RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Doug Thompson leads the 2013 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship tournament on Lake Dardanelle on Day 2 and knows exactly what he wants. “I went to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship before — on Toho in 2007,” said the Arkansas angler. “I finished ninth, only a couple pounds out of making the Bassmaster Classic. When I was leaving the boatyard after it was over, you could just tell the ones who made it to the Classic by the looks on their faces. They were just floating on air.
“I told my wife, ‘I want to look like that one day.’ That feeling has just stuck with me.”
And that feeling is with him now after taking the overall lead at the championship.
Thompson started the day in third place with 16 pounds. After the Day 2 weigh-in, he added 12 pounds, 3 ounces to make his total 28-3. He took the top spot in the tournament and, more importantly, in his division. Day 1 tournament leader Ryan Lavigne was the Central Division leader on Day 1. Division winners at the championship will earn berths in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic.
Thompson won the Arkansas B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship on Lake Dardanelle in October 2012 to qualify for this event, and he calls the Arkansas River his home water.
“People think if you’re fishing your home water in a tournament that you should just be able to go catch them,” said Thompson, “but that’s not how it works.” Yes, he’s more familiar with Dardanelle than many of the anglers, but he said he doesn’t think that helps much. At least, it doesn’t make him a shoo-in for the Classic.
However, this has been a big year for Thompson. This is his third national championship competition in 2013. He took fifth place in the TBF National Championship and 14th place in the BFL All-American. But for both of those, he was competing as a co-angler. The stakes are higher here. A win on Dardanelle would give him a chance to hoist the coveted Bryan D. Kerchal Memorial Trophy above his head, knowing he would be going to Lake Guntersville, Ala., in February to compete against the biggest names in the sport in the Bassmaster Classic.
“I don’t even want to think about it,” said the computer technician, who spends his days in a data center and his weekends (and every bit of his vacation time) on the water. “This tournament has consumed my whole thought process since I qualified for it a year ago.”
Thompson has a lot of work to do on Day 3 to hold his lead and get the opportunity of a lifetime.
“If it clouds up, it will hurt my bite,” he said, “and it will help the guys fishing shallow.” If that happens, Thompson says he knows how to adjust. “There are a lot of other things I could do,” he said.
Currently, Thompson has a 5 1/2-pound lead in the Central Division. That’s not wrapped up by any means. Lavigne, who caught 17-1 on Day 1 and was in the lead, weighed in on Day 2 with only 5-3. That kind of a swing can happen to anyone.
Other division leaders and potential Classic contenders are Paul Mueller, Eastern Division; Jeff Lugar, Mid-Atlantic; Mark Dove, Northern; Drew Sadler, Southern; and Jeremy Percifield, Western.
Sadler still leads in the Big Bass competition with the 6-1 he caught on Day 1. But Jason Vaughn of Delaware brought in a 5-1 on Day 2 that won Carhartt Big Bass daily honors worth $250. Thompson wins $250 for leading on Day 2 as part of the Livingston Lures Leader Award.
Overall, the weights were down for Day 2. Three anglers zeroed, and seven fewer weighed in limits than on Day 1. With the same number of anglers competing on Day 1, the overall weight brought in was 100 pounds lower on Day 2 with a total weight of 355-11.
Fewer anglers complained of short fish on Day 2, but more lamented the wrong species and lost fish. Several anglers — including Juan Ro Chagollan Jr. of Mexico, Mike Moran of Pennsylvania and Chris Blair of Georgia — claimed to have had monster fish on, but they didn’t make it into the boat. All three of them are looking for those same fish on Saturday and hoping they stay hooked.
Competitors will take off on Day 3 at 7:15 a.m. CT at Lake Dardanelle State Park, 100 State Park Drive, Russellville, AR 72802. They will weigh in at the same location at 3:30 p.m. CT.
2013 2013 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/24-10/26
Lake Dardanelle, Russellville AR.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts
1. Doug Thompson Mabelvale, AR (Cntrl) 10 28-03 0
2. Jeff Lugar Mcgaheysville, VA (MidA 9 27-04 0
3. Mark Dove North Vernon, IN (North 10 23-00 0
4. Drew Sadler Richmond , KY (South) 8 23-00 0
5. Brandon Pedigo Durant, OK (Cntrl) 9 22-08 0
6. Nathan Gray Columbus, IN (North) 10 22-05 0
7. Ryan Lavigne Gonzales, LA (Cntrl) 7 22-04 0
8. Paul Mueller Southbury, CT (East) 9 21-13 0
9. Monty Fralick Martin, SD (North) 10 21-10 0
10. Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX (Cntrl) 9 21-02 0
11. Jeremy Percifield Kennewick, WA (West) 8 20-05 0
12. Phil Curtis Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA 8 20-04 0
13. Coby Carden Shelby, AL (South) 8 19-11 0
14. Stan Dodson Mineral Wells, WV (Nort 8 19-08 0
15. Tim Johnston Kalispell , MT (West) 9 19-00 0
16. Jason Vaughn Bridgeville, DE (MidAt) 6 18-12 0
17. Mike Powell Heber City, UT (West) 9 18-08 0
18. David Boyd Quincy, FL (South) 7 18-06 0
19. Laurence Hogue Kennebunk, ME (East) 7 17-11 0
20. Leo Bevelaqua Wyoming, RI (East) 8 17-06 0
21. Cory Leonard Castalia, NC (South) 8 16-08 0
22. Michael Gibney Gresham, OR (West) 8 16-03 0
23. Chris Adams Rutland, VT (East) 8 16-02 0
24. Randy Ladner Bay St Louis, MS (Cntrl 7 15-07 0
25. Alan Denise Haverhill, MA (East) 8 15-00 0
26. Juan Ro Chagollan Zapopon MEXICO (Cntrl) 9 14-14 0
27. William Pioch Beckley, WV (MidAt) 8 14-12 0
28. John Proctor Conway, SC (South) 9 14-08 0
29. Alessandro Debbi Casalgrande ITALY (Nort 8 14-06 0
30. Kris Bosley Amarillo, TX (West) 5 14-00 0
31. Jim Barczak Osceola, WI (North) 7 13-15 0
32. Randy Phillips Oxford, MA (East) 6 12-15 0
33. Alastair Graham Lakeside SOUTH AFRICA ( 5 12-13 0
34. Ronald Welch Corona, CA (West) 7 12-11 0
35. Mike Moran Ruffsdale, PA (MidAt) 7 12-02 0
36. Mark Pierce Radcliff, KY (South) 6 12-01 0
37. Joe Cole Coalville, UT (West) 6 11-07 0
38. Keegan Graves Meridian, ID (West) 7 11-07 0
39. Jim Groome Pittsgrove, NJ (MidAt) 4 11-04 0
40. Ronald Ryals Live Oak, FL (MidAt) 6 11-03 0
41. James Maisenbacher Hudson, IL (North) 6 10-14 0
42. Dan Parker Guttenburg, IA (North) 5 10-11 0
43. Jim Severson Rice, MN (North) 5 10-08 0
44. Jesse Milicevic Henderson, NV (West) 6 10-07 0
45. Nick Ash Omaha, NE (Cntrl) 5 09-14 0
46. Beau Branine Haysville, KS (Cntrl) 6 09-13 0
47. Chris Blair Newnan, GA (South) 5 09-06 0
48. Ted Prisbe Harsens Island, MI (No 3 06-08 0
49. Brian L Wilson Bloomfield, IA (Cntrl) 3 06-05 0
50. Ed McCaw Ingacio, CO (West) 3 06-01 0
51. Brian Severson Queen Creek, AZ (West) 3 05-12 0
52. Dean Lewis Harare ZIMBABWE (MidAt) 4 05-08 0
53. John Duarte Baltimore, MD (MidAt) 3 04-11 0
54. Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY (East) 3 04-10 0
55. Shinichiro Tsuchiya Hiki-Country JAPAN (Wes 2 03-00 0
56. Alberto Rodriguez Oliver Parets Del Valles SPAIN 1 01-15 0
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 22 201 456-06
2 15 170 355-11
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37 371 812-01
TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
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State Lbs-Oz
1 NORTHERN 153-05
2 CENTRAL 150-06
3 WESTERN 148-13
4 EASTERN 127-12
5 SOUTHERN 126-05
6 MID-ATLANTIC 105-08
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
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NORTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Mark Dove North Vernon, IN 10 23-00 0
2 Nathan Gray Columbus, IN 10 22-05 0
3 Monty Fralick Martin, SD 10 21-10 0
4 Stan Dodson Mineral Wells, WV 8 19-08 0
5 Alessandro Debbi Casalgrande ITALY 8 14-06 0
6 Jim Barczak Osceola, WI 7 13-15 0
7 James Maisenbacher Hudson, IL 6 10-14 0
8 Dan Parker Guttenburg, IA 5 10-11 0
9 Jim Severson Rice, MN 5 10-08 0
10 Ted Prisbe Harsens Island, MI 3 06-08 0
CENTRAL
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Doug Thompson Mabelvale, AR 10 28-03 0
2 Brandon Pedigo Durant, OK 9 22-08 0
3 Ryan Lavigne Gonzales, LA 7 22-04 0
4 Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX 9 21-02 0
5 Randy Ladner Bay St Louis, MS 7 15-07 0
6 Juan Ro Chagollan Zapopon MEXICO 9 14-14 0
7 Nick Ash Omaha, NE 5 09-14 0
8 Beau Branine Haysville, KS 6 09-13 0
9 Brian L Wilson Bloomfield, IA 3 06-05 0
WESTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Jeremy Percifield Kennewick, WA 8 20-05 0
2 Tim Johnston Kalispell , MT 9 19-00 0
3 Mike Powell Heber City, UT 9 18-08 0
4 Michael Gibney Gresham, OR 8 16-03 0
5 Kris Bosley Amarillo, TX 5 14-00 0
6 Ronald Welch Corona, CA 7 12-11 0
7 Joe Cole Coalville, UT 6 11-07 0
8 Keegan Graves Meridian, ID 7 11-07 0
9 Jesse Milicevic Henderson, NV 6 10-07 0
10 Ed McCaw Ingacio, CO 3 06-01 0
11 Brian Severson Queen Creek, AZ 3 05-12 0
12 Shinichiro Tsuchiya Hiki-Country JAPAN 2 03-00 0
EASTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Paul Mueller Southbury, CT 9 21-13 0
2 Phil Curtis Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA 8 20-04 0
3 Laurence Hogue Kennebunk, ME 7 17-11 0
4 Leo Bevelaqua Wyoming, RI 8 17-06 0
5 Chris Adams Rutland, VT 8 16-02 0
6 Alan Denise Haverhill, MA 8 15-00 0
7 Randy Phillips Oxford, MA 6 12-15 0
8 Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY 3 04-10 0
9 Alberto Rodriguez Oliver Parets Del Valles SPAIN 1 01-15 0
SOUTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Drew Sadler Richmond , KY 8 23-00 0
2 Coby Carden Shelby, AL 8 19-11 0
3 David Boyd Quincy, FL 7 18-06 0
4 Cory Leonard Castalia, NC 8 16-08 0
5 John Proctor Conway, SC 9 14-08 0
6 Alastair Graham Lakeside SOUTH AFRICA 5 12-13 0
7 Mark Pierce Radcliff, KY 6 12-01 0
8 Chris Blair Newnan, GA 5 09-06 0
MID-ATLANTIC
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Jeff Lugar Mcgaheysville, VA 9 27-04 0
2 Jason Vaughn Bridgeville, DE 6 18-12 0
3 William Pioch Beckley, WV 8 14-12 0
4 Mike Moran Ruffsdale, PA 7 12-02 0
5 Jim Groome Pittsgrove, NJ 4 11-04 0
6 Ronald Ryals Live Oak, FL 6 11-03 0
7 Dean Lewis Harare ZIMBABWE 4 05-08 0
8 John Duarte Baltimore, MD 3 04-11 0