PLATTSBURGH -- It wasn't looking good until the last drop shot for veteran angler Thomas LaVictoire, Jr. Saturday afternoon.

But the 2007 Empire Division Angler of the Year came through like a true champion to win the season opener with a total catch of 18 pounds, 9 ounces.

It was worth $4,008 for the 32-year-old West Rutland, Vt. fisherman, who also netted an additional $1,000 from the Ranger Cup incentive program and $1,000 from Bombardier for using an Evinrude outboard motor.

The 18-9 bag was almost two pounds more than his winning catch in last year's Empire Division opener on Lake Champlain.

"I was very surprised. I thought I had about 16 (pounds)," LaVictoire admitted. "I actually won it in the last three minutes with a 4½-pounder."

LaVictoire and the rest of the 110 boaters and 110 co-anglers were continually frustrated by the fickle weather on Lake Champlain Saturday on top of a week of rain that muddied the picture considerably for sight anglers.

"I probably hit about 30 places today," LaVictoire said. "We got a lot of rain in the Rutland area this week and it flooded Otter Creek. The run-off made for solid mud, which doesn't allow you to see too well in the water."

Couple that with the mood of the bass, themselves, and it's a wonder the anglers were able to net more than 2,000 pounds and achieve 146 catch limits.

"They (the bass) were on the (spawning) beds, but a lot of them were done spawning; they were tired and not biting a lot," related LaVictoire, who was using tubes with drop shots.

Eugene Gagnier of Highgate Center, Vt. was runner-up with a catch weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces. Gagnier had the Snickers big bass for boaters with a 4-pound, 15-ounce specimen, worth $1,000.

Chazy's Rob Lamoy, 12th with a catch of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, was the lone area angler to be in the money among boaters. He picked up $388 with the top 22 earning cash back.

James Morgan of Barre, Vt. was the top Co-Angler with a bag of 15 pounds, 3 ounces. He picked up a check for $2,005 and an additional $500 for the big bass (5 pounds) among the co-anglers.

Casey Casamento of Plattsburgh came in 11th among co-anglers with a catch of 12 pounds while Ellenburg Depot's Jeff Vallee was in a tie for 18th, earning $143.50 for his 11-pound, 4-ounce bag.

The field shared in $27,000 in cash awards Saturday.

Empire Division anglers will visit 1000 Islands in Clayton July 12 for the second of five regular-season events. They will return to Plattsburgh Sept. 20-21 for a two-day super tournament to wrap up the campaign.