Moore and Parks win Mississippi TBF Junior State Championship on Ross Barnett

The 2024 Mississippi TBF Junior State Championship was held on Lake Ross Barnett Reservoir and hosted by ExploreRidgeland/Ridgeland, MS. Lafayette Junior Bass team of Riley Moore and Jackson Parks took first place with a Rapala Crush City Baits Crushing Conservation five live fish for 17 pounds 4 ounces. Riley and Jackson also had the Big Bass for the day weighing 5 pound 4 ounces.

Second place team was Denton Dearman and Haynes Nault with 6 pounds and 10 ounces. Rounding out the top three was Kannon Wood and Santiago Marquez with 5 pounds and 10 ounces.

We want to thank Explore Ridgeland/Ridgeland, MS and all the volunteers that helped make this a great event for the junior anglers. For full results and photos of this event CLICK HERE

 

Long Time Federation Member from New Jersey Passes, Tony Going Gone But Never Forgotten.

It is with a heavy heart that we were informed of the passing of long-time former New Jersey President and friend Tony Going. Tony was the President of the New Jersey Federation for over 20 years and his impact on New Jersey bass fishing and on the federation as a whole is incalculable. We don’t have any details at this point, but when details are available, we will pass them along. Our prayers go out to his wife Mary and the family in this time of loss.

 

LAKE SAM RAYBURN TEXAS TO HOST THE NATIONS TOP GRASSROOTS ANGLERS FOR THE 2024 TBF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

LAKE SAM RAYBURN TEXAS TO HOST THE NATIONS TOP GRASSROOTS ANGLERS FOR THE 2024 TBF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

 FOR RELEASE – Ponca City, OK. (November 20, 2023) – The Bass Federation (TBF) announced today that the nation’s top grassroots anglers will get their chance to “Live Their Dream” at the 2024 TBF Federation National Championship to be held on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas, March 27-29, 2024.

“The Federation National Championship has been held on many storied bodies of water over the decades but never on Lake Sam Rayburn in Brookland, Texas.” Stated Robert Cartlidge, TBF Federation National President. “Sam Rayburn is a “Bucket List Lake” anglers will have the chance at a fish of a lifetime.”

Timing is everything, and late March on “Rayburn” could fall right on top of the spawn, it will take a solid weight to win, but with so many big fish in the system anyone can come from behind to do it, which means no one is out of it until the last fish is weighed. The legendary impoundment is very diverse and will fit any fishing style.  TBF anglers competing in the “no entry fee” event will also enjoy stellar payouts where the prize purse will push $400,000.00 in cash and prizes due to the growth and success of the Federation’s close-to-home low cost TBF National Semi-Finals program that qualified all the anglers to get here.

Competitors have qualified at 21 close-to-home district competitions in the TBF’s National Semi-Final system that span the traditional seven TBF geographical divisions.  The framework is designed to make it easier for TBF anglers to fish premier events by minimizing travel time and expenses.

One hundred and four of the very best grassroots Anglers in North America have qualified (52 as boaters and 52 as non-boaters) to compete in the 2024 National Championship and all 102 will fish the first two days of the event and only the 7 Division Champion boaters and 7 Division Champion co-anglers will compete on the third and final day for the Living Your Dream Prize packages and the National Champion boater and co-angler titles.  In addition to the cash prizes, all anglers will receive a hotel room stipend from TBF for the actual event days as a part of their qualifying prize. Additionally, all Boaters will receive a cash fuel stipend to help offset their boat costs. All 14 finalists can earn a Living YOUR Dream prize package of various sizes, and can advance to the 2024 BFL All-American if they are qualified.

The National champions and overall winners will leave with the coveted TBF National Champion Boater and National Champion Co-angler Titles and a Living Your Dream (LYD) package. The boater National Champion’s LYD package is valued in excess of a whopping $125,000 in cash and prizes including a brand-new Ranger Z520 powered by Mercury 250HP outboard engine, rigged out and all their own to KEEP!  PLUS, a $20,000 CASH prize, paid entry fee stipend into whatever they want to fish and much more!

The Federation strongly believes in the value of co-anglers, so the 2024 National Champion Co-Angler LYD package will be worth over $30,000, including 20K cash PLUS set paid entry stipends into the circuit of choice, and more!

All activities will take place a Umphreys Family Pavilion and are free and open to the public. You can follow all the action with daily live weigh-ins and live leaderboard on www.Bassfederation.com

Coverage of the TBF National Championship will be broadcasted in high definition in the Federation Angler TV block on the Pursuit Channel, on Outdoor Action TV and streamed live from the Brookeland Texas, Lake Sam Rayburn on www.Bassfederation.com

About TBF

The Bass Federation Inc. is the oldest and largest, organized grassroots angling organization in America and a member of the freshwater fishing hall of fame. Anchored by the leadership of the state federations, TBF is 100 percent owned by those it serves and is dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing, youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided the foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for 50 years. The Bass Federation is proud “Partners in Fishing” with industry-leading companies including Ranger Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Lew’s, Strike King T-H Marine, Rapala, Sufix, VMC, Rapala Crush City baits, MLF, Power Pole, and FacultyOfFishing.com. For more information about The Bass Federation, visit bassfederation.com, or call 580-765-9031. Look for TBF on facebook at Facebook.com/thebassfederation and on twitter at Twitter.com/bassfederation.

 

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2023 DISTRICT 3 NATIONAL SEMI-FINALS TENNESSE AND KENTUCKY

The Tennessee Bass Federation hosted the 2023 Tennessee-Kentucky District 3 Semi Final on beautiful Pickwick Lake in Hardin County on October 20-22.  A total of 61 boaters and 61 co anglers arrived with hope of catching enough fish to win a trip the National Championship in the spring of 2024.

High skies and windy conditions greeted the Anglers on day one.  Unfortunately fishing conditions did not cooperate as 31 boaters and 34 co anglers failed to boat a keeper bass.  However as usual, someone always finds fish.  David Rogers of Tennessee was the first boater weighed in and he brought a 5 fish limit weighing 15 lbs 8 ozs to the scales which held up for the day lead.  David also has the big bass, a smallie weighing 4lbs 10 ozs.  Only one other boater weighed a limit on day 1 as Jeremy Henry of Tennessee has a nice limit weighing 13 lbs 5 ozs.  On the co angler side, John Huntley of Tennessee managed to catch 3 bass weighing 8 lb 12 ozs.  Kentucky anglers on day 1 were lead by Chris Abbatello with 8 lbs 9 ozs while co angler Chase Fleenor bass weighed in 6 lb 1 oz. The top twelve weights on Saturday for the boaters ranged from 15 lbs 8 ozs down to 4 lbs 12 ozs.  On the co angler side, top man had 8 lbs 12 ozs down to 3 lbs 10 ozs for 12th place.  Big bass on day 1 on the boater side went to David Rogers with a nice 4 lb 10 oz Smallmouth.  Chase Preatt, co angler of Kentucky caught the big bass on day 1 with a real nice 6 lb 11 oz largemouth.

Everyone left for the night with hopes of having a better day on Sunday because no one felt they were out of the running. On Sunday morning, the anglers were greeted with high skies and a slight wind but the fish again failed to cooperate.  While the wind laid on day 2, the fish again seemed to have a case of ‘LOCKJAW”.  While day 1 only produced 2 limits over 10 lbs, day 2 was a little better as 3 bags weighing over 10 lbs.  Brandon Staten found the “mother lode” as he brought 5 fish to the scales weighing 21 lbs, which vaulted him into the tournament lead with a 2 day total of 29 lbs 11 ozs.  Hanging on for second place and leading the Tennessee team was David Rogers who weighed in 9 lb 14 oz to finished with 25 lb 6 ozs.  Jeremy Henry of Tennessee weighed a total of 19 lb 7 ozs to join David Rogers as boaters to the National Championship from Tennessee.  Co anglers from Tennessee will be John Huntley and Brett Mchaney.  Brandon Staten # 1 overall and Chase Preat of Kentucky will represent Kentucky at the National.  A big shout out to Bill Buckner of Kentucky, while he zeroed on day 1 he found that mother lode on day 2 and was the comeback angler of the tournament.  His day 2 weight was 5 weighing 17 lb 2 ozs.  Day 2 big bass was caught by Michael Carter of Kentucky, a largemouth weighing 6 lb 5 ozs.  Second big bass was a largemouth weighing 6 lb 2 ozs caught by Jeremy Henry of Tennessee.

All in all, it was a successful tournament, however, the big smallmouth Pickwick Lake is noted for never showed up.  There was only 1 smallmouth over 5 lbs caught by Bill Buckner of Kentucky.

Many thanks go to Beth Pippin and the Hardin County Tourism for their hospitality during the week.  I urge everyone if they are looking to take a trip to catch some great smallmouth to consider Pickwick Lake in Hardin County.  Also, thanks to all sponsors of The Bass Federation for their sponsorship.