Day 2 TBF Southern Division Championship, Presented by All Pro Rods

Lake Norman, North Carolina

Hokey Pokey was the name of the game today at Lake Norman as the state team standing were “shaking it all up” today.

Day 1 leader North Carolina was all the way down into 5th place more than half way through the weigh-in today but a late flight surge of good limits by North Carolina anglers propelled the host state back to the top of the State standings. They finished day 2 with a total team weight of 150 pounds and 13 ounces. Tennessee moved up 2 places to second with 135-9, South Carolina slid back to third with 134-3,Georgia moves up two places to fourth with their team weight of 132-8, Alabama hung on to the fifth spot at 126-7. The Kentucky squad dropped 3 places to finish sixth with 117-8 and Florida sits in seventh at 102-4.

After a shake up like today its anyone’s guess who will win the title of division champions and take home the All-Pro Rods Southern Division Cup. One thing is for sure…North Carolina has to feel good about its chances. No one knows how many years it’s been since North Carolina won a divisional title, many years to say the least. North Carolina can’t even remember it’s been so long. They are hungry for a win and are in position to lock it up, all they have to do tomorrow is …….win.

In the individual standings, it seems to be a battle of the Carolina’s. Day 1 leader Craig Fredrychowski had another solid day, although he was overtaken by North Carolina Joshua Queen whose two day total of 20 pounds 14 ounces was bolstered by a 11-5 sack today. Queen hold the top spot by a 11 ounce margin ahead of Fredrychowski.

Fredrychowski wants the front of the boat!

Alabama will have to hurry to keep the cup for a third year.

Lake Norman, NC.

South Carolina’s Craig Fredrychowski is the reining TBF Co-Angler National Champion, he is serving notice today at the TBF Southern Division Championship, Presented by All-Pro Rods that he wants to go back to the Federation National Championship in 2009….as a boater.

North Carolina Leads the state competition:

Alabama has won the All Pro Rods Southern Division Cup and title of Southern Division champs the last two years in a row. If they want to make it three in a row they will have to get it in gear ……they are currently in fifth place, behind Tennessee and Kentucky who are in fourth and thrid respectively. Then they will need to look at both North AND South Carolina whose teams sit in the one and two spots only four ounces apart.

Final Day of the TBF Central Division Championship

Yankton, South Dakota, – June 6, 2008

It was a tough day in Yankton, S. Dakota as the TBF Central Division Championship came to a conclusion. The boats pulled off the ramp one by one, just as the sun was coming over the horizon. The anglers were all eager to find a limit of keepers, and hopeful to be pronounced the winner of their respective states. However, once again the weather proved to be their number one obstacle. The wind blew so hard it was causing anywhere from 5 to 7 ft. waves, making some of the boats hard to maneuver. But, the anglers still managed to catch some great smallmouth bass, as the final day of the tournament rolled on.

Jason Baird from Gypsum, Kansas was the Central Division Champion and the Castrol Maximum Performer. Jason caught four fish today that weighed 5lbs. 15 ounces, which made him able to rise from his 3rd place finish yesterday and become the tournament champion. He caught a total weight of 22 lbs, which was also enough to make him the leader of his state team and a qualifier for the TBF National Championship. “I found lots of fish the practice day, and fished from those same 20 spots the first two days of the tournament. But, today was a lot different. I fished at one spot right outside the cove all day; I literally used no gas. To catch all of my fish I used 3/16 ounce smallie beaver, and I an 8 ounce seaguar flurocarbon. I had four bites and I caught four fish, and I am so glad that it was enough to qualify me for nationals. This will be my fourth time to go, and I can’t wait,” Jason said.

Finishing in 2nd place in the individual standing was Zachary King from Clarksville, Arkansas. He caught three fish today that weighed 5 lbs. 4 ounces, making his total weight 20 lbs.1 ounce and making a qualifier for the TBF National Championship. “I fished in 10 to 15 ft water today using an original shaky head football jig. I actually lost a big one this morning, but I stayed in the cove all day and did bed fishing. It’s a great opportunity to be representing the state of Arkansas at the TBF National Championship, it will be my second time and I’m really looking forward to it,” Zachary said.

Also from Arkansas, state team member Jim Towers finished 3rd and will be representing the state of Arkansas at the 2009 TBF National Championship as their non-boater. He caught three fish today, making his total weight 19 lbs. 4 ounces. “I did get 3 miles up the lake today. But, I ended up fishing mostly in the cove using Carolina rigs. I had three bites, and I caught three keepers,” Jim said.

In 4th place was Bryan Fox from Hot Springs, Arkansas with a total weight of 19 lbs. 1 ounce, and rounding out the top 5 was Marion Halbersma from Ozark, Missouri. For more individual standings, click here.

The fisherman responsible for catching the biggest fish today was Chris Scherbring from Abilene, Kansas. He was awarded the big bass cash, with a fish that weighed 4 lbs. 9 ounces. “I fished really slow today, dragging a 5 inch finesse worm on a spot remover jig, along the bottom of the water,” Chris said.

The 2008 State Division Champion was the state of Arkansas. With three of the top five individual qualifiers, the state of Arkansas came out on top catching 107 total fish that weighed 156 lbs. 12 ounces.

Oklahoma came in 2nd with 104 total fish that weighed 153 lbs. 13 ounces, and rounding out the top three was Texas with 101 total fish that weighed 146 lbs. 2 ounces. For more state team standings, click here.

The TBF National Championship will be held in 2009, and the location will be announced soon. Then, the top two winners from all 46 state federations will compete to decide who will be the TBF National Champion and the winner of the largest pay-out in 30 years of federation fishing.

Anglers battle extreme weather on Day 2 of the TBF Central Division Championship

Yankton, South Dakota, – June 5, 2008

The second day of the TBF Central Division Championship was extremely different than the first. The day began with calm skies and a light breeze, but quickly turned to thunderstorms terrorizing southeastern S. Dakota. Golf ball size hail, tornado watches, and 100 mile winds plagued the area. Although the conditions were tougher, and the amount of bass caught was a lot less, the anglers rose above their circumstances and kept fighting for a place at the top.

Robert Cartlidge, the TBF President, stepped into that position today. He brought in 8 lbs. 4 ounces of bass, making his total 17 lbs. 13 ounces. Robert is also leading his home state of Oklahoma. But, only 3 lbs. separate him and angler Stewart Ryan from the top Oklahoma spot. “I traveled about the same distance down the lake today as I did yesterday; the biggest difference was the weather as a severe storm blew in mid-morning. We had to stop for 30 minutes and seek shelter under a barge walkway during the hail storm. Other than that, the bite was non-existent before 9:00 this morning; the fish just would not cooperate. Around 9:00 am I was finally able to figure them out, and was culling by 10:30. Although the conditions were not exactly favorable, my partner and I caught some great smallmouth bass,” Robert said.

Marion Halbersma from Missouri, the 2nd place individual finisher from yesterday, was also 2nd today. Fighting to close the gap, Marion brought in 7 lbs. 13 ounces of bass; only one ounce now separates him from the first place spot overall. “I was affected a little by the conditions today, but I started to get a hold on a different style of fishing and managed to catch a limit by noon. In the end, even with the horrible weather, I was happy to know I was able to hold on to the 2nd place standing,” Marion said.

Close behind Marion is Jason Baird from Kansas and Mark Hensiek from Arkansas. Both anglers are tied for 3rd place overall with a total weight of 16 lbs. 1 ounce. Jason caught a limit of bass weighing 7 lbs. 1 ounce today, and he is leading the state of Kansas. Mark Hensiek also caught a limit today, which weighed 7 lbs. 3 ounces, and he is leading the state team of Arkansas.

In the state standings, leading the pack for the second day in a row, the state team of Oklahoma increased their lead to today from 8 ounce, to 3 lbs. 14 ounces. The Oklahoma President had nothing but great things to say about his team. “Our state member’s first focus is working well as a team, and this has proven to be a great fishery for them to really do that. Tonight we will focus on the things that we need to work on for the final day, so we can return tomorrow and finish what we have came here to do,” Gary Gunter said.

Bob Walla is leading the hosting state of Nebraska with a total weight of 14 lbs. 2 ounces. He caught a limit of five fish today despite his tough conditions. “Today was the second worst boating experience I have ever had, second only to when the rain was so bad my Ranger boat ended up full of water. However, I did catch a limit by 12:30, and I culled three times, so, in the end it worked out in my favor,” Bob said.

The top two leaders from each state will advance to the Federation National Championship in 2009. There they will compete for the largest purse in over 30 years of federation fishing.

Day 3 of this two day event will get under way tomorrow, with weigh-in at 3:30 at Prairie Dog bay Ramp, in Northville state park. Weigh-ins are free to the public.