KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Jeff Freeman, a deputy sheriff from Max Meadows, Va., locked up the BASS Federation Nation Championship with a three-day total of 27 pounds, 11 ounces, outlasting a field of 55 amateurs and earning a berth in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic.
"It's nice to see a cop finally win," Freeman, 35, said. "I'm so fired up right now, it's hard to put into words. I love the competition and to be able to go to the Classic is the pinnacle of the sport."
Freeman not only punched his ticket to the Classic through the Mid-Atlantic Division, he won a Triton boat package valued at $50,000 and an invitation to the Bassmaster Elite Series. He wasn't the only law enforcement officer to secure a Classic berth: Mike Baskett, a police officer from Salem, Ore., bested the Western Division with 20 pounds, 12 ounces, earning one of six Classic berths awarded.
The other four division winners and Classic qualifiers were Jamie Laiche of Gonzales, La., with 24 pounds, 10 ounces (Central); Chris Loftus of Bloomfield, N.Y., with 23 pounds, 8 ounces (Eastern); South Africa's Richard Watson with 17 pounds, 3 ounces (Southern); and Brent Haimes of Mazeppa, Minn., with 19 pounds, 1 ounce (Northern).
Fishing near the first lock from the launch area on expansive Lake Tohopekaliga, Freeman drop-shotted a Roboworm into precise spots. He rotated through the area, allowing each to replenish while hitting the others.
He said he found his winning spot by accident: While he was waiting to lock through during the official practice period, he had some time to kill, so he started fishing the area. He caught a few bass and decided to leave the area alone until competition time. He said 13 of his 15 weighed-in fish were plucked from the honey hole.
The BASS win was Freeman's second. His first was in June as a co-angler at a Bassmaster Elite Series event on Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, Va., where he once used his police privileges to put a scare into Elite pro Kelly Jordon."I pulled over Kelly in Virginia a few years ago," Freeman said. "He asked what he did wrong. I told him he did nothing wrong. I just wanted an autograph."
Finishing behind Freeman in the overall competition was Laiche. It was a banner year for the 31-year-old pro in Federation Nation competition. He was a member of the winning six-angler team in the BASS Club World Championship in October, earning a Triton boat package valued at $50,000.
Despite missing out on the victory and a boat in Kissimmee, Laiche effectively fished a Lucky Craft crankbait, catching a 4-6 brute with 10 minutes left to go in his final competition day.
"Everyone who fishes for bass competitively dreams of going to the Bassmaster Classic," said Laiche. "Now I'm going. It's just unbelievable."
Before the Federation Nation champs were crowned, the Bassmaster CastingKids Semifinals were staged in Kissimmee. Six anglers from two age divisions moved on to the CastingKids Finals, which will take place in February at the Bassmaster Classic in Greenville, S.C.
Competitors in the CastingKids program focus on three basic casting techniques: pitching, flipping and casting a hookless lure at a bull's-eye target. Scoring is based on a points system and anglers compete against others in each age group.
In the 7 to 10 age group, the finalists were Conner Choate of Swisher, Iowa, with 130 points; Christopher Guest of Shelby, N.C., with 140 points; Sierra Voisin of Teeswater, Ontario, Canada, with 150 points; Austin Scrivani of Layton, N.J., with 130 points; Jacob Lescenski of Las Vegas, Nev., with 130 points; and Isaiah "Zay" Ridgle of Brownsboro, Texas, with 130 points.
In the 11 to 14 age group, the finalists were Payton Monson of Parkston, S.D., with 140 points; Jared Raymer of Brandenburg, Ky., with 140 points; Shauni Voisin of Teeswater, Ontario, Canada, with 130 points; Austin Neary of Crofton, Md., with 140 points; Jacob Wall of Jacksonville, Ore., with 130 points; and Shea Baumgartner of North Platte, Neb., with 140 points.
2008 BASS Federation Nation Championship Standings
2007-2008 FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP 11/8-11/10
Lake Tohopekaliga, KISSIMMEE FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, VA 15 27-11 0
2. Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA 15 24-10 0
3. Chris Loftus Bloomfield, NY 15 23-08 0
4. Darin Doll York, PA 15 23-01 0
5. Mike Baskett Salem, OR 14 20-12 0
6. Sheron Brown Shirley, MA 11 19-04 0
7. Brent Haimes Mazeppa, MN 12 19-01 0
8. Shane Long Sarcoxie, MO 8 18-12 0
9. Doug Thompson Mabelvale, AR 14 17-10 0
10. Richard Watson Plattekloof SOUTH AFRIC 14 17-03 0
11. Leslie Kennedy Fort Worth, TX 9 16-13 0
12. Pat Klausen Lincoln, NE 13 16-10 0
13. Justin Rowse O'Neill, NE 12 15-12 0
13. Mark Pierce Clarksville, TN 11 15-12 0
15. Michael Prindle Tallahassee, FL 9 14-13 0
16. Nobel Willits Altamonte Springs, FL 12 14-10 0
17. Brent Shores Boise, ID 9 13-05 0
18. Mike Keel Auburn, AL 11 12-11 0
19. Steve Smith Johnstown, OH 6 12-07 0
20. David McKinney Cullooen, WV 8 12-05 0
21. Kurt Walters Grand Junction, CO 5 11-00 0
22. Sidney Reeves Ogden, UT 9 10-13 0
22. Nicola Panareo Portogrvaro ITALY 9 10-13 0
24. Moosa Ismail Harare ZIMBABWE 5 10-01 0
25. John Mace Kennewick, WA 7 09-04 0
26. Ron Fabiszak S Bend, IN 7 09-01 0
27. James Sullivan Strunberry Point, IA 7 09-00 0
27. Lee Sanders Stillwater, OK 7 09-00 0
29. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI 6 08-11 0
30. Royce Dennington Barnsdall, OK 5 07-14 0
31. Patrick Tierney Denver, NC 6 07-00 0
32. Jesse Milicevic Henderson, NV 6 06-15 0
33. Scott Hamel Stockton, KS 5 06-14 0
34. Katsunori Mitsuhashi Atsugishi Kanagawaken J 5 06-08 0
35. Don Fowler Cadillac, MI 6 06-06 0
36. Larry Triplett Parker, CO 6 06-05 0
37. Shelton Walters Felton, DE 5 06-00 0
38. Fred O'Quinn Lugoff, SC 5 05-14 0
39. Eric Woodward Hammonton, NJ 5 05-11 0
40. Jeff Guerrette Glendale, AZ 2 05-09 0
41. Jason Stangel Two Rivers, WI 4 05-02 0
42. Franco Vallejos Albuquerque, NM 4 04-11 0
43. Mark Torrez Camarillo, CA 2 04-10 0
44. Kyle Christopher Irvine, KY 4 04-08 0
44. Carl Alexander Clarendon, VT 3 04-08 0
46. Ben Schilling Post Falls, ID 4 04-07 0
47. Dale Simmons N Waterboro, ME 4 04-06 0
48. Daniel Rodriguez Monkton, MD 3 04-00 0
49. Hollis Polk Gulfort, MS 4 03-15 0
50. Gary Clawson Portsmouth, NH 2 02-09 0
51. Frank Ramsay Hammond ONTARIO CANADA 2 02-01 0
52. Larry Coleman St Anne, IL 3 01-15 0
53. Abe Kalechman Stafford, CT 1 01-03 0
54. Kurt Glass Grovetown, GA 1 00-14 0
55. Pablo Leo Monterrey MEXICO 0 00-00 0
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 11 138 198-14
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11 138 198-14
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
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State Lbs-Oz
1 CENTRAL 39-03
2 WESTERN 32-13
3 SOUTHERN 23-14
4 NORTHERN 39-15
5 MID-ATLANTIC 29-11
6 EASTERN 21-02
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brent Haimes Mazeppa, MN 12 19-01 0
2 Justin Rowse O'Neill, NE 12 15-12 0
3 Steve Smith Johnstown, OH 6 12-07 0
4 Nicola Panareo Portogrvaro ITALY 9 10-13 0
5 Ron Fabiszak S Bend, IN 7 09-01 0
6 James Sullivan Strunberry Point, IA 7 09-00 0
7 Don Fowler Cadillac, MI 6 06-06 0
8 Jason Stangel Two Rivers, WI 4 05-02 0
9 Larry Coleman St Anne, IL 3 01-15 0
CENTRAL
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA 15 24-10 0
2 Shane Long Sarcoxie, MO 8 18-12 0
3 Doug Thompson Mabelvale, AR 14 17-10 0
4 Leslie Kennedy Fort Worth, TX 9 16-13 0
5 Pat Klausen Lincoln, NE 13 16-10 0
6 Lee Sanders Stillwater, OK 7 09-00 0
7 Royce Dennington Barnsdall, OK 5 07-14 0
8 Scott Hamel Stockton, KS 5 06-14 0
9 Hollis Polk Gulfort, MS 4 03-15 0
10 Pablo Leo Monterrey MEXICO 0 00-00 0
WESTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mike Baskett Salem, OR 14 20-12 0
2 Brent Shores Boise, ID 9 13-05 0
3 Kurt Walters Grand Junction, CO 5 11-00 0
4 Sidney Reeves Ogden, UT 9 10-13 0
5 John Mace Kennewick, WA 7 09-04 0
6 Jesse Milicevic Henderson, NV 6 06-15 0
7 Katsunori Mitsuhashi Atsugishi Kanagawaken J 5 06-08 0
8 Larry Triplett Parker, CO 6 06-05 0
9 Jeff Guerrette Glendale, AZ 2 05-09 0
10 Franco Vallejos Albuquerque, NM 4 04-11 0
11 Mark Torrez Camarillo, CA 2 04-10 0
12 Ben Schilling Post Falls, ID 4 04-07 0
EASTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Loftus Bloomfield, NY 15 23-08 0
2 Sheron Brown Shirley, MA 11 19-04 0
3 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI 6 08-11 0
4 Carl Alexander Clarendon, VT 3 04-08 0
5 Dale Simmons N Waterboro, ME 4 04-06 0
6 Gary Clawson Portsmouth, NH 2 02-09 0
7 Frank Ramsay Hammond ONTARIO CANADA 2 02-01 0
8 Abe Kalechman Stafford, CT 1 01-03 0
SOUTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Watson Plattekloof SOUTH AFRIC 14 17-03 0
2 Mark Pierce Clarksville, TN 11 15-12 0
3 Michael Prindle Tallahassee, FL 9 14-13 0
4 Nobel Willits Altamonte Springs, FL 12 14-10 0
5 Mike Keel Auburn, AL 11 12-11 0
6 Patrick Tierney Denver, NC 6 07-00 0
7 Fred O'Quinn Lugoff, SC 5 05-14 0
8 Kyle Christopher Irvine, KY 4 04-08 0
9 Kurt Glass Grovetown, GA 1 00-14 0
MID-ATLANTIC
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, VA 15 27-11 0
2 Darin Doll York, PA 15 23-01 0
3 David McKinney Cullooen, WV 8 12-05 0
4 Moosa Ismail Harare ZIMBABWE 5 10-01 0
5 Shelton Walters Felton, DE 5 06-00 0
6 Eric Woodward Hammonton, NJ 5 05-11 0
7 Daniel Rodriguez Monkton, MD 3 04-00 0