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

LEHEW AND PEPPERS WINS NATIONAL GUARD JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Seventy anglers representing 35 states fishing for a share of $42,000 in scholarships and grants

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (August 5, 2007) – Shane Lehew, 18, of Charlotte, N.C., and Dylan Peppers, 13, of Good Hope, Ga., are the National Guard Junior World Champions after two days of competition on Lake Hamilton. Held in conjunction with the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup on nearby Lake Ouachita, the National Guard Junior World Championship will award $42,000 in scholarships and youth-program grants to the top six competitors in the 11 to 14 age bracket and top six competitors in the 15 to 18 age bracket.

Lehew, from The Bass Federation’s Southern division, won the 15 to 18 age group with four bass weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces. He fished Sunday with Team National Guard pro Derek Jones of Chicago, Ill.

“This is a dream come true,” Lehew said. “It’s just an awesome feeling. I did the exact same thing I did yesterday. Early in the morning I used topwater baits. Later in the day we fished shallow water near docks.

“Derek gave me a lot of great tips to better my fishing,” Lehew continued. “I can’t wait for what the future holds.”

Rounding out the top six anglers in the 15 to 18 age group are Tyler Towers of Star City, Ark. (one fish, 1-9); Joseph Morse of Woodbury Heights, N.J. (zero fish); Sterling Pfundheller of Phoenix, Ariz. (zero fish); Cody Harris of Grand Blanc, Mich. (zero fish); and Nick Sampson of Gorham, Maine (zero fish).

Peppers, who also represents the TBF’s Southern division, won the 11 to 14 age bracket with three bass weighing 3 pounds, 11 ounces.

“Today fishing with Lehew made me change the way I fish,” Peppers said. Yesterday I fished in shallow water near grass and today I fished near docks. I used a Zoom Horny Toad today to catch my bass. I hope to be back next year. What a great accomplishment.”

Rounding out the top six anglers in the 11 to 14 age group are Robert Ramasci of Wakefield, Maine (two bass, 2-12) Daniel Ruedi of Champaign, Ill. (one fish, 1-10); Ryan Taylor of Canyon Lake, Ca. (one fish, 1-10); Zach Whitten of Oceana W.V. (zero fish) and Connor Mendenhall of Omaha, Neb. (zero fish).

The junior anglers were paired with an FLW Tour pro for competition on Lake Hamilton. There are three anglers to a boat: a junior angler from each age group plus an FLW Tour pro who assists the junior anglers but does not fish. The two junior anglers shared control of the boat for the day but compete in their respective age groups on Saturday. Weights zero on Sunday and the top six anglers in the 11 to 14 age bracket and the top six anglers in the 15 to 18 age bracket continue competition, with the winners determined by the heaviest catch from that day.

Designed to highlight the best up-and-coming bass fishing talent in the country, the National Guard Junior World Championship also provides national recognition for the positive activities pursued by America’s youth.

First-place finishers in each age bracket receive a $5,000 scholarship in addition to a sponsor merchandise package. Second-place finishers receive $3,000 scholarships plus sponsor packages. Third-place finishers receive $2,500 scholarships plus sponsor packages. Fourth-place finishers receive $2,000 scholarships plus sponsor packages. Fifth-place finishers receive $1,500 scholarships plus sponsor packages. Sixth-place finishers receive $1,000 scholarships plus sponsor packages.

Additionally, FLW Outdoors, on behalf of the National Guard, awards $1,000 to each of the state TBF chapters represented by the six finalists in each age bracket. This money, totaling $12,000, benefits each chapter’s youth program.