The Arkansas state team led from start to finish wrapping up the 2013 Central Division Championship presented by Evinrude on Lake Ray Robert, June 11-14.  In the individual standings, Paul Helton, from Russellville, Ark., was in a tie for fourteenth after day one and inched to seventh on day two, to take the lead and the division champion title on the final day. 

Helton led the Arkansas state team after three tournament days with 9lbs 13ounces, 14lbs and 16lbs 1ounces for a total of 39lbs 14ounces.  Helton and his family are very active in TBF and FLW from the adult to the high school and college levels.  “First of all, TBF and FLW have been great for me; they’ve been great to my family,” Helton said.  “I feel like they are part of my family, and I couldn’t do any of this without them or the support of my family.”

Helton settled into fourteenth after day one with a solid bag but not enough to lead his team.  “It took me a little while to figure out they were in the transition phase, moving deeper, getting off the structures I was fishing, it wasn’t like they were replenishing.” 

Helton used his homemade, watermelon colored football jig and 12lb fluorocarbon McCoy fishing line all week.  “I get the reason they put me on the McCoy Pro Team, I used their 12lb fluorocarbon all three days; it was great.”  He started fishing shallow in the 5ft range.  As the week progressed, he followed the fish out of the spawning pockets to isolated structures in the 8-12ft range.  “I just had a great tournament, great partners,” Helton continued.  “I was blessed to win. It was also a great opportunity to be a part of the winning Arkansas team.  The guys are all great; it was an awesome victory.”

Lake Ray Robert shelled out 610 bass last week for a total of 1,523lbs 6ounces.  The Arkansas state team led all three tournament days with 85lbs 3ounces, 87lbs 13ounces and 84lbs 15ounces for a team total of 257lbs 15ounces.  “Everybody was trying to make adjustments out there and the Arkansas guys were successful, we got it,” Helton said of his team.  “Everybody has their own style but everybody just came together and did the best they could for the win.  Great team, great coanglers and really that’s what you gotta have, the whole team, a team effort.” 

Close behind until the final day, was the Oklahoma state team with 84lbs 14ounces, 68lbs 4ounces and 55lbs 10ounces for a team total of 208lbs 12ounces.  Louisiana came in third with 192lbs 13ounces, followed by Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and then Mississippi. 

Sixteen TBF anglers, the top two from each of the eight states in the Central division, also advanced to the 2014 Federation National Championship.  There they’ll go head to head with other TBF division champions from across the US to compete for the national champion titles and the “Living the Dream” prize package, to be awarded to both the national champion boater and coangler.  The package includes cash and prizes, paid entry as an FLW Tour Pro in his/her circuit choice and use of a wrapped Ranger Boat and Chevrolet truck for the year, as well as, travel stipends and sponsor merchandise. 

June 13, 2013 (Lake Ray Roberts, TX) – Summertime has arrived in North Central Texas as the temps have been in the mid to upper 90s this week for the 2013 Central Division Championship, presented by Evinrude near Denton, Texas On Lake Ray Roberts.

After day two, Nebraska State Team’s Jeremy Sorenson of Fremont, Neb leads. Today he had 4 fish that weighed 12-04, two day total of 27-13. “It’s really tough out there. I had only 7 bites yesterday and 5 today. I was able to pull in 4 today. This has been one of the worst practices I’ve ever had. I caught only 2 keepers in 3 days. Then with about 2 hrs to go before off-limits on Tuesday, I pulled into one spot and caught a 7lb’er in a tree and I have kept on returning to that tree,” said Sorenson. “Tomorrow I plan run to my water first thing in morning, see if they are there and if they aren’t, I’m going to have to rely on my co-angler for some possible spots.” Read the rest of this entry »

Ninety-six TBF anglers took off the shores of Lake Ray Robert as the 2013 Central Division Championship presented by Evinrude kicked off in Denton, Texas yesterday.  Twelve state champions representing the eight states in the Central division will compete for the titles both in the individual and state team standings this week.  Sixteen TBF anglers, the top two from each state, will also earn slots in the 2014 Federation National Championship.

After day one, Hoyt Akins from Bauxite, Ark., leads the individual standings with a five bass limit weighing 18bs 2ounces.  “It was slow out there today and in practice,” Hoyt said.  “I only had five bites, five bites and five fish.”  Hoyt’s first bite of the day came around 8:30am when he landed a six and a half pound beauty.  “He was way down in a tree; we had to go get to him.  It definitely was exciting, set the pace for the day.”

It was slow across the board today with several anglers struggling to find limits.  “It was sunny and windy today, which was good.  I need the wind to blow.  If it stops it will be over for me,” Hoyt continued.  “Tomorrow, I’m just going to go out there and try to catch a limit.  I’m going to hit some new stuff and some of the same stuff, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that doesn’t work.”

In the state team standings, Arkansas is leading it with 85lbs 3ounces followed close behind by Oklahoma state team with 84lbs 14ounces.  In third, is Missouri with 68lbs 14ounces. 

Today, the 2013 Central Division Championship continues on Lake Ray Robert as state champion anglers set out to claim the division champion titles and all the bragging rights.

FULL RESULTS ARE HERE