Lake Sam Rayburn, Brookeland, TX
Non-Boater Chase Preat (left) from Kentucky and Boater John Levesque (right) from New Hampshire (pictured below) wins 2024 TBF Federation National Championship Live YOUR dream prize packages!
To qualify for The Bass Federation’s (TBF) Federation National Championship is a process and a dream come true event for best grassroots anglers from across North America. It all starts at the local state federation level, fishing through your home state federation events to qualify for one of 21 TBF National Semi finals held each year. The top anglers from each State at each one of these 21 TBF National Semifinals earns a spot in the Federation National Championship and from there the sky is the limit.
2024 TBF National Champion Boater John Levesque from New Hampshire pictured with part of his winnings include the Ranger Z520 sitting behind him!
104 of the nation’s best grassroots anglers converged on Lake Sam Rayburn, in Brookeland Texas this week to compete in the 3-day event. The format of the event is a great field leveler and was voted into place the state federation decades ago so that angler only had to compete against other similar anglers geographically to advance. Each angler (boaters and co-anglers) competes the first two day against the other anglers in their geographical division (Eastern, Northern, Southern, Mid-Atlantic, North West, South West, Southern and Central) to make the cut into the 3rd and final day as their divisions Champion. Then on the final day only those 7 division champion boaters and 7 division champion non-boaters go out to try to earn the national champions titles. 14 anglers advance to the BFL All-American thanks to the partnership between TBF and our partners in fishing at MLF and the event boasts a total prize purse of over $400,000.00!
Day1- Boaters side.
Arkansas’s Kevin Brown jumped out to an overall lead and of course the lead in the central division (NE, KS, OK, TX, MO, AR, LA, MS) with a 5 fish bag that would turn out to be the largest bag of the week, that weighed 21-00 even. Little did the anglers know that Sam Rayburn had plans to be stingy with the anglers all week.
– Ontario Canada’s Andrew Shufelt sat in 2nd place overall with 19-14 and was leading the TBF’s Eastern Division (ONT, ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY)
– Chad Brinegar (WV) held the Mid-Atlantic Division lead 15-07 (PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, VA, DC)
– Brandon Staton (KY) lead the Southern Division with 15-01 (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TN, KY)
– Jonathan Jackson (NV) put 14-15 on the scales to lead the Southwest Division (AZ, CA, CO, NV, NM, UT)- Joseph McKay (IA) had 14-02 to lead the Northern Division (OH, MI, IN, IL, IA, WI, MN, SD) and
– Rick Funk (ID) held down the Northwest Division lead with 11-15 (WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, ND)
Non-Boaters side Day 1 leaders.
SW Div- Chase Hartman (AZ) 7-09
S Div- Chase Preat (KY) 15-14
NW Div- Mark Hilyer (MT) 8-10
N Div- Mark Laverack (SD) 10-07
M-A Div – John Wiseman (DC) 4-15
E Div – Peter Owen (NH) 13-08
C Div James Moore (TX) 9-05
Day 1 wrapped up with a tough bit for most the anglers, just days before high 20 and even high 30 pound bags were brought in, but a cool front came through, the lake level was falling for repair work on the damn and some fish had just spawned, it was tough fishing for most of the field, Sam Rayburn big fish did not show up. So the hope was day 2 they would be hungry.
They were not.
Day 2 turned out to be as tough if not tougher fishing for the championship anglers. So, after 2 days of fishing the division champions moving on to the 3rd and final day were as follows.
Boaters– John Levesque, (NH) E Div. (32-11), Kevin Brown (AR) C-Div 32-03, Brandon Staton (KY) S Div, 30-01, Tyler Ivie, (UT) SW Div., 25-05, Pete Saele, (IL) N Div. 25-01, Michael McMahon, (NJ), M-A Div., 23-05, Rick Funk, (ID), NW Div., 23-00
Non-Boaters – Chase Preat (KY) S Div. 27-00, James Moore, Jr. (TX) C Div. 19-07, Terry Laverack, (SD) N Div., 18-06, Peter Owen (NH), E Div, 17-14, Trey Anderson, (WV) M-A Div. 16-15, Chase Hartmann (AZ) SW Div, 15-08, and Daniel Dobransky, (ID), NW Div., 11-07.
Day 3 – The finals. The wind blew fishing picked up for some. This event proved that in the long run day over day consistency pays.
On the non-boaters side Kentucky’s Chase Preat, held on for the lead wire to wire throwing a chatter bait and a A-rig form the back of the boat. His win earned him the title and trophy as the TBF Non Boater National Champion and a all he could carry of his $35,000 prize package to help live HIS dream. Including a $20,000.00 check, Minn Kota, Trolling motor, Power Pole, $2,500 worth of paid entry fees to fish whatever he wishes to live HIS dream, advancement opportunities, travel stipends and more.
On the boaters side the lead was not as clear. It shifted daily and with each angler who weighed in on day 3. In the end it was New Hampshire John Levesque who consistently brought in enough to gather the field and take home the win.
While Levesque did not hold the lead every day he was right near the top every day and his final day consistency propelled him to a National Champion title. John reported using a variety of baits “Whatever it took to get a bite” he stated, including A-rig and Chatter baits as well. For his win he hosted the national champions trophy and a $125,000 prize package that included among other items; A check for $20,000, a brand new Ranger Z520R, with 250 HP outboard, MinnKota trolling motor, front and rear electronics, Impulse lithium full battery package, an impulse lithium multi bank charger, (2) power poles, a custom Ranger trail trailer, a $500 Atlas Jack plate bonus award, $5,000 worth of paid entry fees to whatever he wishes to fish to live HIS dream and more.
All 104 anglers took home a prize of some amount. All 52 boaters received a gas stipend, and all 104 national championship anglers also were offered and housing stipend to help off set their lodging costs.
IF you would like to join TBF Federation in your club and get started qualifying for next year’s event now is the time! You can find your home State President’s contact info right on this website under the state federations tab or call us at 580-765-9031 to get started.
