Lake Havasu to host Western Divisional Championship

Event slated for April 9-11, 2008

The Bass Federation 2008 Western Divisional Championship presented by the National Guard will be held on Lake Havasu in Lake Havasu City April 9-11. As many as 84 competitors representing eight Western Division states – Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Washington and Wyoming – are expected to compete in the tournament. The public is invited to Lake Havasu Marina located at 1100 McCulloch Blvd. N. in Lake Havasu City to watch the takeoffs and weigh-ins at 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively. Admission is free.

Anglers will compete both individually and as state teams in an effort to qualify for the prestigious TBF National Championship presented by the National Guard. The top three state teams will be awarded trophies and cash prizes. The angler with the heaviest three-day weight will also earn a $500 Wal-Mart gift card as the Castrol Maximum Performer.

Each state team is made up of 12 anglers, and the top-finishing angler from each team will advance to the 2009 TBF National Championship presented by the National Guard as a boater. The No. 2 competitor from each state team will advance to the National Championship as a co-angler.

TBF National Championship anglers will compete for a share of more than $200,000 in cash and merchandise, including a $100,000 “Living the Dream” prize package with use of a wrapped Chevy truck and Ranger boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha, sponsor merchandise and entry fees into the Wal-Mart FLW Tour or Wal-Mart FLW Series. The top boater and co-angler from each of the TBF’s six divisions at the National Championship will receive a berth into the $1 million BFL All-American presented by Chevy, where boaters compete for a top award of $140,000 and co-anglers cast for a top award of $70,000. The winning boater and co-angler at the TBF National Championship will also advance to the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by Castrol, where pros compete for a top award of $1 million and co-anglers fish for a top award of $50,000.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

Coverage of the TBF National Championship will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television series. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.

In TBF Divisional Championship competition, anglers are randomly paired each day and share control of the boat throughout the day.

Official practice for the TBF Western Divisional Championship begins at daylight April 6 and continues through 2 p.m. April 8.

Vermont wins Back to Back Division Titles…Mooney comes form behind

Eastern Division Championship Final Report

2007 TBF Eastern Division Championship is in the books. All week limit of fish after limit of fish were brought to the scales……most of them about 10 pounds. Everyone knew it would be a close call right to the end. The fish in Lake Great Sacendga did not disappoint.

Vermont led the team standings the first two days, however Massachusetts made a significant run at them today on the final day. It was not until the final Vermont angler weighed in did they secure their second division championship title in as many years. Only 3 pounds separated the two when it was all done.

In the individual overall again it was the very last angler who weighed in who upset the standing when Maine’s Bryan Mooney weighed in the weeks biggest limit of 15.00 including two very nice largemouth. It was what he needed to take over the top spot in Maine as well as win the 2007 Eastern Division Castrol Maximum Performer award.

Eastern day 2 Derocher & Gildea tied up…. Vermont in command

The third and final day of Eastern Divisional competition kicks off Friday morning with a 7 o’clock takeoff from Northville State Boat Launch in Northville. Tomorrow’s weigh-in will also be held there beginning at 3 p.m.

JOHNSTOWN, N.Y. – Competition on day two of The Bass Federation Eastern Divisional championship on Great Lake Sacandaga was so tight it made yesterday’s crowded leaderboard look wide open in comparison. Currently, two state leaders are tied for the overall lead, with a third state leader just 2 ounces behind them.

Standing side by side atop the overall weight list are yesterday’s overall leader Jim Gildea of Weston, Mass., and Thomas Derocher of Bridgewater, Mass., with two-day catches of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 3 ounces. Their catches are strikingly similar, as Derocher caught 11-8 yesterday and 12-11 today while Gildea caught 12-10 yesterday and 11-9 today. If the tournament ended today, Derocher would win the $500 Wal-Mart gift card as the Castrol Maximum Performer because he currently boasts the heaviest one-day catch of the pair, but for now, the race remains all tied up.

However, Derocher’s lead atop the Rhode Island state team and Gildea’s Massachusetts state lead are of higher importance. This week’s Eastern Divisional features 72 anglers on six state teams, and the No. 1 angler from each state team at the conclusion of this week’s event will advance to the 2008 TBF National Championship as a boater. Each state’s runner-up will advance to the championship as a co-angler. The six states competing in the Eastern Divisional are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

In the state standings Vermont is in command working toward back to back Eastern Divisional champion titles, Massachusetts sets in second 10 pounds back.

Gildea Leads Close Day One Eastern Divisional

Gildea Leads Close Eastern Divisional

Vermont leads team by 3 pounds 9 ounces over Massachusetts

Jim Gildea from MA with 12-10 leads after day one by 2 ounces over Vic Bacon of Maine with 12-8. There were 60 limits on day one.

Vermont leads the team side with 121-1, Massachusetts is second with 117-7, Maine third with 112-14, New Hampsire is fourth wit 109-12, Conneticut is fifth with 106-4 and Rhode Island is sixth with 102-10. As you can see its anyones tournament to win.

Leaders by State

MA Jim Gildea 12-10

CT Steve Bender 11-14

ME Victor Bacon 12-8

NH Alan Denise 11-8

RI Tom Derosier 11-8

VT Tim Austin 11-8