Ten Anglers Qualify for 2012 TBF National Championship
Overall winner Renaud Pelletier
Hood River, Oregon (4/29/11) – Weather conditions tested the best Northwest Division anglers on the final day of the 2011 Northwest Division Championship, presented by Cabela’s.
Local river knowledge and years of fishing experience paid off for Oregon Federation angler, Renaud Pelletier, for a wire-to-wire win in the TBF Northwest Divisional Championship. Renaud said that he had a great week of fishing. “The water level of the pool dropped 3 feet today and the fish I was targeting moved out to deeper water and would not bite the rattlebaits I was throwing earlier in the week,” Pelletier said. All of his fish today came on tubes and said he had to work for the bites. He fished all 3 days on the west end of the pool. He finishes the tournament with a 3-day total weight of 49-06.
Michael Gibney hung on to the 2nd place spot for the overall tournament and for the Oregon state team with a 3-day total of 48lbs 8 oz. Gibney said that he only caught 10 fish today all on rattle traps. Towards the end of the day, Gibney pulled up to a spot near the bridge and caught the biggest fish of his bag for the day.
Don Boeger - Idaho
Idaho Federation angler Don Boeger maintained the number 3 position for the event and held off a late charge by anglers in the pack, finishing his tournament at 43-15. “I fished the east end of the pool towards The Dalles all week”. Today Boeger credited his bag to two lures today, the Dry Creek Dropshot tube in Old Ugly and a medium diving red Bandit crankbait. Boeger said the morning run up to The Dalles was in 4 foot waves there and on the way back water conditions created 8 foot waves he had to surf to get back. Finishing first in his federation also means he’s headed back to Federation National Championship in 2012!
In the overall State Team Standings, the Oregon Federation won the overall team standings with a team total of 393 lbs even, followed by Idaho in second with 390-13.
Those qualifying and advancing to the 2012 Federation National Championship, with their shot at the $100,000 Living the Dream Prize Package are:
Oregon
Renaud Pelletier – Vancouver, WA
Michael Gibney – Gresham, OR
Idaho
Don Boeger – Caldwell, ID
Chris Horton – Boise, ID
Washington
Wesley Wezenberg – Olympia, WA
Chris Lambert – Olympia, WA
Montana
Leroy Starling – Whitefish, MT
Matt Benson – Lethbridge, AB (Canada)
Wyoming
Tory Thomas – Rock Springs, WY
Mike Bozner – Rock Spring, WY
Here are the full results:
Final Federation Standings by State (Top 2 of each state qualify for National Championship)
