2017 TBF NATIONAL SEMI-FINALS UPDATE
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The final round of regional tournaments in The Bass
Federation ’ s National Semi-Finals program produced a flurry of exciting grassroots bass fishing competition , as TBF members battled for the last invitations to fish the 2018 TBF National Championship this spring .
Highlights from the last wave of events :
District 1
Competitors from Georgia and Florida enjoyed pictureperfect conditions for the District 1 event Nov . 4-5 on Lake Eufaula . Stable weather , water temperatures in the low to mid-70s and water levels a few feet below full pool set the stage .
When the scales settled after the final catch was weighed , Georgia ’ s Brent Tullis led the boater field with a tournament total of 28.78 pounds . Tullis earned $ 2,810 for the win , including the $ 2,310 first-place cash payout and $ 500 Ranger Cup award . He will also represent Georgia at the championship .
Florida ’ s Edward Fry topped the co-anglers with a total of eight bass for 19.01 pounds . Fry pocketed $ 1,155 plus a ticket to nationals . Other anglers advancing to the finals are Florida boater A . J . Willequer ( 18.06 pounds ) and Georgia co-angler Ray Edelen ( 17.09 pounds ).
The Georgia Bass Federation , which hosted the event out of Lakepoint State Park , won the District 1 State Pride Award with 90.57 pounds .
District 2
The District 2 National Semi-Finals event was held Nov . 4- 5 on South Carolina ’ s Lake Murray , site of the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup . While the lake has a well-deserved reputation for producing limit catches and heavy weights , Murray was in transition in early November and challenged TBF members in the 52-boat field to put double-digit daily numbers on the board .
South Carolina ’ s David Kneece topped the boaters with a 26.11-pound two-day weight . He cashed a $ 2,600 check and advanced to the championship .
Fellow South Carolina angler Preston Rikard paced the coangler contingency with 16.63 total pounds , good for $ 1,300 and a trip to nationals , where he ’ ll be joined by second-place boater Brian Fritts of North Carolina ( 26.01 pounds ) and second-place co-angler David Ford , also of North Carolina ( 15.43 pounds ).
In one of the closest state battles to date , South Carolina won the District 2 State Pride Award with 82.97 pounds to North Carolina ’ s 79.31 pounds .
District 3
A total of 162 TBF members from Kentucky and Tennessee converged on Kentucky Lake Oct . 21-22 for the District 3 showdown .
Clear skies and calm waters prevailed , but the impoundment still dealt the field a challenging hand as many anglers struggled to get bit . Tennessee boater Larry Dunlap overcame the challenges with 20.40 pounds .
Larry Dunlap paced the District 3 boaters .
Conditions soured on day two when lower temps , stronger winds and scattered rain further tested TBF members ’ mettle . Dunlap rose to the challenge again , boxing a 14.05-pound limit for a 34.09-pound total to win the boater title . He cashed a $ 4,370 check and will represent Tennessee at nationals .
Tennessee boaters swept the top seven places . Kentucky ’ s Steven Taylor landed in eighth with 18.07 pounds and will represent the Bluegrass contingent in the championship .
On the co-angler side , Kentucky ’ s BJ Nelson sacked just two bass for 4.07 pounds on day one , but he vaulted into first on day two with a 14.13-pound limit and 19.04-pound total . Nelson won $ 2,185 plus a trip to nationals . Tennessee ’ s top co-angler , Chris Franco , ( 13.05 pounds ) will join him in the finals .
The Tennessee Bass Federation won the District 3 State Pride Award by a healthy margin of 87.13 pounds to 44.12 pounds .
District 4
The Mississippi Bass Federation hosted the District 4 National Semi-Finals event Oct . 14-15 on Biloxi ’ s Back Bay out of D ’ Iberville Marina . Balmy weather greeted the 35-boat field , but high pressure kept the tide in and made for a tough bite .
Mississippi boater Wayne Parish bested the boater field with a 14.50-pound total . Parish pocketed $ 2,250 for the win and will represent Mississippi at nationals for the second year in a row .
Alabama ’ s David Salter led the co-anglers with 10 bass for 10.64 pounds , good for $ 1,126 and a championship berth . Other anglers advancing to the 2018 championship are top Alabama boater Larry Franks Jr . ( 11.41 pounds ) and top Mississippi co-angler Justin McKee ( 7.73 pounds ).
The Alabama Bass Federation won its second straight District 4 State Pride Award with 43.40 pounds .
flWfIshIng . com I february-march 2018