Abernethy; North Carolina Continue to Lead 2013 Southern Division Championship

Gary Abernethy from Skyland, N.C., and the North Carolina state team lead the 2013 Southern Division Championship presented by Solar Bat after two competition days on Lake Barkley in Clarksville, Tenn.  This week, 12 state champions from each of the seven states in the Southern division met on Lake Barkley to compete for the division champion titles both in the individual and state team standings.  Today, those titles will be awarded and fourteen TBF anglers, the top two from each state, will advance to the 2014 Federation National Championship. 

Gary Abernethy caught a limit of bass on day two weighing 15lbs 5ounces for a tournament total of 30lbs 5ounces to hold onto the lead in the individual standings.  Three pounds away in second is David Kneece from Gilbert, S.C.  Kneece caught a limit of bass weighing 14lbs 7ounces to make his two day total 27lbs 5ounces.  In third by less than a pound is Jeff Hager from Alexis, N.C., with 13lbs 13ounces yesterday for a total of 26lbs 7ounces. 

The North Carolina state team caught 107lbs 15ounces for a two day total of 188lbs 8ounces.     Alabama is in second with 180lbs 6ounces and the host state of Tennessee is in third with 163lbs 12ounces.

Today, the battle continues on Lake Barkley as TBF anglers inch closer to those division champion titles and all the bragging rights on the final day of the 2013 Southern Division Championship.

2013 Southern Division Championship Kicks Off on Lake Barkley

TBF anglers flock to Lake Barkley in Clarksville, Tenn., this week for the 2013 SouthernDSC_0062 Division Championship presented by Solar Bat.  Twelve state champions from each of the seven states in the Southern division will compete for the division champion titles both in the individual and state team standings.  Fourteen TBF anglers, the top two from each state, will also earn slots in the 2014 Federation National Championship.

Out in front after day one is Gary Abernethey from Skyland, N.C. and the North Carolina state team.   Abernethey had a five bass limit yesterday weighing 15lbs even.

The North Carolina state team caught 80lbs 9ounces of Lake Barkley bass to step into the lead.  The Alabama state team is close in second with 74lbs 6ounces.  In third, is the Georgia state team with 71lbs 13ounces. 

Today, the battle continues on Lake Barkley as day two of the 2013 Southern Division Championship continues.

THE STANDOFF IS OVER – ALEXANDER’S TAILWATERS BILL PASSES

Legislation ensures that world-class tailwater fisheries will remain open

(May 23, 2013) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cannot legally restrict fishing below dams in Tennessee, according to a two-year ban that passed Congress yesterday.

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander has led the effort to persuade the Corps to be reasonable on this issue, but it finally took passage of his bill in the Senate and the House to ensure that the areas below Corps dams would not be closed off to fishing boats. Continue reading

Oregon holds on for the title; Echterncamp comes from behind to win 2013 Northwest Division Championship

DSCN1318A week of beautiful weather was the setting for the 2013 Northwest Division Championship presented by Berkley on Pot Holes Lake in Moses Lake, Wash.  TBF anglers continued to bring in heavy bags of mostly smallmouth all three tournament days. 

The top ten anglers advanced on the final day to the 2014 Federation National Championship and division champion titles were awarded both in the individual and state team standings.    

Aaron Echterncamp, from Moses Lake, Wash., trailed in the individual standings the first two days but made a run the final day to take the lead and the esteemed title.  Echerncamp had five bass limits all three days of 20lbs 3ounces, 21lbs 7ounces and 24lbs to make his tournament total 65lbs 10ounces, a mere 3 ounces in front of day one and two leader, Chad Kaiser. 

DSCN1317“First day, I didn’t expect to see someone come in with 26lbs,” Echterncamp said.  “I was pacing the weights at 20lbs, thought that would be pretty adequate.  When Kaiser came in with that, I knew I had a little making up to do.”

Pot Holes Lake is in Echterncamp’s backyard.  He’s spent many days on its waters, but this week he said he was seeing, “just huge fish, a lot bigger than normal on that lake.”  He saw bigger fish in practice but was having trouble getting the good bite.  “By the third day, they were getting more active.  More fish just kept coming up the whole week.”   

The final day Echterncamp fished all new areas, but first set out to hunt down and catch a smallmouth he lost the first day.  “I spent the rest of the day looking for areas that hadn’t been fished,” Echertencamp continued.  “Everybody was kind of concentrating in the same areas further in the back; those areas were getting a lot of pressure, I just moved outside of them. And with the good weather I was able to move further and further out, the fish were a lot less spooked.” 

Echerncamp is no stranger to nationals but this is his first divisional win, and being on his home lake makes it that much sweeter.  “I just want to thank our Washington TBF President, Russell Baker, and Limit Out Marine.  I was having some boat issues on the second day; they worked on my boat and got me back out there to do what I did today.” 

DSCN1323