December 16, 2011

Over the next several weeks until the 2012 TBF National Championship on Bull Shoals in Arkansas, we will be spotlighting all Qualified Contenders from 47 Federations - Boaters and Co-Anglers.

Cameron Smith - California Boater

Name: Cameron Smith
Age: 35
Hometown: Dana Point, CA
State Federation: California Bass Federation
Division: Southwest division
Occupation: Construction
Family Members: Single
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Power fishing and Swimbait fishing
Favorite body of water to fish: Toss-up between Lake Shasta and Lake Havasu

Robert Rikard - South Carolina Boater

Name: Robert A. Rikard
Age: 51
Hometown: Lexington, S.C.
Federation: SC
Division: Southern
Occupation: Boat Builder
Family Members: Wife “Dale” and Children: Preston, Kristin & Parker
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Site Fishing / Finesse
Favorite body of water to fish: Okeechobee

H Desmond Jones - North Carolina Boater

Name: H Desmond Jones
Age: 52
Hometown: Fremont, NC
State Federation: North Carolina
Division: Southern
Occupation: Insurance Agent with NC Farm Bureau
Family Members: Wife, Teala; Son, Fel: Daughter, Suzie
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Jigs, Worms, Crank Baits, Spinner Baits
Favorite body of water to fish: Chowan River, Roanoke River, NC

Brady Farrell - Wisconsin Boater

Name: Brady Farrell
Age: 46
Hometown: Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
State Federation: Wisconsin
Division: Northern
Occupation: Mechanical Contracting
Family Members: Wife Laura
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Grass bed fishing in deep water with jigs and crankbaits. Fishing large flats for smallmouths with tubes and dropshots.
Favorite body of water to fish: Wolf River System

Mike Powell - Utah Co-Angler

Name: Mike Powell
Age: 40
Hometown: Heber City, Utah
State Federation: Utah
Division: Southwest
Occupation: General Contractor
Family Members: 6
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: fishing in tough conditions
Favorite body of water to fish: Lake El Salto, Mexico

Ed Loughran - Nation's Capitol Boater

Name: Ed Loughran
Age: 41
Hometown: Mechanicsville, VA
State Federation: D.C.
Division: Mid-Atlantic
Occupation: Attorney
Family Members: Alison, Katie and Tommy
Fishing Strengths/Techniques: Preparation, persistence and versatility. Cranking.
Favorite body of water to fish: It’s a toss up between Buggs Island Lake, the James River and the Potomac River.

2012 TBF and FLW Adult Membership Renewals

The Bass Federation is striving to make membership renewal easier each year. TBF has begun accepting membership renewals for 2012. Current memberships expire on December 31, 2011* and you can update NOW to ensure your club maintains the insurance policy coverage and your members don’t have a lapse in tournament eligibility or magazine delivery.

We will continue to collect both TBF and FLW Outdoors membership updates through TBF and through our online roster management system. The secure website is www.tbfwebservices.com. TBF dues are $15 and have been since 2000. FLW dues will remain at $35. Our system WILL collect $50 for both - PLEASE VERIFY YOUR MEMBER'S CORRECT ADDRESSES BEFORE UPDATING THEM.

ALL TBF members MUST pay their FLW dues through their home TBF club and will be charged for both memberships. FLW Outdoor’s will NOT accept dues from a TBF member. NOTICE: due to publication issues and other items FLW Outdoor memberships now run one year from date of purchase. So getting your dues in through your club to TBF will simplify your entire clubs process and help keep your TBF expiration and your FLW Expiration dates the same, Dec 31.
It is important NOT to wait as tournament participation and eligibility may be affected especially if you have members who fish BFL’s or other FLW events. Get their dues into TBF early so you won’t have any “last minute” hurdles. REGARDLESS THE TBF SYSTEM WILL COLLECT $50 FROM EVERY MEMBER. If a member has joined FLW “around” their club they can either call FLW for a refund or we will simply extend their FLW membership out another year from that date.

PLEASE PAY THE EXACT AMOUNT LISTED ON THE SYSTEM GENERATED INVOICE.

For more information, or if you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact the TBF national office, 580.765.9031, or email membership@bassfederation.com

Solar Bat Promo for Active TBF Members

Beginning October 15, 2011 and running until January 15, 2012, Solar Bat is offering a promotion for Bass Federation ACTIVE members only - 30% off all styles, including prescriptions on SOLARBAT.COM! (limit two pair per member)

30%
OFF

on any style of glasses on SolarBat.com

Limit two pair of glasses per member. May also be used for prescription lenses.
Must use promotion code TBFSBDJ12 at checkout to receive discount. Promo code good December 16-January, 2012.

Solar Bat Name the Frame Contest

Submit your name for either or both frames along with your name, address, phone number and email address.

Enter as many different names as you would like.

Solar Bat will choose the name for each frame and determine the winner by the earliest email date and time.

Winning frame names will be selected by Solar Bat on December 23rd and winners will be notified by an email blast.

Winners will receive the first production model of the sunglass they named and then a free Solar Bat sunglass of their choice for the next four years starting in 2013.

No fees required or purchase necessary to participate.

Florida High School Fishing Teams go Head-to-Head

Ponca City, Okla., – Dec. 15, 2011- Lake Shipp in Winter Haven, Fl., will host the central Florida SAF club’s Plant City High School and Bartow High School face-off on Saturday, December 17. These two teams will go head-to-head in the Student Angler Federation’s first individual school matchup. Both teams have worked hard to put their SAF High School clubs together and get their students out on the water fishing. In fact, last weekend Bartow High School hosted their inaugural Bobby Lane Open, which featured several schools from around the state. This weekend’s competition will be more than a Christmas celebration for these two teams. It will mark the beginning of a movement to bring high school fishing to the limelight. Read More

Florida High School Fishing State Championship Set For March 3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ponca City, Okla. (Dec. 7, 2011) – The Bass Federation (TBF), in partnership with FLW Outdoors, announced it will be hosting the 2012 Student Angler Federation Florida High School Fishing State Championship, Saturday, March 3 on Lake Toho launching out of Kissimmee Lake Front Park in Kissimmee, Florida. 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. Read More

University of Arkansas offers fisheries scholarship

13.Dec.2011

The Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey – Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD) is now offering competitive four-year full undergraduate scholarships to qualified high school seniors. Qualified junior college students are eligible for two-year scholarships. Selected students will be part of the UAPB-USGS National Cooperative Fisheries Scholarship (NCFS) program, the goal of which is to train culturally diverse students for careers in fisheries biology and natural resources management and conservation. Read More

Future Fisherman Foundation and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries announce “Train the Trainers” Seminar

November 29, 2011 – The next stop in F3’s commitment to train the trainers of aquatic education programs is Harrowgate Elementary School in Chester, Va., 15501 Harrowgate Rd. Chester, Va. 23831. The seminar begins at 9am, February 18-19. It’s open to any organization. Interested applicants can go to the F3 web site,www.futurefisherman.org, to register. READ MORE

Anti-Fishing Groups Bypass Ongoing Lawsuit in Attempt to Ban Lead Fishing Tackle

Sportfishing community calls for the dismissal of unwarranted petition for a national ban on lead fishing tackle

Alexandria, VA – December 6, 2011 – On November 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was yet again petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and two other anti-fishing groups, requesting that the agency regulate the manufacture and sale of lead fishing tackle of certain sizes and uses under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). If approved, such regulation could result in a de facto ban of lead sinkers, jigs and other popular types of fishing equipment. Read More