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.
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.
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
Eric Lippincott - Wyoming
Good spirits flow among the anglers to starts off day 3 of the Northwest Divisional in Hood River. Local weather forecast are calling for sustained winds throughout the day, which could hamper some anglers.
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