Smith Takes Lead After Day 2 in Southwest Division Championship

5/5/11 Lake Powell, UT – The fish are rushing the banks at Lake Powell in Utah for the 2011 Southwest Division Championship, presented by Lowrance. Sun was out today and bass are all over the banks this afternooon looking for spawning sites and setting up nests. If tomorrow is another high sunny day with calm winds, site-fishing will rule.

Cameron Smith of Dana Point, Cal., California Bass Federation’s 2010 Angler of the Year and State Champion, takes the lead today with a 2-day total of 26lbs 6 oz. “I’ve been doing alot of site fishing on points that I marked in pre-fishing practice.” Smith is going to switch it up a little bit tomorrow, going up the river a little ways. If Cameron qualifies tomorrow for the National Championship, this will be his second appearance, his first being in 2010. Continue reading

AZ Angler Jeff Erickson Leads Day 1 of 2011 Southwest Division Championship

5/4/11 (Lake Powell, UT) – Jeff Erickson, of Phoenix, AZ (Arizona Federation) leads day one of the 2011 Southwest Division Championship, presented by Lowrance, on Lake Powell with 14 lbs 7 oz, a mere 7 oz lead over second place angler, California’s Cameron Smith, who has 14 lbs even.

In Federation Standings, Team Arizona is in 1st place with 106 lbs, a few ounce lead over host Federation Utah, who has 105-5.

Day 1 Overall Standings

Day 1 State Team Member Standings

Day 1 State Federation Standings

MD Conservation Director Starts Monofilament Recycling Program

TBF of Md Conservation Director poses with one of three Monofilament Recycling bins he and his Wife, Tanya, installed at Smallwood State Park
TBF of Md Conservation Director poses with one of three Monofilament Recycling bins he and his Wife, Tanya, installed at Smallwood State Park

5/1/11 – Drew Lofton became the Maryland Federation Conservation Director in March 2011, then attended the National Championship in April where he attended the TBF Conservation Meetings, led by TBF National Conservation Director, Mark Gintert. After attending, Lofton had some ideas for his Federation. The day he got back from the meetings, he told Gintert about his plan to start a monofilament  recycling program. He had noticed that tubes didn’t exist in alot of places where he fished. “I had previously lived in west Palm beach for about 5 yrs, and they are everywhere down there, so I thought what a great “first” project for our Federation”. 

Gintert told him about a program where BoatUS would donate the tubes, so the MD Federation didn’t have to spend alot of their own money to begin this project. BoatUS donated 20 pre-made recycling bins (about $1000.00 worth) to the TBF of MD. So far MD has only gotten “permission” to put them in 3 locations; the fuel dock at National Harbor (which will be hosting an FLW event in June), Smallwood State Park, and Fort Washington Marina. TBF National office sent TBF/FLW Partner in Fishing stickers to post near the tubes.

Lofton is in the midst of conducting a survey, with the help of the DNR on which ramps have recycling tubes, and which ones do not. “Ideally we would like to see one at EVERY boat ramp, and all the high fishing traffic areas,” Lofton said.

Pelletier Holds on to Win Overall 2011 Northwest Division Championship

Ten Anglers Qualify for 2012 TBF National Championship

Overall winner Renaud Pelletier

Overall winner Renaud Pelletier

Hood River, Oregon (4/29/11) – Weather conditions tested the best Northwest Division anglers on the final day of the 2011 Northwest Division Championship, presented by Cabela’s.

Local river knowledge and years of fishing experience paid off for Oregon Federation angler, Renaud Pelletier, for a wire-to-wire win in the TBF Northwest Divisional Championship. Renaud said that he had a great week of fishing. “The water level of the pool dropped 3 feet today and the fish I was targeting moved out to deeper water and would not bite the rattlebaits I was throwing earlier in the week,” Pelletier said. All of his fish today came on tubes and said he had to work for the bites. He fished all 3 days on the west end of the pool. He finishes the tournament with a 3-day total weight of 49-06. Continue reading