PADUCAH, Ky. - With the finale of the BASS Federation Southern Divisional, seven southern anglers are heading to the 2005 BASS Federation Championship, one step from the Bassmaster Classic.
"This has been my main goal since I was in this situation in 2002," said Alabama's Jamie Long. "It's unbelievable. You see the BASS Times, and you see the guys you know and you're friends with and they've done it. You think how great that would be."
Long, a minister from Bear Creek, Ala., brought in 33 pounds and 9 ounces of bass in the three days to become the tournament's overall winner. As the top angler on the Alabama team he will advance to the Federation Championship.
"On the way here, I was thinking, with Alabama having the biggest federation, and how many guys you have to beat just to get to where we are, I just feel really lucky being in that situation."
Kentucky's Russell Hosick, who caught all of his 32 pounds and 11 ounces of fish on a Prowler green pumpkin candy tube with a ½ ounce jig head agreed. Hosick will also be heading to the Federation Championship, a goal that he is just now realizing.
"I'm going to have to sleep on this," Hosick said. "Jerry Waters, the co-manager of Dunn's Sporting Goods loaned me his boat this week. I have to thank him for this, too.
"Most of my fish came off of one hole. I hate to brag on this, but I'd bet about 40 fish weighed in in this tournament came out of that hole."
What the modest Hosick didn't say was that he told his Kentucky teammates where that hole was and, since he knew he couldn't make it to that hole, he wanted them to fish there to help the team.
"I got a little help from my team members and that pulled it through," he said.
The other anglers who qualified for the Federation Championship from the Southern Division are Georgia's Bob Ellis, North Carolina's Jeff Hager, South Carolina's Gary Pope, Florida's Leon Roy and Tennessee's Jason Lambert who all caught the heaviest weights on their respective teams this week.
The Kentucky BASS Federation was also a big winner Friday. The 12 angler team brought in 226-2 for the three days, earning first place and $23,000 for their state federation.
"This is the first time ever that the state of Kentucky has won the Southern Divisional," said Kentucky BASS Federation President Donnie Keeton. "That is awesome. I'm just overjoyed. I told these boys that they had a chance to make history. I'm tickled to death that I'm the president when we made history.
"Not only myself, but the whole state of Kentucky are proud of them. The joy of seeing those boys work as a team and take the victory home is marvelous."
North Carolina's Charles Davis took home the $1,000 prize for the Big Bass of the Tournament. His 5-pound, 11-ounce lunker caught on the first day of the tournament held through the end and earned him the $1,000 prize.
2004 BASS Federation Southern Division 06/09-06/11 Ohio, Cumberland & Tennessee Rivers, Paducah Ky. Standings Day 3 Angler Hometown (Fed.) No/lbs-oz Winnings 1 Jamie Long Bear Creek, Ala. 13 33-09 2 Russell Hosick Smithland, Ky. 12 32-11 3 Herbie Booher West Paducah, Ky. 13 32-08 4 Kaoru O'Bryan Crestwood, Ky. 14 32-04 5 Jerry Turner Patriot, Ind. 12 27-00 6 Jason Lambert Savannah, Tenn. 13 26-02 7 Joe Lay Duncanville, Ala. 14 24-13 8 Jeff Hager Alexis, N.C. 11 22-12 9 Charles Davis Bladenboro, N.C. 10 21-06 $1,000.00 10 Jeff Queen Catawba, N.C. 15 21-04 11 John Welborn Vinemont, Ala. 9 21-00 12 Bob Ellis Vidalia, Ga. 11 20-07 13 Brad Borland Douglas, Ga. 12 20-00 14 Gary Pope Georgetown, S.C. 9 18-06 15 Steven Levi Athens, Ga. 11 18-05 16 Leon Roy Tallahassee, Fla. 11 17-14 16 Shane Nethery Bagdad, Ky. 7 17-14 18 Rick Baker Tallassee, Ala. 10 17-02 19 Brent Long Sherrillsford, N.C. 11 16-12 20 Scott Jones Louisville, Ky. 10 16-05 21 Ricky Layton Macon, Ga. 9 16-04 22 Vince Rook Bay Minette, Ala. 6 15-11 23 Jonathan Wright Dry Ridge, Ky. 10 15-10 24 Chuck Murray Louisburg, N.C. 10 15-06 24 Kendall McCosh Knoxville, Tenn. 5 15-06 26 Bryan Thrift Shelby, N.C. 6 15-02 27 Charles Antetomaso Merritt Island, Fla. 9 15-01 28 Michael Sullivan Warsaw, Ky. 10 15-00 29 Ira Forehand Wewahitchka, Fla. 10 14-13 30 George Roberson Naylor, Ga. 9 14-09 31 Sonny Johnson Piney Flats, Tenn. 11 13-15 32 Henry McFadden Georgetown, S.C. 9 13-14 33 Steve Winslett Opelika, Ala. 6 13-12 34 Robert Eid Key West, Fla. 7 13-08 35 Brent Riley Ridgeville, S.C. 9 12-12 36 Randy Duncan Columbus, Ga. 8 12-04 37 Preston Clark Palatka, Fla. 6 11-09 38 Jimmy Cox Pennington Gap, Va. 8 11-05 39 Eddie Cox Goose Creek, S.C. 8 11-02 40 Roger Gonzalez Higleah Gardens, Fla. 7 11-01 41 Earl Maines Richmond, Ky. 8 11-00 42 Daniel Burnette Marietta, Ga. 6 10-15 43 Ernie Hedrick North Bend, Ohio 10 10-14 44 Nelson Walker Manning, S.C. 7 10-13 44 Bobby Smith Panama City, Fla. 7 10-13 46 Kyle Yates Greenwood, S.C. 8 10-08 47 Jeff Lokken Lebanon, Tenn. 8 10-04 48 James Faulk Tabor City, N.C. 5 10-03 49 Chris Ingram Eclectic, Ala. 5 9-12 50 Hunter Garrett Mckenzie, Tenn. 7 9-11 51 Heath Annin Tallahassee, Fla. 9 9-10 52 Brian Travis Conover, N.C. 6 9-04 53 David Fint Frankfort, Ky. 7 8-12 54 Steve Hodges Moody, Ala. 9 8-10 55 Donnie Cooper Belmont, N.C. 6 8-04 56 Tony Townsend Soddy Daisy, Tenn. 4 8-02 57 Greg Prince Crestview, Fla. 4 8-01 58 Daryl Davis Ochlocknee, Ga. 4 8-00 59 Anthony Armstrong Asheboro, N.C. 4 7-14 60 Brent Tullis Acworth, Ga. 5 7-13 61 Hayes Hudson Conway, S.C. 5 7-06 62 Robert Castleberry Canton, Ga. 5 6-07 63 Daniel Leggett Tarboro, N.C. 4 6-05 64 Bill Lowther Branclenburg, Ky. 4 6-04 65 Randy Groves Creedmoor, N.C. 3 5-07 66 Greg Cuming Mt Dora, Fla. 3 5-02 67 James Livingston Chattanooga, Tenn. 2 5-01 68 Mark Keith Soddy Daisy, Tenn. 7 4-15 69 Dwayne Smith Americus, Ga. 4 4-13 70 Mark Lamb Wake Forest, N.C. 3 4-10 71 Darrell Shull West Columbia, S.C. 3 4-08 72 James Moore Locust Fork, Ala. 2 4-06 73 Darrell Hager Alexis, N.C. 4 4-04 74 Ronnie Garrison Griffin, Ga. 3 3-10 74 John Paulk Crump, Tenn. 1 3-10 76 Robert Rogers Pinopolis, S.C. 3 3-00 77 Roger L Linville Yulee, Fla. 2 2-12 78 T R Fuller Auburn, Ala. 2 2-07 78 David Smith Brownfield, Tenn. 1 2-07 80 Tim Harmon Lexington, S.C. 1 2-05 81 Walter Lawrence Millbrook, Ala. 1 1-13 82 Dewayne Lowe Cleveland, Tenn. 1 1-10 83 Josh Benford Phil Campbell, Ala. 1 1-05 84 Melvin Berdinsky Cocoa, Fla. 1 1-01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Charles Davis Bladenboro, N.C. (NC) 5-11 $1,000.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 21 200 350-11 2 20 204 352-11 3 11 182 317-11 ---------------------------------- 52 586 1021-01 TEAM STANDINGS DAY 3001 KENTUCKY 226-02 002 ALABAMA 154-04 003 GEORGIA 143-07 004 NORTH CAROLINA 141-14 005 SOUTH CAROLINA 121-09 006 FLORIDA 121-05 007 TENNESSEE 112-08 INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS DAY 3 KENTUCKYRussell Hosick Smithland, Ky. 12 32-11 Herbie Booher West Paducah, Ky. 13 32-08 Kaoru O'Bryan Crestwood, Ky. 14 32-04 Jerry Turner Patriot, Ind. 12 27-00 Shane Nethery Bagdad, Ky. 7 17-14 Scott Jones Louisville, Ky. 10 16-05 Jonathan Wright Dry Ridge, Ky. 10 15-10 Michael Sullivan Warsaw, Ky. 10 15-00 Earl Maines Richmond, Ky. 8 11-00 Ernie Hedrick North Bend, Ohio 10 10-14 David Fint Frankfort, Ky. 7 8-12 Bill Lowther Branclenburg, Ky. 4 6-04 ALABAMAJamie Long Bear Creek, Ala. 13 33-09 Joe Lay Duncanville, Ala. 14 24-13 John Welborn Vinemont, Ala. 9 21-00 Rick Baker Tallassee, Ala. 10 17-02 Vince Rook Bay Minette, Ala. 6 15-11 Steve Winslett Opelika, Ala. 6 13-12 Chris Ingram Eclectic, Ala. 5 9-12 Steve Hodges Moody, Ala. 9 8-10 James Moore Locust Fork, Ala. 2 4-06 T R Fuller Auburn, Ala. 2 2-07 Walter Lawrence Millbrook, Ala. 1 1-13 Josh Benford Phil Campbell, Ala. 1 1-05 GEORGIABob Ellis Vidalia, Ga. 11 20-07 Brad Borland Douglas, Ga. 12 20-00 Steven Levi Athens, Ga. 11 18-05 Ricky Layton Macon, Ga. 9 16-04 George Roberson Naylor, Ga. 9 14-09 Randy Duncan Columbus, Ga. 8 12-04 Daniel Burnette Marietta, Ga. 6 10-15 Daryl Davis Ochlocknee, Ga. 4 8-00 Brent Tullis Acworth, Ga. 5 7-13 Robert Castleberry Canton, Ga. 5 6-07 Dwayne Smith Americus, Ga. 4 4-13 Ronnie Garrison Griffin, Ga. 3 3-10 NORTH CAROLINAJeff Hager Alexis, N.C. 11 22-12 Charles Davis Bladenboro, N.C. 10 21-06 $1,000.00 Jeff Queen Catawba, N.C. 15 21-04 Chuck Murray Louisburg, N.C. 10 15-06 Bryan Thrift Shelby, N.C. 6 15-02 Brian Travis Conover, N.C. 6 9-04 Donnie Cooper Belmont, N.C. 6 8-04 Anthony Armstrong Asheboro, N.C. 4 7-14 Daniel Leggett Tarboro, N.C. 4 6-05 Randy Groves Creedmoor, N.C. 3 5-07 Mark Lamb Wake Forest, N.C. 3 4-10 Darrell Hager Alexis, N.C. 4 4-04 SOUTH CAROLINAGary Pope Georgetown, S.C. 9 18-06 Brent Long Sherrillsford, N.C. 11 16-12 Henry McFadden Georgetown, S.C. 9 13-14 Brent Riley Ridgeville, S.C. 9 12-12 Eddie Cox Goose Creek, S.C. 8 11-02 Nelson Walker Manning, S.C. 7 10-13 Kyle Yates Greenwood, S.C. 8 10-08 James Faulk Tabor City, N.C. 5 10-03 Hayes Hudson Conway, S.C. 5 7-06 Darrell Shull West Columbia, S.C. 3 4-08 Robert Rogers Pinopolis, S.C. 3 3-00 Tim Harmon Lexington, S.C. 1 2-05 FLORIDALeon Roy Tallahassee, Fla. 11 17-14 Charles Antetomaso Merritt Island, Fla. 9 15-01 Ira Forehand Wewahitchka, Fla. 10 14-13 Robert Eid Key West, Fla. 7 13-08 Preston Clark Palatka, Fla. 6 11-09 Roger Gonzalez Higleah Gardens, Fla. 7 11-01 Bobby Smith Panama City, Fla. 7 10-13 Heath Annin Tallahassee, Fla. 9 9-10 Greg Prince Crestview, Fla. 4 8-01 Greg Cuming Mt Dora, Fla. 3 5-02 Roger L Linville Yulee, Fla. 2 2-12 Melvin Berdinsky Cocoa, Fla. 1 1-01 TENNESSEEJason Lambert Savannah, Tenn. 13 26-02 Kendall McCosh Knoxville, Tenn. 5 15-06 Sonny Johnson Piney Flats, Tenn. 11 13-15 Jimmy Cox Pennington Gap, Va. 8 11-05 Jeff Lokken Lebanon, Tenn. 8 10-04 Hunter Garrett Mckenzie, Tenn. 7 9-11 Tony Townsend Soddy Daisy, Tenn. 4 8-02 James Livingston Chattanooga, Tenn. 2 5-01 Mark Keith Soddy Daisy, Tenn. 7 4-15 John Paulk Crump, Tenn. 1 3-10 David Smith Brownfield, Tenn. 1 2-07 Dewayne Lowe Cleveland, Tenn. 1 1-10