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We are in need of an enclosed trailer for our youth program. We had borrowed one and they had to have it back. If anyone knows of a 6X8 or 6X10 used or new trailer we are in need. Call Mike or Pam. |
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“ B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of
Virginia”
Join Now for 2012
For more information
Mike Bryant cell 276-340-7735 home 434-432-1053 Pam Bryant cell 276-634-6039 or home 434-432-1053 |
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Clarksville, VA
Your 2011 Tournament Sponsor
Steve "Cheeseburger" Roberts wins the Team Championship.
Here are the top eight winners of the Team Championship and the last to make our state team for 2012.
Team Work gives Radford Anglers College Win
Travis Cox and Justin “Scotty” Witten teamed up to win the Carhartt Bassmaster College East Super Regional on Smith Mountain Lake April 13 and 14, 2012. This two day event was marked by a day one five fish limit that weighed 19.1 pounds and a second day limit that weighed 15.5. Witten is a B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia college angler and former junior angler who will be eligible to fish college B.A.S.S. events for a couple of more years. The team will now advance to the Carhartt Bassmaster College National Championship in Little Rock, Ark. July 25-29, 2012. The winner of that event will get the opportunity to fish the Bass Master Classic.
A visibly disappointed Virginia Tech team of Mark Condron and David Bryant finished second. Virginia Tech had the most teams entered. Finishing third were Clay Ross and Nick Preskitt. NC State tried to score an upset with their team of Tyler Faggart and Tyler Mayhew but ended up finishing fourth. Rounding out the top five teams was a Radford team of Brett Meyri and Cole Campbell. Ten different colleges were represented at this event. Virginia Tech anglers and Radford are all B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia members as well.
The tournament director for the college events is Hank Weldon who graduated from the University of Alabama in 2008. He has also fished college tournaments and has learned the craft from some of the best directors in the industry. The announcer for these events is an experienced ESPN commentator, Rob Russow who has a demeanor that attracts the younger audience of anglers. Weldon and Russow work well together and it is obvious when viewers see how well these events are run. Russow has also been a tournament director which may explain some of his ability to synchronize the commentary so well.
The following day Witten went to Claytor Lake to take B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia junior anglers fishing. This was the final southern event for the 2012 season and a chance to fish the junior state championship. This leads to a possible place on the 2012 Virginia team and the possibility of making it to the National Federation Championship on Wheeler Lake in Alabama this fall.
Hunter Axt won the event and was the only junior angler to qualify as the others had already qualified at Leesville Lake. Blake Trent won the senior division and an opportunity to fish the state championship. A cookout was provided after the event by Craig Stodder and his wife. Next stop will be a northern qualifying event which will be the last before the state championship. The next major event is the team championship which will be held on Buggs Island Lake in two weeks.
NEW SEASON, GREAT SPONSORS, AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
The season got off to a great start with a new sponsor HookHunt who presented the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia with a check for
$500. Paul Anderson,co-founder of the company and John Tankersley shared their enthusiasm for the new product with board members
even though they couldn’t reveal a lot about it because the release date isn’t until April 2012. The link to their web site has been provided for
members to track the release of the new product. In addition to our growing list of returning sponsors, the new addition is supposed to be
very futuristic and something that everyone must have if they are going to be a really competitive angler this year.
Next stop was the Mr. B.A.S.S. event on Lake Gaston where region 3 anglers took the top two spots. In spite of the worst weather in months,
the event was held as scheduled.
Jason Dodson, of Richmond Virginia Bassmasters and Johnny Loving of Big M Bassmasters have added their names to the state team list
this week by winning the Mr. B.A.S.S. Tournament on Lake Gaston. Both anglers are from region 3. Mark Winn of Max 10 in region 5 is
slated to be the captain for the junior anglers and will provide support for the team in Maryland this year.
Weather conditions that changed hourly made this a very difficult tournament. Dodson stated that he had one bank that produced a few
good bass and then had to jump around to find the rest of the good fish. He focused his fishing below the Eatons’ Ferry Bridge. He
reminded me that he has been fishing since he was 16 and used to “hang around” with the late Cecil Fitchett. Fitchett was region 3 director
for several years and died in 2009.
Asked how he felt about winning and he stated that he is amazed because Lake Gaston has always been an Achilles heel for him. This is his
first really big win. He conquered the fish and looks forward to going to Maryland in the fall. He also plans to fish the team championship.
Johnny Loving is no stranger to the winners circle and will also join the team. As a river fisherman he will have strengths that will really
benefit the team this year.
The next challenge will be the Team Championship on Buggs Island on May 5 & 6, 2012 and that will be closely followed by the junior state
championship on June 23 and 24. The junior anglers do not know where they will fish this year as it is a closely guarded secret.
James Graves our junior world champion will have to compete as a senior to qualify for the team. He really made us proud in 2011 and he
celebrated his 15th birthday at the Mr. B.A.S.S event. Graves is a very talented angler and has earned the title of “bass whisperer” from his
peers.
Bryant Copley and Brian Harold already know that they are going to be part of the state team. No strangers to the team, they also
know that the ultimate goal will be to reach the Cabella’s B.A.S.S. Federation Championship that will be held on Wheeler Lake at Decatur,
AL. on Oct. 25-27, 2012. The national tournament of champions includes the top B.A.S.S. club anglers from 47 states, seven international
chapter champions and the Angler of the Year from the Paralyzed Veterans of America Bass fishing circuit. Invited to join the competitors is
the defending 2011 champion, Jamie Horton of Centreville, Ala. If they can win the Mid-Atlantic division they will secure a place at the Bass
Master Classic in Oklahoma. Unless we have a really warm winter everyone will need thermal wear for the classic. Some of us still
remember Milford Lake in Arkansas.
With gas prices pushing $4.00 per gallon for regular our sponsors have become even more important to us. Angler’s Choice Marine
continues to supply the food at our pairing meetings. Lisa Thompson of Angler’s Choice had a little help with the hotdogs from pro staff
members Bill Goots and Jeff Smith at the Mr. B.A.S.S. She will also be at the team championship. Everyone appreciates the food and the
camaraderie at the events.
We are really glad to have Zebco behind our youth programs again this year as well as the Triton Alliance of Lowrance, Mercury,
Motorguide and of course Triton. We are also glad to have Marinco back with us with their battery chargers. Anglers can learn more about
our current sponsors at our events and on the web page where they are all listed.
Let’s all welcome our newest youth club, Madison Co. High School Jr. Anglers. They drove to Lake Gaston to help with our Mr.
BASS tournament this year. The B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Junior World Champion is a member and he will be fishing with us again this
year.
This year we are welcoming college anglers to our program along with the continued growth of our junior programs. They have already had
one college event on Guntersville in AL and will come to Smith Mountain Lake in April.
There is also growing excitement in some of the regions. Region 3 has doubled in size with Cavin Young as the new leader. Having
two winners at Mr. B.A.S.S. only made it more exciting. In addition Region 7 is joint venturing with the state and TBF to hold a wounded
warrior event for veterans. To date there are at least fifty wounded warrior members who will be participating in this event. This event still
needs a few more sponsors.
The Joseph Thomson Scholarship is also in need of a few more sponsors so that it can sustain itself. It has been suggested that
each region contribute fifty dollars ($50). to the fund. The donations can be made care of the Joseph Thomson scholarship fund and mailed
to Sid Ryan who manages it for the Federation Nation.
B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of Virginia supports the following research organizations. Children's Miracle Network, www.cmn.org. National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation, www.nnpdf.org and the V Foundation www.jimmyv.org. In addition to the state events, all clubs are encouraged to hold an event to support one of the organizations each year.
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