LEESBURG, Fla. - International anglers took the field by storm on Day 1 of the BASS Federation Championship bass fishing tournament on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla.
Of the six Federation divisions, Italy's Alessandro Debbi led the North with 11 pounds, while Canada's Garrett Green edged the East with 11-5 and South Africa's Anré De Villiers swept the South - as well as the entire field - with a sack of 14 pounds, 15 ounces. De Villiers also took Purolator Big Bass honors and an extra $1,000 when he tipped the scales with an 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth.
For fans who couldn't see that largemouth and other action live, ESPN2 to will air coverage of the Federation Championship on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 10 a.m. EST. It will re-air on Jan. 27 at 7 a.m. and again on Jan. 30 at noon.
Though he normally power fishes, De Villiers slowed down his fishing to bring in a five-fish limit. "Today, I fished really slow," he said. "I had to fish slow during practice, plus it's been cool so I knew I'd have to slow down." De Villiers, 43, of Cape Town, was focused on deep-water structure and cast worms.
Meanwhile, Green of Bracebridge, Canada, had a nearly 2-pound lead in the Eastern division where he caught his five-fish limit by fishing slow around boat docks and in grass.
Debbi of Sassuolo, Italy, led the Northern division by 5 pounds, 14 ounces. He is using techniques he employs in his home waters, including flipping and pitching soft-plastic creature baits into cattails 5 to 6 feet deep. He keyed in on canals and rivers, looking for transitioning bass. He's also looking for the golden ticket in the tournament - a berth into the Bassmaster Classic. "It's been my dream for 20 years," he said. "If I achieve this, I'll be really excited."
Leading the other three divisions are state-side anglers. Kevin Miller of Augusta, Kansas, commands the Central division with 7-11; Bill Golightly of Preston, Idaho, is winning the Western division with 12-3; and Greg Alexander of Hebron, Md., is on top in the Mid-Atlantic division with 10-4.
Bobby Lane, the local favorite from Lakeland, Fla., was in eighth in the Southern division, but said he was eager to change tactics and improve his performance for tomorrow. "I'm going to have to make some adjustments," he said.
All 55 anglers will return to fish on Thursday and Friday, with their weights carrying over. In addition to $50,000 in total prize money awarded at the Federation Championship, the top angler from each division will advance to the Classic, Feb. 24-26, on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
2006 Federation Championship 01/09-01/13
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg Fla.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown D No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Anre' De Villiers Goodwood, South Africa S 5 14-15
2. Bill Lowen Cincinnati, Ohio (KY) S 5 13-11
3. Bill Golightly Preston, Idaho (WY) W 5 12-03
4. Marc Lippincott Spokane, Wash. (WA) W 5 11-13
5. Garrett Green Bracebridge, Canada (O E 5 11-05
6. Alessandro Debbi Sassliolo, Italy (Ital N 5 11-00
7. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, Ala. (AL) S 4 10-05
8. Greg Alexander Hebron, Md. (DE) M 5 10-04
8. Doug Moore , United States Of Ame S 5 10-04
10. Mark Schroeder Red Bluff, Calif. (CA) W 5 10-00
11. Bob Soley Trenton, N.J. (NJ) M 5 9-14
12. Joel St. Germain Cumberland, R.I. (RI) E 5 9-12
13. Rob Johnson Murray, Utah (UT) W 5 9-04
14. Nelson Walker Manning, S.C. (SC) S 3 8-03
15. Daniel Gray Butler, Pa. (PA) M 5 8-01
16. Kevin Miller Augusta, Kan. (KS) C 5 7-11
17. Gary Yexley Wilsonville, Ore. (OR) W 4 7-10
18. Danny Lee Shanz Adamstown, Md. (DC) M 3 7-02
19. Roger Bogosh Attieboro, Mass. (MA) E 5 7-01
20. Steve Roberts Lynchburg, Va. (VA) M 5 6-07
21. Scott Parker Londonderry, N.H. (NH) E 5 6-04
22. Gary Thompson Hiram, Ga. (GA) S 5 6-00
23. Steve Blocker Harrogate, Tenn. (TN) S 3 5-13
24. Zachary King Clarksville, Ark. (AR) C 5 5-11
24. Matthew Sphar Pavilion, N.Y. (NY) E 5 5-11
26. Fred Myers Bloomington, Ill. (IL) N 4 5-02
27. David Mehalechko Gundale, Ariz. (AZ) W 5 5-01
27. Gerry Jooste Harare, Zimbabwe (Zimb M 3 5-01
29. Sean Alvarez Rutland, Vt. (VT) E 3 4-08
29. Jim Severson Breezy Point, Minn. (M N 2 4-08
31. Joe Conway Colorado Springs, Colo W 3 4-05
32. Joe Hanning Millfield, Ohio (OH) N 3 4-00
33. Bobby Lane Lakeland, Fla. (FL) S 3 3-11
33. Kevin Goff New Martinsville, W.Va M 2 3-11
35. Gary Steichen Woonsocket, S.D. (SD) N 2 3-09
36. James Kennedy Lacombe, La. (LA) C 2 3-05
37. Alex Franks Boystown, Neb. (NE) C 2 2-15
37. Steven Houdek Calmar, Iowa (IA) N 1 2-15
39. Daniel Zepeda , United States Of Ame C 2 2-11
40. Paul Soma Traverse City, Mich. ( N 1 2-06
41. Ron Nale Milltown, Ind. (IN) N 1 2-05
42. Greg Lownds Dunbury, Conn. (CT) E 1 2-02
43. Jimmy Johnson La Crosse, Wisc. (WI) N 2 1-14
44. Lee Sanders Stillwater, Okla. (OK) C 1 1-11
45. Ed Cowan Greeley, Pa. (2005 Fed M 1 1-08
46. Mark Adams Edgewood, N.M. (NM) W 0 0-00
46. Steven Harris South China, Maine (ME E 0 0-00
46. Randy Haynes Starkville, Miss. (MS) C 0 0-00
46. Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) C 0 0-00
46. Luke Payne Warsaw, Mo. (MO) C 0 0-00
46. Curtis Spindler Missoula, Mont. (MT) W 0 0-00
46. Kevin Waterman Laplata, Md. (MD) M 0 0-00
46. Mike Williams Leland, N.C. (NC) S 0 0-00
46. Dusty Womack Caldwell, Idaho (ID) W 0 0-00
46. Kentaro Yamada Moriguchi, Japan (Japa W 0 0-00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 21 161 293-08
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21 161 293-08DIVISIONAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Southern
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Anre' De Villiers Goodwood, South Africa (S 5 14-15
2 Bill Lowen Cincinnati, Ohio (KY) 5 13-11
3 Greg Vinson Wetumpka, Ala. (AL) 4 10-05
4 Doug Moore , United States Of Americ 5 10-04
5 Nelson Walker Manning, S.C. (SC) 3 8-03
6 Gary Thompson Hiram, Ga. (GA) 5 6-00
7 Steve Blocker Harrogate, Tenn. (TN) 3 5-13
8 Bobby Lane Lakeland, Fla. (FL) 3 3-11
9 Mike Williams Leland, N.C. (NC) 0 0-00Western
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bill Golightly Preston, Idaho (WY) 5 12-03
2 Marc Lippincott Spokane, Wash. (WA) 5 11-13
3 Mark Schroeder Red Bluff, Calif. (CA) 5 10-00
4 Rob Johnson Murray, Utah (UT) 5 9-04
5 Gary Yexley Wilsonville, Ore. (OR) 4 7-10
6 David Mehalechko Gundale, Ariz. (AZ) 5 5-01
7 Joe Conway Colorado Springs, Colo. ( 3 4-05
8 Mark Adams Edgewood, N.M. (NM) 0 0-00
8 Curtis Spindler Missoula, Mont. (MT) 0 0-00
8 Dusty Womack Caldwell, Idaho (ID) 0 0-00
8 Kentaro Yamada Moriguchi, Japan (Japan) 0 0-00Mid-Atlantic
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Greg Alexander Hebron, Md. (DE) 5 10-04
2 Bob Soley Trenton, N.J. (NJ) 5 9-14
3 Daniel Gray Butler, Pa. (PA) 5 8-01
4 Danny Lee Shanz Adamstown, Md. (DC) 3 7-02
5 Steve Roberts Lynchburg, Va. (VA) 5 6-07
6 Gerry Jooste Harare, Zimbabwe (Zimbabw 3 5-01
7 Kevin Goff New Martinsville, W.Va. ( 2 3-11
8 Ed Cowan Greeley, Pa. (2005 Federa 1 1-08
9 Kevin Waterman Laplata, Md. (MD) 0 0-00Eastern
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Garrett Green Bracebridge, Canada (ON) 5 11-05
2 Joel St. Germain Cumberland, R.I. (RI) 5 9-12
3 Roger Bogosh Attieboro, Mass. (MA) 5 7-01
4 Scott Parker Londonderry, N.H. (NH) 5 6-04
5 Matthew Sphar Pavilion, N.Y. (NY) 5 5-11
6 Sean Alvarez Rutland, Vt. (VT) 3 4-08
7 Greg Lownds Dunbury, Conn. (CT) 1 2-02
8 Steven Harris South China, Maine (ME) 0 0-00Northern
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Alessandro Debbi Sassliolo, Italy (Italy) 5 11-00
2 Fred Myers Bloomington, Ill. (IL) 4 5-02
3 Jim Severson Breezy Point, Minn. (MN) 2 4-08
4 Joe Hanning Millfield, Ohio (OH) 3 4-00
5 Gary Steichen Woonsocket, S.D. (SD) 2 3-09
6 Steven Houdek Calmar, Iowa (IA) 1 2-15
7 Paul Soma Traverse City, Mich. (MI) 1 2-06
8 Ron Nale Milltown, Ind. (IN) 1 2-05
9 Jimmy Johnson La Crosse, Wisc. (WI) 2 1-14Central
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Miller Augusta, Kan. (KS) 5 7-11
2 Zachary King Clarksville, Ark. (AR) 5 5-11
3 James Kennedy Lacombe, La. (LA) 2 3-05
4 Alex Franks Boystown, Neb. (NE) 2 2-15
5 Daniel Zepeda , United States Of Americ 2 2-11
6 Lee Sanders Stillwater, Okla. (OK) 1 1-11
7 Randy Haynes Starkville, Miss. (MS) 0 0-00
7 Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) 0 0-00
7 Luke Payne Warsaw, Mo. (MO) 0 0-00