WALDORF, Md. - Virginian Ivan Morris' 15-pound, 5-ounce limit of largemouth caught Thursday put his team and himself solidly into the lead entering Friday's final round of the BASS Federation Nation Mid-Atlantic Divisional Championship bass fishing tournament on the Potomac River.
If Morris maintains his consistency, he stands to not only win the overall title but advance to amateur bass fishing's only world championship event, the 2007 BASS Federation Nation Championship held in January on Lake Neely Henry in Alabama.
First, he must fish one more day on the Potomac to defend his nearly 7-pound lead over fellow Virginian and Day 1 leader Steve Roberts. Roberts dropped to second after bringing only two keepers to the scales for a two-day total of 26-10.
"Today and yesterday were all soft plastics for me," said Morris, brother of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Rick Morris of Virginia Beach.
Morris started the tournament yesterday in second place after catching a 5-bass limit weighing 17-14.
"Yesterday I started out fishing a soft plastic frog and missed a couple of good fish," he recalled. "I pitched back in the same spot with a soft plastic lure as a follow-up bait to the missed strikes and started catching fish. From then on it was all soft plastics."
Today was no different, although he was forced to make an unplanned adjustment later in the day. Morris arrived at the spot and eventually caught four keepers before the weather hampered his strategy.
"The combination of the wind blowing in and the water coming out with the tide made the water too muddy so I had to leave it."
Alternatively, Morris spent the remainder of his fishing day targeting boat docks located near creek mouths entering the main channel of the Potomac River. He landed his fifth keeper pitching the undisclosed soft plastic bait to the docks.
Meanwhile Roberts, the defending Mid-Atlantic champion, experienced a frustrating day after being plagued by the wind. "It was just too windy for me to detect the bites," he lamented.
Each of the six Federation Nations competing here advance their top angler to the championship. As of today, the lineup includes Morris (Virginia), Greg Alexander (Delaware), John Burdette (Maryland), Daniel Ottmer (New Jersey), Mike Moran ( Pennsylvania), and Kevin Goff (West Virginia).
This tournament also features a competition between the 12-angler Federation Nation teams from the states. That title is Virginia's to lose, with the team's collective weight standing at 188 pounds, 11 ounces. New Jersey was second with 151-8 and Delaware was in third place with 141-0. The states will divide a total purse of $47,000 with $16,500 going to the winning team.
The Mid-Atlantic divisional championship is one of six held nationwide, with this event concluding the season schedule. The final weigh-in begins at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Smallwood State Park.
2006 Mid-Atlantic Divisional 09/27-09/29
Potomac River, Md.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Ivan Morris Virginia Beach, Va. (V 10 33-03
2. Steve Roberts Lynchburg, Va. (VA) 7 26-10
3. Craig Owens Chesapeake, Va. (VA) 10 25-00
4. Daniel Ottmer Pt Pleasant, N.J. (NJ) 10 23-12
5. Greg Alexander Hebron, Md. (DE) 10 23-05
6. John Burdette Frederick, Md. (MD) 9 21-11
7. Kevin Waterman Laplata, Md. (MD) 10 20-02
8. John Fitzgerald Lincoln, Del. (DE) 8 19-03
9. Steven Brady Hillsville, Va. (VA) 10 19-01
10. Mike Moran Sutersville, Pa. (PA) 10 18-15
11. Kevin Goff New Martinsville, W.Va 8 18-03
12. Jeff Davis Malton Lakes, N.J. (NJ 7 17-11
13. Larry Iden Mc Henry, Md. (MD) 10 17-05
14. Bryant Copley Altavista, Va. (VA) 8 16-10
15. R W Phillips Martinsville, Va. (VA) 9 15-14
15. Ken Bertles Pennsville, N.J. (NJ) 8 15-14
17. Robert Laufenberg Dover, N.J. (NJ) 7 15-12
18. Ryan Smith Milford, Del. (DE) 8 15-06
19. Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, Md. (DE) 10 14-13
19. D J Bishop Verona, Pa. (PA) 10 14-13
21. Daniel Gray Butler, Pa. (PA) 10 14-10
22. Jim Lambert Pittsburg, Pa. (PA) 10 14-08
23. Jimmie Hale Martinsville, Va. (VA) 7 14-03
24. Jon Stone Pittsburg, Pa. (PA) 8 14-01
24. Craig Townsend Mount Holly, N.J. (NJ) 7 14-01
26. Kevin Collins Morristown, N.J. (NJ) 8 13-10
27. Ed Santuk Hardy, Va. (VA) 9 13-04
27. James Harper N Cape May, N.J. (NJ) 7 13-04
29. Alan Fluharty Fairmont, W.Va. (WV) 6 13-00
30. Christopher Peloquin Damascus, Maine (MD) 8 12-15
31. Tom Semanick Ferndale, Md. (MD) 6 12-01
32. Steve Billeter New Martinsville, W.Va 6 11-13
33. Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. (MD) 8 10-14
34. Stephen Poole Dover, Del. (DE) 6 10-11
35. Marty Isles Owings, Md. (MD) 4 10-10
36. Robert Moody Dover, Del. (DE) 6 10-09
36. Jim Wigal Claysville, Pa. (WV) 5 10-09
36. Merrill Showers New Columbia, Pa. (PA) 5 10-09
39. John Radamski Toms River, N.J. (NJ) 5 10-07
40. Erik Lentine Fair Haven, N.J. (NJ) 5 10-01
40. Mark Melega Rice Landing, Pa. (PA) 4 10-01
42. Timothy Stump Dover, Del. (DE) 8 9-15
42. Deron Eck Kittanning, Pa. (PA) 7 9-15
44. Bryan Mayhew Hurt, Va. (VA) 6 9-09
45. Robert Chango Secretary, Md. (DE) 5 9-08
46. Ken Baumgardner Monongahela, Pa. (PA) 7 8-10
47. Ric May California, Maine (MD) 5 8-08
48. Lew Boulden Townsend, Del. (DE) 6 8-07
49. Steve Harrison Clarksburg, W.Va. (WV) 6 7-15
49. L R Amos Claysville, Pa. (WV) 5 7-15
51. Mike Goff Clendenin, W.Va. (WV) 5 7-13
51. Aaron Kibler Milford, Del. (DE) 5 7-13
53. Brad Billeter Waverly, W.Va. (WV) 5 7-12
54. Mike Reilly Hammonton, N.J. (NJ) 5 7-06
55. Apollo Quiban Virginia Beach, Va. (V 5 7-04
56. Chad Brinegar Berkeley Springs, W.Va 4 7-02
57. David Perrego Dover, Del. (DE) 4 6-12
58. Andy Starner Dover, Pa. 3 6-05
59. John Veres Neffs, Ohio (WV) 3 6-02
60. Jerald Conley Sowell, N.J. (NJ) 4 6-01
61. Matt Lazaroff Mercer, Pa. (PA) 2 5-12
62. Ron Wolf South Hampton, Pa. (PA 3 5-07
63. Kirk Wagner Baltimore, Md. (MD) 4 5-02
64. Richard Webb Milford, Del. (DE) 4 4-10
65. Abe Street Pulaski, Va. (VA) 2 4-08
66. Scott Adams Little Hocking, Ohio ( 4 4-07
67. Richard Exline Sharpsburg, Md. (MD) 4 4-02
68. Tom Cusmano Colonia, N.J. (NJ) 2 3-09
68. Jim Martin Collinsville, Va. (VA) 2 3-09
70. Jere Hayslett Alexandria, Va. (MD) 3 3-07
71. Randy Elliott Bowie, Md. (MD) 3 3-02
72. Thomas Vankirk Washington, Pa. (WV) 1 2-10
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 28 245 470-00
2 18 206 380-01
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46 451 850-01
TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
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State Lbs-Oz
1
VIRGINIA 188-11
2
NEW JERSEY 151-08
3
DELAWARE 141-00
4
MARYLAND 129-15
5
PENNSYLVANIA 127-05
6 WEST
VIRGINIA 105-05
7 6-05
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ivan Morris Virginia Beach, Va. 10 33-03
2 Steve Roberts Lynchburg, Va. 7 26-10
3 Craig Owens Chesapeake, Va. 10 25-00
4 Steven Brady Hillsville, Va. 10 19-01
5 Bryant Copley Altavista, Va. 8 16-10
6 R W Phillips Martinsville, Va. 9 15-14
7 Jimmie Hale Martinsville, Va. 7 14-03
8 Ed Santuk Hardy, Va. 9 13-04
9 Bryan Mayhew Hurt, Va. 6 9-09
10 Apollo Quiban Virginia Beach, Va. 5 7-04
11 Abe Street Pulaski, Va. 2 4-08
12 Jim Martin Collinsville, Va. 2 3-09
NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Daniel Ottmer Pt Pleasant, N.J. 10 23-12
2 Jeff Davis Malton Lakes, N.J. 7 17-11
3 Ken Bertles Pennsville, N.J. 8 15-14
4 Robert Laufenberg Dover, N.J. 7 15-12
5 Craig Townsend Mount Holly, N.J. 7 14-01
6 Kevin Collins Morristown, N.J. 8 13-10
7 James Harper N Cape May, N.J. 7 13-04
8 John Radamski Toms River, N.J. 5 10-07
9 Erik Lentine Fair Haven, N.J. 5 10-01
10 Mike Reilly Hammonton, N.J. 5 7-06
11 Jerald Conley Sowell, N.J. 4 6-01
12 Tom Cusmano Colonia, N.J. 2 3-09
DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Greg Alexander Hebron, Md. 10 23-05
2 John Fitzgerald Lincoln, Del. 8 19-03
3 Ryan Smith Milford, Del. 8 15-06
4 Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, Md. 10 14-13
5 Stephen Poole Dover, Del. 6 10-11
6 Robert Moody Dover, Del. 6 10-09
7 Timothy Stump Dover, Del. 8 9-15
8 Robert Chango Secretary, Md. 5 9-08
9 Lew Boulden Townsend, Del. 6 8-07
10 Aaron Kibler Milford, Del. 5 7-13
11 David Perrego Dover, Del. 4 6-12
12 Richard Webb Milford, Del. 4 4-10
MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 John Burdette Frederick, Md. 9 21-11
2 Kevin Waterman Laplata, Md. 10 20-02
3 Larry Iden Mc Henry, Md. 10 17-05
4 Christopher Peloquin Damascus, Maine 8 12-15
5 Tom Semanick Ferndale, Md. 6 12-01
6 Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. 8 10-14
7 Marty Isles Owings, Md. 4 10-10
8 Ric May California, Maine 5 8-08
9 Kirk Wagner Baltimore, Md. 4 5-02
10 Richard Exline Sharpsburg, Md. 4 4-02
11 Jere Hayslett Alexandria, Va. 3 3-07
12 Randy Elliott Bowie, Md. 3 3-02
PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mike Moran Sutersville, Pa. 10 18-15
2 D J Bishop Verona, Pa. 10 14-13
3 Daniel Gray Butler, Pa. 10 14-10
4 Jim Lambert Pittsburg, Pa. 10 14-08
5 Jon Stone Pittsburg, Pa. 8 14-01
6 Merrill Showers New Columbia, Pa. 5 10-09
7 Mark Melega Rice Landing, Pa. 4 10-01
8 Deron Eck Kittanning, Pa. 7 9-15
9 Ken Baumgardner Monongahela, Pa. 7 8-10
10 Matt Lazaroff Mercer, Pa. 2 5-12
11 Ron Wolf South Hampton, Pa. 3 5-07WEST
VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Goff New Martinsville, W.Va. 8 18-03
2 Alan Fluharty Fairmont, W.Va. 6 13-00
3 Steve Billeter New Martinsville, W.Va. 6 11-13
4 Jim Wigal Claysville, Pa. 5 10-09
5 Steve Harrison Clarksburg, W.Va. 6 7-15
5 L R Amos Claysville, Pa. 5 7-15
7 Mike Goff Clendenin, W.Va. 5 7-13
8 Brad Billeter Waverly, W.Va. 5 7-12
9 Chad Brinegar Berkeley Springs, W.Va. 4 7-02
10 John Veres Neffs, Ohio 3 6-02
11 Scott Adams Little Hocking, Ohio 4 4-07
12 Thomas Vankirk Washington, Pa. 1 2-10
1 Andy Starner Dover, Pa. 3 6-05