Middletown, 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
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.
TBF’s Eastern Division state teams traveled to the Connecticut River this week for the 2013 Eastern Division Championship presented by Cabela’s, TBF of Rhode Island and the City of Middletown. The Eastern Division consists of seven state teams and the Ontario state team. TBF anglers competed locally and on the state level for over a year to qualify for the no-entry fee division championship event.
After three tournament days, the top two anglers from each state earn spots in the 2014 Federation National Championship. The 2013 Northern Division Champions will also be crowned in both the individual and overall state team standings. Continue reading
Wheeling, WV (Sept 6, 2013) – The 2013 Northern Division Championship, presented by Cabela’s wrapped up today on the Ohio River. Yesterday, only a few pounds separated 1st to 20th place so it was still anybody’s game. Yesterday’s leader, Dave Cermak of Indiana finishes strong and came out on top. His state team comes from behind to beat out host Ohio in the state team standings.
Cermak finishes the tournament with the largest limit of the whole tournament today, 8 lbs 9 oz, for a 3-day total weight of 21 lbs 5 oz. “It was a tough pre-fish for me,” said Cermak. “But each day of fishing got better for me, the water cleared up and got better and better every day. I was throwing a Strike King Coffee tube on a Bite-Me jig head. I was fishing the current breaks and the rocky shoal points, milfoil grass, then got on a weed pattern the last few days of the tournament. I stayed in the Hannibal Pool all three days.” Cermak will advance to the 2014 TBF National Championship as a boater for the state of Indiana, which is an EXTREMELY tough state to make state team in. “This is my first state team. I’ve made the state championship 3 years for the Indiana Bassmasters out of Portage, IN. But I had never made state team until this year. I’m so nervous, but it’s a dream come true. I’ve been tournament fishing for about 18 years, working hard and it has finally paid off.” Continue reading
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