Weiland, New Jersey Continue to Lead After Day Two

The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Division Championship presented by Ranger Boats and the New Jersey Bass Federation continued today on Lake Hopatcong from Lee’s Park in Mt. Arlington, N.J.  The home state team of New Jersey is out on top lead by, Scott Weiland, from Saddle Brook, N.J.  Tomorrow, the championship event will conclude.  Fourteen TBF anglers will advance to the 2014 Federation National Championship and the division champions will be crowned both in the team and individual standings.

Weiland had five bass limits both days, 12lbs 7ounces and 9lbs 8 ounces, making his two day total 21lbs 15ounces.  “It’s been tough out there for me too; I haven’t really been killing them by any means,” Weiland said.  “I had a few more bites today but not the quality I had yesterday.”

Weiland lives close by the lake, so he’s fishing very familiar waters.  “I’m basically junk fishing one or two main areas in grass then kind of junk fishing my favorite spots.  I hit 25 spots probably today, 15 different docks, rocks, trees or patches of grass throwing a variety of lures depending on the spot.”

Weiland said with the high pressure, full moon and the first big cold front that just came through the fishing is tougher than normal.  “We are in a transition; the lake’s starting to turn over and there are a lot of different variables working against us out there.  But, other than that, I think I’ll go out tomorrow, catch five more and hopefully, win it.”

Right behind Weiland in the individual standings is, Derick Olson, from Honey Brook, Penn.  Olson had a five bass limit today weighing 9lbs 4ounces making his two day total 19lbs 11ounces.  Olson will be looking to close the gap tomorrow in his final run for the champion title. 

In the team standings, New Jersey continues to lead with 64lbs 2ounces today making their total 117lbs 12ounces.  Less than an ounce out of the lead yesterday was the Delaware state team.  Today, Jersey widened the gap, but it’s still a tight race.  Delaware caught 39lbs 15ounces making their total 93lbs 8ounces. 

There’s a lot on the line for these anglers and state teams.  Tomorrow, we’ll see who’s got what it takes as the Mid-Atlantic showdown wraps up on Lake Hopatcong, the top two anglers from every state advance, and the titles are claimed. 

New Jersey Leads it By an Ounce; New Jersey’s Weiland Overall Leader

The Mid-Atlantic Division Championship presented by Ranger Boats and the New Jersey Bass Federation is underway.  TBF’s Mid-Atlantic anglers from six states and the District of Columbia launched off the shores of Lake Hopatcong today from Lee’s Park in Mt. Arlington, N.J.  TBF anglers competed locally and on the state level for over a year to qualify for the no-entry fee division championship event.  This week the champion titles will be crowned both in the individual and state team standings.

New Jersey state team and leader, Scott Weiland, from Saddle Brook, N.J., are leading in both standings.  Weiland had a five bass limit today weighing 12lbs 7ounces.  New Jersey state team had 28 bass weighing 53lbs 10ounces.

Second in the team standings, is Delaware state team with 53lbs 9ounces. In third, is Pennsylvania with 39lbs 10ounces followed close by West Virginia with 39lbs 3ounces.

Tomorrow, anglers will head out again in search of healthy limits to inch that much closer to the final day and all that comes with it.  This week 14 division state champions titles will be earned along with spots in the 2014 Federation National Championship.  The most bragged about titles will also be awarded, the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Division champions.

 Full results posted here.

Moutogiannis and his state team sweep 2013 Eastern Division Championship in Middletown

2013-dinoMiddletown, CT (Sept 13, 2013) – The 2013 Eastern Division Championship, presented by Cabela’s finished up today on the Connecticut River. Team Connecticut proved themselves on home waters of the Connecticut River in Middletown, Conn.

Dino Moutogiannis of the Connecticut Bass Federation finishes out on top, having the tournament’s largest sack today, 13 lbs even, making his 3-day total of the tournament 30 lbs 8 oz and making him the 2013 TBF Overall Eastern Division Champion. Continue reading

Cleary, Connecticut Leading Eastern Division Championship

Day two of the 2013 Eastern Division Championship presented by Cabela’s concluded today on the Connecticut River in Middletown, Conn.  Seven state teams and the Ontario state team making up TBF’s Eastern Division compete this week for the titles both in the individual and state team standings.  Weights dropped with the sun as the overcast day proved just as tough as yesterday’s rays.  One thing holding steady is the home state team of Connecticut lead by day one leader, Keith Cleary.

Cleary from Bethel, Conn., leads with 8lbs 2ounces today making his tournament total 20lbs 14ounces.  Cleary’s Connecticut state team is also leading with 126lbs 9ounces.

“Hard to say what happened out there,” Cleary said.  “I got the same number of bites in the same areas.  I just couldn’t get the big fish to bite; I couldn’t get them to go.”

Cleary had a five bass limit yesterday and culled twice for 12lbs 12ounces.  Today, he fished the same spot he has on these waters countless times and also had seven bites.  Tomorrow, he’s looking to score both the bites and the weights.     

“I’m happy with what I’ve got because it is tough out there.  Tomorrow, I’m going back and I’m going to camp there; hopefully, it will turn out the bite.” 

Just three ounces behind Cleary is Jim Gildea from Weston, Mass.  Gildea is leading the Massachusetts state team, which is holding down second in the state team standings with 108lbs.

Gildea squeezed in a five bass limit today weighing 9lbs 3ounces making his tournament total 20lbs 11ounces.

“I caught my biggest fish on the last cast in kind of a desperation move,” Gildea said.  “I bailed myself out somehow.”

Gildea had a great first day of fishing with non-boater, Brittany Johnson, from North Smithfield, R.I.  Johnson, who is currently in fourth on the Rhode Island state team, brought in a 5lb 3ounce smallmouth today.  Her smallmouth beauty is the tournament big bass so far.

“It’s been a great tournament.  Today was more of a grind, not easy by any means,” Gildea continued.  “This river changes like crazy; it’s like a new river every day.”

Tomorrow, Cleary and the Connecticut state team will be looking for the sweep as Gildea and the Massachusetts state team hope to shut it down.  The final day will settle it as the Eastern Division showdown ends on the Connecticut River.

FULL RESULTS