Federation National Office Newsletter Archive

February 29, 2012

2012 High School Fishing World Finals Returns to Lake Dardanelle

Registration Opens Tomorrow, March 1

Ponca City, Okla. – Feb. 17, 2012 High School anglers near and far will unite in Russellville, Arkansas and Lake Dardanelle State Park, July 15-21, 2012 for the pinnacle event of high school bass fishing, the 2012 High School Fishing World Finals. Registration opens online at highschoolfishing.org on March 1.

Last year, over 600 attendees made up of high school anglers, family members and sponsors enjoyed the opening ceremonies to kick off a week-long family vacation with tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship prizes on the line. Read More

Kentucky High School Athletic Association Announces Bass Fishing as High School Sport Activity

February 22, 2012 – Kentucky’s lakes, rivers and streams have always been a haven for anglers and record-breaking catches. Starting with the 2012-13 school year, young anglers will have a chance to win something more – a high school state championship.

The KHSAA will add bass fishing as a varsity sport-activity starting next year, Commissioner Julian Tackett announced in a Wednesday morning press conference. Bass fishing will join bowling, which is holding its first KHSAA-sanctioned state championship in late March, and competitive cheer as sport-activities offered by the Association. Read More

North Carolina High School Fishing State Championship Set For March 17

Ponca City, Okla. (Feb. 22, 2012) – The Bass Federation (TBF), in partnership with FLW Outdoors, and Salisbury-Rowan County Convention & Visitors Bureau announced it will host the 2012 Student Angler Federation North Carolina High School Fishing State Championship. The event will be Saturday, March 17 on High Rock Lake launching out of the Dutch Second Creek Ramp in Salisbury, N.C. The state championship is a two person team event for students in grades 9-12. Registration for high school anglers and their “coach,” who will provide the boat they compete in, is online at HighSchoolFishing.org or by calling 580.765.9031. Check-in begins at 6pm on Friday, March 16, at the Salisbury Holiday Inn with a mandatory rules briefing at 7pm. We highly encourage all teams to preregister online or by phone in advance to avoid late registration fees. Read More

FIRST TBF DREAM TEAM RALLY SET FOR
LAKE HAMILTON, MAY 6

Ponca City, Okla. (Feb 22, 2012) — The Bass Federation’s brand new Dream Team Rally team tournament trail is excited to announce the first TBF Club to schedule and host an event. Cedar Creek Bassmasters, club # 10890, of the Indiana Bass Federation was the first to register their event of TBF’s new and widely talked about Dream Team tournament Rally events. Their rally will be held on Lake Hamilton, in Hamilton, Ind., on May 6. The Dream Team Rally event is open to ALL TBF members, and Lake Hamilton is located right in the northeast corner of Indiana; a short drive for both Ohio and Michigan TBF members. Interested teams can go online at bassfederation.com; Dream Team; to enter, the tourney # is 1022. ALL interested TBF clubs and state federations can also go online and register to host their own event of their choosing today!

Cedar Creek Bassmaster’s President, Michael Combs, from Garrett, Ind., registered the event and is eager to host the first TBF Dream Team Rally. ”When we learned we could fish a local lake and earn a berth into TBF’s Dream Team National Championship Rally to fish for a fully-rigged Ranger boat, our club could not pass the opportunity up!” Combs said. “The support TBF is providing with travel, boat gas and lodging compensation is giving all nationally qualified teams a week’s paid vacation! ”

FLW Fantasy Fishing set to kick off 2012 season at Hartwell Next Week! Get your Team Set

FLW, the world’s premier tournament-fishing organization, announced the opening of registration for the 2012 FLW Fantasy Fishing season. FLW Fantasy Fishing changed the era of fantasy sports in its inaugural season in 2008 by awarding the largest prizes in fantasy sports history. Today, FLW Fantasy Fishing continues to captivate players throughout the world by offering some of the richest prizes in fantasy sports.

The 2012 Fantasy Fishing season will consist of six tournaments surrounding the Walmart FLW Tour majors with a grand prize of $100,000 for the player with the most cumulative points. All ACTIVE TBF members automatically receive the Player's Advantage for FREE.

Get your Fantasy Teams Set and either Join a League or create your own! Let the Fantasy Fishing smack talk begin! - GET SIGNED UP NOW!

2012 TBF National Championship - Bull Shoals, Flippin, AR - March 27-31

Brandon White - Colorado Co-Angler

Name: Brandon White
Age: 32
Hometown: Pueblo, CO
State Federation: Colorado
Division: Southwest
Occupation: Assistant Fish Hatchery Manager
Family Members: Wife - Kristen, Daughter-Aubree, and Son-Tyler
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Power Fishing (Spinnerbaits, Jerkbaits, Flipping)
Favorite body of water to fish: Pueblo Reservoir, Navajo Reservoir

Wesley Taylor - Tennessee Co-Angler

Name: Wesley D Taylor
Age: 33
Hometown: Estill Springs, TN
State Federation: Tennessee Bass Federation
Division: Southern
Occupation: Homebuilder/hardwood installer
Family members: Fiance - Kristina Wedding , Children - Hanna, Chesly, Hunter
Fishing strengths /techniques: Cranking, flipping, pitching, dropshooting, jerkbait, spinnerbait, my favorite and strongest is the ole jerkbait and the Alabama rig
Favorite body of water to fish: Guntersville, Alabama, Nickajack, Tennessee and my roots start on Woods Reservoir

Brent McNeal - Pennsylvania Co-Angler

Name: Brent McNeal
Age: 31
Hometown: Huntingdon, PA
State Federation: Pennsylvania
Division: Mid-Atlantic
Occupation: Forester
Family Members: Wife-Crystal and Son-Owen
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Shallow cranking, finesse fishing
Favorite body of water to fish: Lake Erie

Scott Bonnema - Minnesota Angler

Name: Scott Bonnema
State Federation: Minnesota
Division: Northern
Occupation: Angler
Family Members: Nancy – wife, Kevin 20, Katie 18
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Prefer sight fishing for Smallmouth bass, due to water clarity of many Northern lakes and our short seasons we see fast temperature changes and fast bass transition. This also requires lure selection or technique changes as well, somewhat forcing the angler to develop new fishing strengths and to experiment with new products.
Favorite body of water to fish: Really any new lake or river system, New fisheries require a new game plan, it challenges everything we’ve been taught or learned on our own about this sport, it also takes us out of our comfort zone and requires quick and accurate decision making.

Dwayne Smith - Maryland Co-Angler

Name: Dwayne M. Smith
Age: 44
Hometown: Balt, MD
State Federation: Maryland
Division: Mid-Atlantic
Occupation: Const. Super
Family Members : Wife-Terry
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Flipping/Pitching
Favorite body of water to fish: Northeast River/ Potomac River

Dave Lagle - Indiana Co-Angler

Name: David Lagle
Age: 42
Hometown: Mitchell, IN
State Federation: Indiana Bass Federation
Division: Northern
Occupation: Lehigh Cement Company (maintenance)
Family Members: Shannon; Children – Gavin (13), Olivia (11)
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Shallow water pitching
Favorite body of water to fish: East Fork White River, IN

Tyler Swaney - Utah Boater

Name: Tyler Swaney
Age: 28
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
State Federation: Utah
Division: Southwest
Occupation: Power Engineer
Family Members: Wife – Shayna Swaney; Dad & Mom – Lynn & Joyce Swaney; Sister – Darcy Swaney
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Power & Finesse Fishing
Favorite body of water to fish: Lake Powell

Larry Hogue - Maine Co-Angler

Name: Laurence Hogue
Age: 39
Hometown: Kennebunk
State Federation: Maine
Division: Eastern
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Jigs and crankbaits
Favorite body of water to fish: Sebago Lake