Collins & Alabama State Team Lead After Day 1 of Southern Division Championship, presented by Ranger Boats

6/6/12 – Okeechobee waters were little rough on our boaters today with storms that moved through early and made the water a little choppy, but it didn’t stop the boys in the Southern Division from bringing big bags and big fish to the scales. State teams came from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and South Carolina  to compete for the top two spots within their state to move on to the 2013 TBF National Championship next spring.

Michael Collins of the North Carolina Bass Federation takes an early lead today with 19 lbs 14 oz. “It was windy on Okeechobee, but we started throwing a jig and a Big EZ. I was paired with a great co-angler, who helped me out quite a bit,” said Collins. Tennessee non-boater John Talton did have a great day in the back of the boat and is in 4th Place Overall with 17 lbs 12 oz, and also leads his State. “We started out flipping a jig and we figured out that wasn’t working, so we started a swimbait in the Lilly Pads & Kissimmee Grass,” said Talton. “ I will see what my partner for tomorrow wants to do and see if I can go out and do the same thing I did today.”

Brian Hickey - KY

Don Tully of Acworth, GA and the Georgia Bass Federation is in a very close 2nd place with 18 lbs 5 oz, with an over 7 lb kicker. “I caught a lot of fish today and had a great co-angler. I started catching them first thing this morning. About 1pm I decided to run up to the front of the river. What normally would have taken me 40 minutes, took me over an hour because of the rough water,” said Tully. “Tomorrow I’d like to repeat what I did today and head to the same areas, maybe do some flipping.”

Greg Hoskinson of Kentucky had big fish today with a nice 8lb 2oz’er. ‘Hosko’ is in a close 2nd place in the Kentucky State Team Standings to Brian Hickey who leads with 17 lbs 6 oz.

In the state Standings, Alabama takes the lead with 119 lbs 15 oz over host state Florida who has 115 lbs 3 oz. Georgia isn’t too far behind with 106 lbs 12 oz.

FULL TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

Day two of the 3-day tournament continues tomorrow on Lake Okeechobee. Weigh-ins begin daily at 2:30 and are open and free to the public.

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