1: 4   11-14     Day 2: 5   18-00   82. Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           10  29-14   23  Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   17-09   83. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  29-02   22  Day 1: 5   16-12     Day 2: 5   12-06   84. David Gaston           Sylacauga, AL           10  29-01   21  Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   13-14   85. Jason Williamson       Aiken, SC               10  28-08   20  Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 5   15-13   86. Michael Iaconelli      Pittsgrove, NJ          10  28-02   19  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   16-13   87. Buddy Gross            Chattanooga, TN         10  28-02   18  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   12-08   88. Derek Hudnall          Zachary, LA             10  27-13   17  Day 1: 5   14-15     Day 2: 5   12-14   89. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC          10  27-10   16  Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   14-02   90. David Fritts           Lexington, NC           10  27-07   15  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   11-07   91. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  26-14   14  Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   17-01   92. John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK             10  25-15   13  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   14-05   93. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  8  25-11   12  Day 1: 5   16-08     Day 2: 3   09-03   94. Masayuki Matsushita    Tokoname-Aichi, JAPAN    9  25-10   11  Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 5   17-11   95. Larry Nixon            Bee Branch, AR          10  25-07   10  Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   16-03   96. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                8  24-05    9  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 3   09-13   97. Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL             8  24-02    8  Day 1: 3   06-02     Day 2: 5   18-00   98. Kyle Norsetter         Cottage Grove, WI       10  23-14    7  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   10-07   99. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              8  18-12    6  Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 5   13-13   100. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               5  14-09    5  Day 1: 2   06-01     Day 2: 3   08-08   101. Josh Douglas           Isle, MN                 5  14-08    4  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   14-08   102. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               5  11-13    3  Day 1: 2   06-11     Day 2: 3   05-02   ———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS Day 1   Jay Przekurat            Stevens Point, WI   05-04      $1,000.00 2   Mark Menendez            Paducah, KY         05-04      $1,000.00

———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight 1        95       493      1702-12 2        98       502      1798-10———————————-         193       995      3501-06 

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