SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR

Submitted by: Nick Angiulo

 2013 All Ameican Day 2 Big Fish - 2      During the week of June 24, 2013, I had the good fortune to experience an opportunity that only a few true “amateur” bass fishermen get: the chance to fish at the yearly BFL (Bass Fishing League) All American tournament run by the FLW, the premier bass fishing organization in the country.  This tournament, which has been dubbed by some as the most difficult bass tournament in the world to qualify for, pits the best “weekend warrior” anglers against one another.  Most of the participants qualified for the event by fishing in five local BFL events in 2012 and finishing high enough in those events to fish in one of the several regional BFL events where they had to finish in the top six to get a berth at the 2013 All American.  The alternate route to the All American, and the one taken by me, was to qualify through The Bass Federation (TBF).  That route is arguably even more difficult.  For me, it started by fishing in five New Jersey Bass Federation tournaments in 2011 and finishing in second place in the overall standings, which placed me on the 2012 New Jersey Bass Federation’s State Team.  From there, the Team fished in the TBF Mid-Atlantic Divisional tournament held in September 2012 on the Potomac River.  At that event, I was the second highest finisher from New Jersey, which qualified me as a Co-Angler for the 2013 TBF National Championship.  At that event, held in April 2013 at Grand Lake in Oklahoma, I wound up as the top Co-Angler from the Mid-Atlantic Division (and in sixth place overall) which got me a coveted spot as a Co-Angler at the 2013 All American, which this year, was held on June 27, 28 and 29 at Nickajack Lake in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Continue reading

2013 VA TBF Junior State Championship

LowranceThe VA TBF Junior Championship kicked off on Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Locust Shade Park in Dumfries VA with all anglers, parents and boat captains being treated to a huge cookout hosted by Northern VA Junior Bass Anglers.  On Sunday, June 23, 2013, 38 anglers arrived at Leesylvania State Park on the Potomac River at 5:30am. As the 6am blast-off was closing in, the rain set in. Anglers and boat captains blasted off at 6:15 in the pouring rain and returned to the ramp at 2pm for the crowning of the 2013 VA State Champions. When the scales closed, the State Champion in the 11-14 age group was Michael Cox of Virginia Junior Anglers with a 4 fish limit that weighed 8.89 lbs and in the 15-18 age group, Matthew Rock of Southwest Virginia Junior Bass Anglers had a limit of 4 bass that weighed 10.43 lbs. After the crowning, everyone was treated to another cookout. Special thanks to the following sponsors: Bass Pro Shops of Ashland VA, Green Top Sporting Goods, Deep Creek Lures, Missile Baits, Chum’s Bait and Tackle, Rod Glove, Rat-L-Trap, Preferred Plastics Custom Baits, Dave’s Tournament Tackle, Plano and Lowrance!!!!

Kansas State Youth Tournament Championship 2013

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In the 11 – 14 Age Group, Zach Vielhauer, pictured on the left above, from Shawnee KS, was 1st place with a limit of 5 fish and a total of 1534 points. 2nd place was Hunter Baird, pictured on the right above, from Gypsum KS, with a limit of 5 fish and a total of 1460 points.

The Bass Federation of Kansas (TBFKS), in partnership with the Russell County Economic Development Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted the 2013 Youth Tournament on Saturday, May 18th.  It was held at Wilson Lake at Sylvan KS with two age groups.  Both winners will move on to the Junior World Championship near Shreveport LA in August.  Continue reading

Arkansas Sweeps the 2013 Central Division Championship

Cen Div Overall Winner Paul HeltonThe Arkansas state team led from start to finish wrapping up the 2013 Central Division Championship presented by Evinrude on Lake Ray Robert, June 11-14.  In the individual standings, Paul Helton, from Russellville, Ark., was in a tie for fourteenth after day one and inched to seventh on day two, to take the lead and the division champion title on the final day. 

Helton led the Arkansas state team after three tournament days with 9lbs 13ounces, 14lbs and 16lbs 1ounces for a total of 39lbs 14ounces.  Helton and his family are very active in TBF and FLW from the adult to the high school and college levels.  “First of all, TBF and FLW have been great for me; they’ve been great to my family,” Helton said.  “I feel like they are part of my family, and I couldn’t do any of this without them or the support of my family.”

Helton settled into fourteenth after day one with a solid bag but not enough to lead his team.  “It took me a little while to figure out they were in the transition phase, moving deeper, getting off the structures I was fishing, it wasn’t like they were replenishing.” 

Helton used his homemade, watermelon colored football jig and 12lb fluorocarbon McCoy fishing line all week.  “I get the reason they put me on the McCoy Pro Team, I used their 12lb fluorocarbon all three days; it was great.”  He started fishing shallow in the 5ft range.  As the week progressed, he followed the fish out of the spawning pockets to isolated structures in the 8-12ft range.  “I just had a great tournament, great partners,” Helton continued.  “I was blessed to win. It was also a great opportunity to be a part of the winning Arkansas team.  The guys are all great; it was an awesome victory.”

Lake Ray Robert shelled out 610 bass last week for a total of 1,523lbs 6ounces.  The Arkansas state team led all three tournament days with 85lbs 3ounces, 87lbs 13ounces and 84lbs 15ounces for a team total of 257lbs 15ounces.  “Everybody was trying to make adjustments out there and the Arkansas guys were successful, we got it,” Helton said of his team.  “Everybody has their own style but everybody just came together and did the best they could for the win.  Great team, great coanglers and really that’s what you gotta have, the whole team, a team effort.” 

Close behind until the final day, was the Oklahoma state team with 84lbs 14ounces, 68lbs 4ounces and 55lbs 10ounces for a team total of 208lbs 12ounces.  Louisiana came in third with 192lbs 13ounces, followed by Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and then Mississippi. 

Central Division National Contenders

Sixteen TBF anglers, the top two from each of the eight states in the Central division, also advanced to the 2014 Federation National Championship.  There they’ll go head to head with other TBF division champions from across the US to compete for the national champion titles and the “Living the Dream” prize package, to be awarded to both the national champion boater and coangler.  The package includes cash and prizes, paid entry as an FLW Tour Pro in his/her circuit choice and use of a wrapped Ranger Boat and Chevrolet truck for the year, as well as, travel stipends and sponsor merchandise.