September 23, 2010 – Jay Clingenpeel from Bridgeport, W.V., captured the lead today in the individual standings with the tournaments biggest stringer. He had a limit that weighed 18lb 8ounces making his two-day total 27lb 4ounces. Clingenpeel seems to have figured it out. “Fishing today went really, really well,” Clingenpeel said. “Between these two days I’ve put it together; I just hope they hold up again tomorrow.” Clingenpeel thanked his luck of the draw. “Both days I had great partners. With TBF’s boater, non-boater system we really could just work together as a team out there, and that’s just what we did.” He has never advanced to the Federation National Championship and his eyes are really on the prize. “It’s been my dream; I really want to make it to nationals.” Tomorrow we’ll see if he’s got enough up his sleeve to do just that.
Only one ounce separates Clingenpeel from Edward Loughran from Mechanicsville, D.C. Loughran caught a limit of bass weighing 15lb 2ounces making his tournament total 27lb 3ounces. Holding an extremely tight second, Loughran plans on using the same strategies tomorrow. “I’m going to start the same place I’ve started the last two days,” Loughran said. He had a number of bites early and then they spread slowly through-out the day. “I actually left fish and went looking for the bigger bite; I found it.” Loughran definitely did and he hopes to find them one more day. “They might have run out in some spots so I’m probably going to have to scramble a little more tomorrow.”
The fight for third is between Greg Alexander from Hebron, Maryland and Jim Short from Berlin, Maryland. Both anglers caught a limit of bass bringing their two-day totals to 22lb 11ounces. Five pounds is all that separates the fifth from the twelfth place anglers; competition is tight and the ending is so close you can taste it. Only one day of fishing left to decide who will be called 2010 Mid-Atlantic Division Champions.
Scott Panas
Tournament big bass jumped to 5lb 14ounces today. Scott Panas from Martins Ferry, Ohio, caught the beauty. Panas had three bites and caught three fish, one of which was his lunker caught late in the day. “I caught him on a wood outside of a marina.” Panas was mainly flippin’ docks and wood, but tomorrow he’s going to try to switch it up. “I just really hope it holds up for big bass.”
The state team of West Virginia is leading by just a hair, looking to make a 3-peat sweep. They’ve won the past two years in a row, and though it’s neck and neck for tomorrow leading by ounces or leading by pounds won’t matter. They caught 31 fish today weighing 78lb 5ounces making their tournament total 148lb 5ounces. “It’s almost a surprise, I mean anywhere we go we can usually catch them, but we’re just not used to this type of water,” West Virginia President, John Burdette said. They won in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and now are looking to conquer Maryland waters, which poses the question, what are they doing different? “We just fish hard all day and keep steady concentration. I think that’s really our greatest strength, the thing that sets us apart.” Burdette hopes his team can keep up the hype; tomorrow we’ll see if they can hold on for three in a row.
Less than 2lbs away, determined to silence West Virginia’s winning streak is the state team of Delaware. Delaware came from fourth making a mighty push today to seal nearly a 25lb deficit. They caught 38 fish for 92lb 6ounces making their tournament total 146lb 13ounces. Yesterday’s leader, New Jersey state team, dropped to third today catching 27 fish that weighed 65lb 10ounces making their total 142lb 13ounces. In fourth, is the Pennsylvania state team who caught 38 fish weighing 84lb 11ounces bringing their total to 125lb 6ounces. Virginia state team is in fifth with 27 fish weighing 66lb 4ounces and a total weight of 120lb 3ounces. In sixth and seventh, are Maryland with 109lb 7ounces and the District of Columbia with 69lb 15ounces.
Full results at www.bassfederation.com; results
The Mid-Atlantic Division Championship is presented by Cecil County Maryland Tourism and the weigh-ins begin at 2:30pm each day at Nauti Goose, Anchor Marine, Ramp 36.
Weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
