Crain Retains Lead at Okeechobee Bass Fishing Tournament

March 29, 2012
B.A.S.S. News - Archived

CLEWISTON, Fla. — George Crain put on a show for his father-in-law today by catching another limit to stay in the lead at the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Southern Divisional bass fishing tournament on Lake Okeechobee.

“I’d like to give a shout out to my wife’s dad,” Crain said on the weigh-in stage. “He had open heart surgery two weeks ago today, and he’s watching this. So I’d like to say hi to him.” The Alabama angler added a 15-pound, 4-ounce limit to his total to finish the day in first again with 40-1.

“I struggled today; I really did,” he said. “I had six bites and caught my big fish about 1:30 or 2 o’clock. I tried to go with the same pattern today but it was tougher. I just mainly tried to concentrate. I missed one bite today, and you can’t miss any in this.”

The Shoal Creek Bass Chasers club member caught two keepers early and then got bites about every hour and a half. “It was hard to focus because I would make that 80th pitch and then all of a sudden one would have it,” he said.

The lack of wind today definitely affected Crain’s pattern. “The fish I am on are more current-oriented, so I think they like the wind a little bit better,” said Crain. He checked out two new areas by the end of the day and caught his biggest fish at one of the spots. 

Just getting a chance to fish has been quite an accomplishment for Georgia’s Chris Blair, and when he did get to concentrate on fishing today, he caught the biggest bag of the tournament, 28-9, to move into 10th place. “I have had a lot of trouble with my boat so far,” he said. “Last week I blew an engine, and this week I got out the first day of practice and my trim went out. I got that fixed and got back on the lake, but then my prop spun out. Then the first day of the tournament my transom about got ripped off, so it has been an up-and-down thing for me.”

As the top angler on his Alabama team, Crain is in position to qualify for the 2012 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship (BFNC) in October. Other state leaders looking to clinch a BFNC berth are Jeremy Pridgen, Georgia; Ed Cox, South Carolina; Raymond Trudeau, Florida; Mark Pierce, Tennessee; Rick Craft, Kentucky; and Roger Hoover, North Carolina.

In the team competition, Georgia moved into first with 309-1, and Alabama dropped to second with 281.

The final take-off for the Southern Divisional will be at 7 a.m. tomorrow at Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina.

2012 Cabela's BFN Southern Division Championship 3/28-3/30

Lake Okeechobee, Clewiston  FL.

(ANGLER) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts

1.  George Crain           Cropwell, AL (AL)       10  40-01  0

2.  Jeremy Pridgen         Hahira , GA (GA)        10  37-06  0

3.  Edward Cox             Goose Creek, SC (SC)    10  37-05  0

4.  Raymond Trudeau        Saint Cloud, FL (FL)    10  36-12  0

5.  Mark Pierce            Clarksville, TN (TN)    10  34-09  0

6.  Waine Pittman          Villa  Rica, GA (GA)    10  34-04  0

7.  Kyle Glasgow           Guin, AL (AL)           10  33-15  0

8.  Angelo Koundourakis    Bainbridge, GA (GA)     10  33-05  0

9.  Colby Cotterill        Lakeland, FL (FL)       10  32-08  0

10. Chris Blair            Newnan, GA (GA)         6  32-03  0

11. James David Lockhart II Clarksville, TN (TN)    9  31-00  0

12. Colby Flinn            Bradenton, FL (FL)      10  30-15  0

13. Bob Grosso             Odessa, FL (FL)         10  30-15  0

14. Paul Tyre              Tallahassee, FL (GA)    10  30-12  0

15. Arnie Lane             Lakeland, FL (FL)       10  30-07  0

16. Chuck Thurlow          Auburn, AL (AL)         7  29-12  0

17. Rick Craft             Greenup, KY (KY)        10  27-12  0

18. Phillip Lovett         Florence, AL (AL)       10  27-03  0

19. Joseph T Von Hoene     Erlanger, KY (KY)       10  24-09  0

20. John L Crisp           Mount Washington, KY (K 10  24-08  0

21. Brent Boyette          Kenly, NC (NC)          9  24-05  0

22. Alan Shultz            Rutledge, GA (GA)       10  24-04  0

23. Roger Hoover           Mooresville, NC (NC)    9  24-00  0

24. Scott Hamrick          Denver, NC (NC)         10  23-15  0

25. Brian Nelson           Clarksville, TN (TN)    10  23-10  0

26. Chris Kerfoot          Louisville, KY (KY)     10  23-09  0

27. Jeff Green             Gaffney, SC (SC)        9  22-11  0

28. Josh Smith             Guin, AL (AL)           10  22-06  0

29. Mel Long               Hampton, SC (SC)        10  22-03  0

30. Robert Bogacki         Ocala, FL (FL)          7  22-00  0

31. Frank Raymer           Brandenburg, KY (KY)    10  21-14  0

32. Tim Hennemann          Florence, KY (KY)       9  21-12  0

33. David G Williams       Maiden, NC (NC)         10  21-11  0

34. Eric J Silverstrim     Indian Mound, TN (TN)   10  21-07  0

35. James Roberson         Naylor, GA (GA)         10  21-04  0

36. David Cook             Hendersonville, TN (TN) 9  21-00  0

37. Brian W Bowers         Franklinton, NC (NC)    10  20-10  0

38. Nobel Willits          Altamonte Springs, FL ( 10  20-09  0

39. Rocky Rockhill         Tuscumbia, AL (AL)      10  20-08  0

40. Greg Newman            Maryville, TN (TN)      9  20-06  0

41. Anthony Goggins        Sylacauga, AL (AL)      7  20-06  0

42. Tony South             Muscle Shoals, AL (AL)  9  20-03  0

43. Jason Reinke           North Charleston, SC (S 10  19-11  0

44. Chad Rice              Grayson , KY (KY)       10  19-08  0

45. Michael Carson         Gastonia, NC (SC)       6  19-08  0

46. Gary L Bonnet          Borden, IN (KY)         10  19-06  0

47. Edward Coto            Barnwell, SC (SC)       10  19-05  0

48. Chuck Murray           Louisburg, NC (NC)      10  18-14  0

49. Billy Scoggins         Mooresboro, NC (NC)     10  18-13  0

50. Kyle Raymer            Brandenburg, KY (KY)    10  18-11  0

51. Henry J Farmer Jr.     Kingsport, TN (TN)      5  18-11  0

52. David Swain            Wilson, NC (NC)         9  18-07  0

53. Brian Elder            Locust Grove, GA (GA)   8  18-00  0

54. Andy Martin            Conway, SC (SC)         10  17-15  0

55. Jerry Craig            Hiddenite, NC (NC)      8  17-09  0

56. Gary Arnold            Mt Pleasant, SC (SC)    10  17-01  0

57. Chris Neely            Chattahoochee, FL (GA)  7  16-15  0

58. Bill Gordon            Birmingham, AL (AL)     8  16-14  0

59. David Beacham          Columbia, SC (SC)       8  16-10  0

60. Don Hogue              Cropwell, AL (AL)       10  16-08  0

61. Mark Estep             Russell , KY (KY)       10  16-07  0

62. Larry Cahan            East Palatka, FL (FL)   10  15-05  0

63. Jeff Giarrizzo         Clarksville, TN (TN)    7  15-00  0

64. Warren L Tolson        Lexington, KY (KY)      7  14-12  0

65. John Kiely             Knoxville, TN (TN)      8  13-11  0

66. Roger Morrow           Stockbridge, GA (GA)    7  13-09  0

67. Charles Graybeal Jr.   Erwin, TN (TN)          10  13-07  0

68. Caleb Frazier          Citrus Springs, FL (FL) 8  13-02  0

69. Don Cox                Russellville, AL (AL)   10  12-15  0

70. Andy Warren            Maury City, TN (TN)     8  12-15  0

71. Jeff Narron            Sims, NC (NC)           6  12-14  0

72. William Hazel          Brunson, SC (SC)        7  12-07  0

73. Karl A Schreiber       Georgetown, KY (KY)     9  12-00  0

74. Dustin Snelson         Leesburg, FL (FL)       8  11-15  0

75. Jimmy Hodges           McDonough, GA (GA)      10  11-14  0

76. Robert Richardson      Palmetto, GA (GA)       6  11-14  0

77. Gary Kennedy           Trion, GA (GA)          8  11-13  0

78. Pete Fargo             Acworth, GA (GA)        3  11-10  0

79. James Hooven           Lakeland, FL (FL)       8  11-08  0

80. Billy Harris           Mooresville, NC (NC)    5  11-08  0

81. Jerry Last             Chattanooga, TN (TN)    7  11-07  0

82. Nickolas Coleman       Kuttawa, KY (KY)        8  11-06  0

83. Rich Young             Melbourne, KY (KY)      5  11-06  0

84. Todd Barbee            Mount Pleasant, NC (NC) 10  11-02  0

85. Gary  Lynn Brooks      New Tazewell Drive, TN  5  10-15  0

86. David Glynn Stinson    Johnson City, TN (TN)   8  09-14  0

87. Ryan West              Hartsville, SC (SC)     6  09-14  0

88. Derek Bowden           Louisburg, NC (NC)      6  09-04  0

89. Sidney Weaver          Cherryville, NC (SC)    5  09-02  0

90. Kenneth Jordan         Panama City, FL (FL)    5  08-08  0

91. Bill Spicer            Blue Mountain, AL (AL)  5  08-07  0

92. Bob Harper             Orlando, FL (FL)        5  07-09  0

93. Rodney Scott Yavorsky  Largo, FL (FL)          5  07-02  0

94. Eulon Lee Jr.          Montgomery, AL (AL)     5  07-02  0

95. Joe Smith              Rocky Mt, NC (NC)       4  04-15  0

96. Daryl Thorp            Tuscumbia, AL (AL)      5  04-12  0

97. Jason Moyer            Troy, SC (SC)           4  04-00  0

98. Ferris Jennings        Charleston, SC (SC)     2  03-09  0

99. Dustin Bozeman         Lakeland, FL (FL)       0  00-00  0

99. Chris Carnes           York, SC (NC)           0  00-00  0

99. Austin  Kelly Cole     Rutherford, NC (SC)     0  00-00  0

99. Ethan Eubanks          Marion, AR (TN)         0  00-00  0

99. Luke W Farmer          Estero, FL (FL)         0  00-00  0

99. Samson Faulk           Lyman, SC (SC)          0  00-00  0

99. Lance Freeman          Eddyville, KY (KY)      0  00-00  0

99. Zeke Gossett           Cropwell, AL (AL)       0  00-00  0

99. Austin Hagan           Clarkson, KY (KY)       0  00-00  0

99. Willem Lubbinge        Pretoria  Gauteng SOUTH 0  00-00  0

99. Jake Mims              Douglasville, GA (GA)   0  00-00  0

99. Carson Orellana        Mooresville, NC (NC)    0  00-00  0

99. Nico Retief            Cape Town SOUTH AFRICA  0  00-00  0

99. Justin Singleton       Rutledge, GA (GA)       0  00-00  0

99. Quentin Vercher        Titus, AL (AL)          0  00-00  0

99. Wyatt Young            Bartlett, TN (TN)       0  00-00  0

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Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

1       52       364       824-11

2       80       449       1039-05

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         132       813      1864-00

TEAM STANDINGS Day 2

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    State                Lbs-Oz

  1 GEORGIA              309-01

  2 ALABAMA              281-00

  3 FLORIDA              279-03

  4 KENTUCKY             267-08

  5 TENNESSEE            258-00

  6 NORTH CAROLINA       237-15

  7 SOUTH CAROLINA       231-05

  8 ZA                     00-00

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2

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GEORGIA

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 Jeremy Pridgen       Hahira , GA                 10   37-06  0

  2 Waine Pittman        Villa  Rica, GA             10   34-04  0

  3 Angelo Koundourakis  Bainbridge, GA              10   33-05  0

  4 Chris Blair          Newnan, GA                  6   32-03  0

  5 Paul Tyre            Tallahassee, FL             10   30-12  0

  6 Alan Shultz          Rutledge, GA                10   24-04  0

  7 James Roberson       Naylor, GA                  10   21-04  0

  8 Brian Elder          Locust Grove, GA            8   18-00  0

  9 Chris Neely          Chattahoochee, FL           7   16-15  0

10 Roger Morrow         Stockbridge, GA             7   13-09  0

11 Jimmy Hodges         McDonough, GA               10   11-14  0

12 Robert Richardson    Palmetto, GA                6   11-14  0

13 Gary Kennedy         Trion, GA                   8   11-13  0

14 Pete Fargo           Acworth, GA                 3   11-10  0

15 Jake Mims            Douglasville, GA            0   00-00  0

15 Justin Singleton     Rutledge, GA                0   00-00  0

SOUTH CAROLINA

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$

  1 Edward Cox           Goose Creek, SC             10   37-05  0

  2 Jeff Green           Gaffney, SC                 9   22-11  0

  3 Mel Long             Hampton, SC                 10   22-03  0

  4 Jason Reinke         North Charleston, SC        10   19-11  0

  5 Michael Carson       Gastonia, NC                6   19-08  0

  6 Edward Coto          Barnwell, SC                10   19-05  0

  7 Andy Martin          Conway, SC                  10   17-15  0

  8 Gary Arnold          Mt Pleasant, SC             10   17-01  0

  9 David Beacham        Columbia, SC                8   16-10  0

10 William Hazel        Brunson, SC                 7   12-07  0

11 Ryan West            Hartsville, SC              6   09-14  0

12 Sidney Weaver        Cherryville, NC             5   09-02  0

13 Jason Moyer          Troy, SC                    4   04-00  0

14 Ferris Jennings      Charleston, SC              2   03-09  0

15 Austin  Kelly Cole   Rutherford, NC              0   00-00  0

15 Samson Faulk         Lyman, SC                   0   00-00  0

FLORIDA

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 Raymond Trudeau      Saint Cloud, FL             10   36-12  0

  2 Colby Cotterill      Lakeland, FL                10   32-08  0

  3 Colby Flinn          Bradenton, FL               10   30-15  0

  4 Bob Grosso           Odessa, FL                  10   30-15  0

  5 Arnie Lane           Lakeland, FL                10   30-07  0

  6 Robert Bogacki       Ocala, FL                   7   22-00  0

  7 Nobel Willits        Altamonte Springs, FL       10   20-09  0

  8 Larry Cahan          East Palatka, FL            10   15-05  0

  9 Caleb Frazier        Citrus Springs, FL          8   13-02  0

10 Dustin Snelson       Leesburg, FL                8   11-15  0

11 James Hooven         Lakeland, FL                8   11-08  0

12 Kenneth Jordan       Panama City, FL             5   08-08  0

13 Bob Harper           Orlando, FL                 5   07-09  0

14 Rodney Scott Yavorsky Largo, FL                   5   07-02  0

15 Dustin Bozeman       Lakeland, FL                0   00-00  0

15 Luke W Farmer        Estero, FL                  0   00-00  0

ALABAMA

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 George Crain         Cropwell, AL                10   40-01  0

  2 Kyle Glasgow         Guin, AL                    10   33-15  0

  3 Chuck Thurlow        Auburn, AL                  7   29-12  0

  4 Phillip Lovett       Florence, AL                10   27-03  0

  5 Josh Smith           Guin, AL                    10   22-06  0

  6 Rocky Rockhill       Tuscumbia, AL               10   20-08  0

  7 Anthony Goggins      Sylacauga, AL               7   20-06  0

  8 Tony South           Muscle Shoals, AL           9   20-03  0

  9 Bill Gordon          Birmingham, AL              8   16-14  0

10 Don Hogue            Cropwell, AL                10   16-08  0

11 Don Cox              Russellville, AL            10   12-15  0

12 Bill Spicer          Blue Mountain, AL           5   08-07  0

13 Eulon Lee Jr.        Montgomery, AL              5   07-02  0

14 Daryl Thorp          Tuscumbia, AL               5   04-12  0

15 Zeke Gossett         Cropwell, AL                0   00-00  0

15 Quentin Vercher      Titus, AL                   0   00-00  0

NORTH CAROLINA

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 Brent Boyette        Kenly, NC                   9   24-05  0

  2 Roger Hoover         Mooresville, NC             9   24-00  0

  3 Scott Hamrick        Denver, NC                  10   23-15  0

  4 David G Williams     Maiden, NC                  10   21-11  0

  5 Brian W Bowers       Franklinton, NC             10   20-10  0

  6 Chuck Murray         Louisburg, NC               10   18-14  0

  7 Billy Scoggins       Mooresboro, NC              10   18-13  0

  8 David Swain          Wilson, NC                  9   18-07  0

  9 Jerry Craig          Hiddenite, NC               8   17-09  0

10 Jeff Narron          Sims, NC                    6   12-14  0

11 Billy Harris         Mooresville, NC             5   11-08  0

12 Todd Barbee          Mount Pleasant, NC          10   11-02  0

13 Derek Bowden         Louisburg, NC               6   09-04  0

14 Joe Smith            Rocky Mt, NC                4   04-15  0

15 Chris Carnes         York, SC                    0   00-00  0

15 Carson Orellana      Mooresville, NC             0   00-00  0

KENTUCKY

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 Rick Craft           Greenup, KY                 10   27-12  0

  2 Joseph T Von Hoene   Erlanger, KY                10   24-09  0

  3 John L Crisp         Mount Washington, KY        10   24-08  0

  4 Chris Kerfoot        Louisville, KY              10   23-09  0

  5 Frank Raymer         Brandenburg, KY             10   21-14  0

  6 Tim Hennemann        Florence, KY                9   21-12  0

  7 Chad Rice            Grayson , KY                10   19-08  0

  8 Gary L Bonnet        Borden, IN                  10   19-06  0

  9 Kyle Raymer          Brandenburg, KY             10   18-11  0

10 Mark Estep           Russell , KY                10   16-07  0

11 Warren L Tolson      Lexington, KY               7   14-12  0

12 Karl A Schreiber     Georgetown, KY              9   12-00  0

13 Nickolas Coleman     Kuttawa, KY                 8   11-06  0

14 Rich Young           Melbourne, KY               5   11-06  0

15 Lance Freeman        Eddyville, KY               0   00-00  0

15 Austin Hagan         Clarkson, KY                0   00-00  0

TENNESSEE

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 Mark Pierce          Clarksville, TN             10   34-09  0

  2 James David Lockhart II Clarksville, TN             9   31-00  0

  3 Brian Nelson         Clarksville, TN             10   23-10  0

  4 Eric J Silverstrim   Indian Mound, TN            10   21-07  0

  5 David Cook           Hendersonville, TN          9   21-00  0

  6 Greg Newman          Maryville, TN               9   20-06  0

  7 Henry J Farmer Jr.   Kingsport, TN               5   18-11  0

  8 Jeff Giarrizzo       Clarksville, TN             7   15-00  0

  9 John Kiely           Knoxville, TN               8   13-11  0

10 Charles Graybeal Jr. Erwin, TN                   10   13-07  0

11 Andy Warren          Maury City, TN              8   12-15  0

12 Jerry Last           Chattanooga, TN             7   11-07  0

13 Gary  Lynn Brooks    New Tazewell Drive, TN      5   10-15  0

14 David Glynn Stinson  Johnson City, TN            8   09-14  0

15 Ethan Eubanks        Marion, AR                  0   00-00  0

15 Wyatt Young          Bartlett, TN                0   00-00  0

ZA

    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz

  1 Willem Lubbinge      Pretoria  Gauteng SOUTH      0   00-00  0

  1 Nico Retief          Cape Town SOUTH AFRICA      0   00-00  0