Robert Harkness, WV
Many TBF anglers found solid keepers, while others came up short today in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. Shifting tides and windy bouts threw the bite off, as day one of the 2010 TBF Mid-Atlantic Championship is underway in Perryville, Maryland on Susquehanna Flats. The pay-out for this contest is nearly $19,000 in prize money, trophies and Ranger Cup, Lowrance and big bass bonuses split between the state teams and their champions. This week we will name an overall State Team and Divisional Champion. Also, the top two from each of the seven divisions will advance to the 2011 Federation National Championship. There they will vie for the national titles and the chance to “Live the Dream” with entry fees and travel paid on the FLW Pro circuit for a year, including use of a wrapped Ranger boat and Chevrolet truck. Finding and wrangling them in a tidal water system under these conditions will be tough, but anglers know the stakes and are ready for round two.
Out on top, is Rich Nicodemus from Martinsburg, Penn., who caught a limit of bass weighing 13lb 1ounce. Nicodemus had eight bites today, all early morning. “Fishing was real tough; the tide and wild winds made the bite hard,” Nicodemus said. He covered a lot of ground junk fishing. He also found a couple of sweet spots he plans to run through tomorrow. “I found two spots I’ll try out again; I think they’ll hold ‘em for two days but probably not three.”
Doug Peabody
Holding down second, is Doug Peabody who had a five bass limit weighing
12lb 4o ounces. Peabody is from Brick, N. J., and is leading the New Jersey State Team who currently holds their number one slot. Like the majority of the field, Peabody is hoping for less wind tomorrow. “Fishing was pretty good, I only lost one but I was just limited where I could fish; it could have been better,” Peabody said. Peabody has won three federation tournaments here and is hoping to make it a fourth. “I just hope I can keep it going and finish this one out.”
The tournament lunker will be awarded the big bass pot, not mention, hefty bragging rights. Leading so far, is Jim
Jim Short
Short from Berlin, Maryland with a 5lb 7ounce bass. “I got all my bites early,” Short said. “As soon as the tide got high the bites slowed.” Short caught his lunker around 10:30 and hopes to find the big ones again tomorrow. “I hope the tide comes down; at different spots it was so high the docks were covered.”
Tomorrow TBF anglers will go out hoping for the best, preparing for the worst and looking to solidify the top spots in their respective states. With conditions as they are, the playing field is level and it’s shaping up to be quite an event at the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Division Championship.
The Mid-Atlantic Division Championship is presented by Cecil County Maryland Tourism and the weigh-ins begin 2:30pm each day at Nauti Goose, Anchor Marine, Ramp 36.
Weigh-ins are free and open to the public
The overall State Team standings are as follows: New Jersey-77lb 3ounces; West Virginia-70lb; Maryland-65lb 13ounces; Delaware-54lb 7ounces; Virginia-53lb 15ounces; Pennsylvania-40lb 11ounces; District of Columbia-23lb 3ounces
For full standings go to www.bassfederation.com; Results
