John Levesque (NH) and Chase Preat (KY) are Living THEIR Dream! Win National Championship Titles.

Lake Sam Rayburn, Brookeland, TX

Non-Boater Chase Preat (left) from Kentucky and Boater John Levesque (right) from New Hampshire (pictured below) wins 2024 TBF Federation National Championship Live YOUR dream prize packages!

To qualify for The Bass Federation’s (TBF) Federation National Championship is a process and a dream come true event for best grassroots anglers from across North America. It all starts at the local state federation level, fishing through your home state federation events to qualify for one of 21 TBF National Semi finals held each year. The top anglers from each State at each one of these 21 TBF National Semifinals earns a spot in the Federation National Championship and from there the sky is the limit.

2024 TBF National Champion Boater John Levesque from New Hampshire pictured with part of his winnings include the Ranger Z520 sitting behind him!

104 of the nation’s best grassroots anglers converged on Lake Sam Rayburn, in Brookeland Texas this week to compete in the 3-day event.  The format of the event is a great field leveler and was voted into place the state federation decades ago so that angler only had to compete against other similar anglers geographically to advance. Each angler (boaters and co-anglers) competes the first two day against the other anglers in their geographical division (Eastern, Northern, Southern, Mid-Atlantic, North West, South West, Southern and Central) to make the cut into the 3rd and final day as their divisions Champion. Then on the final day only those 7 division champion boaters and 7 division champion non-boaters go out to try to earn the national champions titles.  14 anglers advance to the BFL All-American thanks to the partnership between TBF and our partners in fishing at MLF and the event boasts a total prize purse of over $400,000.00!

Day1- Boaters side.
Arkansas’s Kevin Brown jumped out to an overall lead and of course the lead in the central division (NE, KS, OK, TX, MO, AR, LA, MS) with a 5 fish bag that would turn out to be the largest bag of the week, that weighed 21-00 even.  Little did the anglers know that Sam Rayburn had plans to be stingy with the anglers all week.
– Ontario Canada’s Andrew Shufelt sat in 2nd place overall with 19-14 and was leading the TBF’s Eastern Division (ONT, ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY)
– Chad Brinegar (WV) held the Mid-Atlantic Division lead 15-07 (PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, VA, DC)
– Brandon Staton (KY) lead the Southern Division with 15-01 (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TN, KY)
– Jonathan Jackson (NV) put 14-15 on the scales to lead the Southwest Division (AZ, CA, CO, NV, NM, UT)-   Joseph McKay (IA) had 14-02 to lead the Northern Division (OH, MI, IN, IL, IA, WI, MN, SD) and
– Rick Funk (ID) held down the Northwest Division lead with 11-15 (WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, ND)

Non-Boaters side Day 1 leaders.
SW Div- Chase Hartman (AZ) 7-09
S Div- Chase Preat (KY) 15-14
NW Div- Mark Hilyer (MT) 8-10
N Div- Mark Laverack (SD) 10-07
M-A Div – John Wiseman (DC) 4-15
E Div – Peter Owen (NH) 13-08
C Div James Moore (TX) 9-05

Day 1 wrapped up with a tough bit for most the anglers, just days before high 20 and even high 30 pound bags were brought in, but a cool front came through, the lake level was falling for repair work on the damn and some fish had just spawned, it was tough fishing for most of the field, Sam Rayburn big fish did not show up. So the hope was day 2 they would be hungry.

They were not.

Day 2 turned out to be as tough if not tougher fishing for the championship anglers. So, after 2 days of fishing the division champions moving on to the 3rd and final day were as follows.

Boaters– John Levesque, (NH) E Div. (32-11), Kevin Brown (AR) C-Div 32-03, Brandon Staton (KY) S Div, 30-01, Tyler Ivie, (UT) SW Div., 25-05, Pete Saele, (IL) N Div. 25-01, Michael McMahon, (NJ), M-A Div., 23-05, Rick Funk, (ID), NW Div., 23-00

Non-Boaters – Chase Preat (KY) S Div. 27-00, James Moore, Jr. (TX) C Div. 19-07, Terry Laverack, (SD) N Div., 18-06, Peter Owen (NH), E Div, 17-14, Trey Anderson, (WV) M-A Div. 16-15, Chase Hartmann (AZ) SW Div, 15-08, and Daniel Dobransky, (ID), NW Div., 11-07.

Day 3 – The finals. The wind blew fishing picked up for some.  This event proved that in the long run day over day consistency pays.

On the non-boaters side Kentucky’s Chase Preat, held on for the lead wire to wire throwing a chatter bait and a A-rig form the back of the boat. His win earned him the title and trophy as the TBF Non Boater National Champion and a all he could carry of his $35,000 prize package to help live HIS dream. Including a $20,000.00 check, Minn Kota, Trolling motor, Power Pole, $2,500 worth of paid entry fees to fish whatever he wishes to live HIS dream, advancement opportunities, travel stipends and more.

 

On the boaters side the lead was not as clear.  It shifted daily and with each angler who weighed in on day 3. In the end it was New Hampshire John Levesque who consistently brought in enough to gather the field and take home the win.

While Levesque did not hold the lead every day he was right near the top every day and his final day consistency propelled him to a National Champion title. John reported using a variety of baits “Whatever it took to get a bite” he stated, including A-rig and Chatter baits as well.  For his win he hosted the national champions trophy and a $125,000 prize package that included among other items; A check for $20,000, a brand new Ranger Z520R, with 250 HP outboard, MinnKota trolling motor, front and rear electronics, Impulse lithium full battery package, an impulse lithium multi bank charger, (2) power poles, a custom Ranger trail trailer, a $500 Atlas Jack plate bonus award, $5,000 worth of paid entry fees to whatever he wishes to fish to live HIS dream and more.

 

All 104 anglers took home a prize of some amount. All 52 boaters received a gas stipend, and all 104 national championship anglers also were offered and housing stipend to help off set their lodging costs.

IF you would like to join TBF Federation in your club and get started qualifying for next year’s event now is the time! You can find your home State President’s contact info right on this website under the state  federations tab or call us at 580-765-9031 to get started.

 

Moore and Parks win Mississippi TBF Junior State Championship on Ross Barnett

The 2024 Mississippi TBF Junior State Championship was held on Lake Ross Barnett Reservoir and hosted by ExploreRidgeland/Ridgeland, MS. Lafayette Junior Bass team of Riley Moore and Jackson Parks took first place with a Rapala Crush City Baits Crushing Conservation five live fish for 17 pounds 4 ounces. Riley and Jackson also had the Big Bass for the day weighing 5 pound 4 ounces.

Second place team was Denton Dearman and Haynes Nault with 6 pounds and 10 ounces. Rounding out the top three was Kannon Wood and Santiago Marquez with 5 pounds and 10 ounces.

We want to thank Explore Ridgeland/Ridgeland, MS and all the volunteers that helped make this a great event for the junior anglers. For full results and photos of this event CLICK HERE

 

Long Time Federation Member from New Jersey Passes, Tony Going Gone But Never Forgotten.

It is with a heavy heart that we were informed of the passing of long-time former New Jersey President and friend Tony Going. Tony was the President of the New Jersey Federation for over 20 years and his impact on New Jersey bass fishing and on the federation as a whole is incalculable. We don’t have any details at this point, but when details are available, we will pass them along. Our prayers go out to his wife Mary and the family in this time of loss.

 

LAKE SAM RAYBURN TEXAS TO HOST THE NATIONS TOP GRASSROOTS ANGLERS FOR THE 2024 TBF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

LAKE SAM RAYBURN TEXAS TO HOST THE NATIONS TOP GRASSROOTS ANGLERS FOR THE 2024 TBF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

 FOR RELEASE – Ponca City, OK. (November 20, 2023) – The Bass Federation (TBF) announced today that the nation’s top grassroots anglers will get their chance to “Live Their Dream” at the 2024 TBF Federation National Championship to be held on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas, March 27-29, 2024.

“The Federation National Championship has been held on many storied bodies of water over the decades but never on Lake Sam Rayburn in Brookland, Texas.” Stated Robert Cartlidge, TBF Federation National President. “Sam Rayburn is a “Bucket List Lake” anglers will have the chance at a fish of a lifetime.”

Timing is everything, and late March on “Rayburn” could fall right on top of the spawn, it will take a solid weight to win, but with so many big fish in the system anyone can come from behind to do it, which means no one is out of it until the last fish is weighed. The legendary impoundment is very diverse and will fit any fishing style.  TBF anglers competing in the “no entry fee” event will also enjoy stellar payouts where the prize purse will push $400,000.00 in cash and prizes due to the growth and success of the Federation’s close-to-home low cost TBF National Semi-Finals program that qualified all the anglers to get here.

Competitors have qualified at 21 close-to-home district competitions in the TBF’s National Semi-Final system that span the traditional seven TBF geographical divisions.  The framework is designed to make it easier for TBF anglers to fish premier events by minimizing travel time and expenses.

One hundred and four of the very best grassroots Anglers in North America have qualified (52 as boaters and 52 as non-boaters) to compete in the 2024 National Championship and all 102 will fish the first two days of the event and only the 7 Division Champion boaters and 7 Division Champion co-anglers will compete on the third and final day for the Living Your Dream Prize packages and the National Champion boater and co-angler titles.  In addition to the cash prizes, all anglers will receive a hotel room stipend from TBF for the actual event days as a part of their qualifying prize. Additionally, all Boaters will receive a cash fuel stipend to help offset their boat costs. All 14 finalists can earn a Living YOUR Dream prize package of various sizes, and can advance to the 2024 BFL All-American if they are qualified.

The National champions and overall winners will leave with the coveted TBF National Champion Boater and National Champion Co-angler Titles and a Living Your Dream (LYD) package. The boater National Champion’s LYD package is valued in excess of a whopping $125,000 in cash and prizes including a brand-new Ranger Z520 powered by Mercury 250HP outboard engine, rigged out and all their own to KEEP!  PLUS, a $20,000 CASH prize, paid entry fee stipend into whatever they want to fish and much more!

The Federation strongly believes in the value of co-anglers, so the 2024 National Champion Co-Angler LYD package will be worth over $30,000, including 20K cash PLUS set paid entry stipends into the circuit of choice, and more!

All activities will take place a Umphreys Family Pavilion and are free and open to the public. You can follow all the action with daily live weigh-ins and live leaderboard on www.Bassfederation.com

Coverage of the TBF National Championship will be broadcasted in high definition in the Federation Angler TV block on the Pursuit Channel, on Outdoor Action TV and streamed live from the Brookeland Texas, Lake Sam Rayburn on www.Bassfederation.com

About TBF

The Bass Federation Inc. is the oldest and largest, organized grassroots angling organization in America and a member of the freshwater fishing hall of fame. Anchored by the leadership of the state federations, TBF is 100 percent owned by those it serves and is dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing, youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided the foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for 50 years. The Bass Federation is proud “Partners in Fishing” with industry-leading companies including Ranger Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Lew’s, Strike King T-H Marine, Rapala, Sufix, VMC, Rapala Crush City baits, MLF, Power Pole, and FacultyOfFishing.com. For more information about The Bass Federation, visit bassfederation.com, or call 580-765-9031. Look for TBF on facebook at Facebook.com/thebassfederation and on twitter at Twitter.com/bassfederation.

 

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