WALDORF, Md. - Ivan Morris of Virginia Beach, Va., led his team to a strong victory at the BASS Federation Nation Mid-Atlantic Divisional on Friday, winning the overall title with 43 pounds, 13 ounces after three days of bass fishing competition on the Potomac River.
Winning the tournament was an impressive feat but so was the effort of Morris' 12-angler team, which took top honors among six states competing in the tournament. Virginia's collective effort of 261 pounds, 4 ounces, eclipsed runner-up Delaware by a margin of nearly 50 pounds.
"I'm so proud of these guys and even more so of our state," said Joan Blankenship, president of the Virginia Federation Nation. "We built this Federation Nation from the ground up and we have come back strong."
Morris' expertise on the river came into play as he took the lead Thursday and held onto it on Friday. His strategy involved fishing a soft plastic frog in the morning and then switching to soft plastic crawfish lures in the afternoon, using the flipping-and-pitching technique.
"The key was being persistent in the tough bite after the front came through on Thursday," said Morris, 52, the co-owner of a company specializing in glass-blown figurines.
Morris targeted a collection of grassbeds along the main river channel in water 5 feet deep, where he caught fish feeding early on the frog. In the afternoon, he switched to the flipping- and-pitching technique, alternating between the grassbeds and boat docks.
His soft plastic arsenal included a Zoom Super Hog in a variety of colors. The bait was Texas-rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Superline Hook with a ¼-ounce weight. Rounding out the flipping-and-pitching gear was a 7-foot G. Loomis heavy-action rod and Shimano Chronarch reel spooled with 20-pound Stren line. He used the same tackle package for the frog.
"The dock bite required a lot of patience," he added. "I sometimes made five or six passes around the same dock. It was just a tough bite."
The weather played a factor in the tournament and obviously into the hand of Morris, who's fished the Potomac competitively for the past 17 years.
The tournament began on Wednesday with relatively balmy temperatures, partly cloudy skies and calm wind. The next evening, a front packing severe weather passed through with the daytime temperature dropping from highs in the low 80s on Thursday to the high 60s on Friday. As a result, the bite suffered and experience on the river paid off.
As the top angler from Virginia, Morris is one of six anglers from the Mid-Atlantic Divisional who advanced to the Federation Nation National Championship set for Alabama's Lake Neely Henry in January. He will be joined by Greg Alexander (Delaware), Kevin Waterman (Maryland), Robert Laufenberg (New Jersey), Jim Lambert ( Pennsylvania), and Alan Fluharty (West Virginia).
2006 Mid-Atlantic Divisional 09/27-09/29
Potomac River, Md.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Ivan Morris Virginia Beach, Va. (V 15 43-13
2. Craig Owens Chesapeake, Va. (VA) 15 34-13
3. Kevin Waterman Laplata, Md. (MD) 15 30-02
4. Jim Lambert Pittsburg, Pa. (PA) 15 28-03
4. John Burdette Frederick, Md. (MD) 13 28-03
6. Larry Iden Mc Henry, Md. (MD) 15 27-15
7. Robert Laufenberg Dover, N.J. (NJ) 12 27-01
8. Greg Alexander Hebron, Md. (DE) 12 26-14
8. John Fitzgerald Lincoln, Del. (DE) 12 26-14
10. Steve Roberts Lynchburg, Va. (VA) 9 26-10
11. Merrill Showers New Columbia, Pa. (PA) 10 26-03
12. Daniel Ottmer Pt Pleasant, N.J. (NJ) 12 25-15
13. Steven Brady Hillsville, Va. (VA) 13 25-10
14. Bryant Copley Altavista, Va. (VA) 13 25-05
15. Mike Moran Sutersville, Pa. (PA) 15 25-03
16. Jeff Davis Malton Lakes, N.J. (NJ 10 23-12
17. Alan Fluharty Fairmont, W.Va. (WV) 10 23-10
18. Kevin Collins Morristown, N.J. (NJ) 13 23-06
19. Daniel Gray Butler, Pa. (PA) 15 23-03
20. Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, Md. (DE) 15 21-15
21. D J Bishop Verona, Pa. (PA) 13 21-11
22. Kevin Goff New Martinsville, W.Va 11 21-09
23. Robert Moody Dover, Del. (DE) 11 21-03
24. R W Phillips Martinsville, Va. (VA) 11 20-02
25. Craig Townsend Mount Holly, N.J. (NJ) 10 19-06
26. Christopher Peloquin Damascus, Maine (MD) 12 18-15
27. Ryan Smith Milford, Del. (DE) 10 18-12
28. Ed Santuk Hardy, Va. (VA) 12 18-04
29. Ken Bertles Pennsville, N.J. (NJ) 10 18-01
30. Robert Chango Secretary, Md. (DE) 10 18-00
31. Jimmie Hale Martinsville, Va. (VA) 9 17-14
32. Steve Harrison Clarksburg, W.Va. (WV) 11 17-08
33. Deron Eck Kittanning, Pa. (PA) 12 17-07
34. Marty Isles Owings, Md. (MD) 8 17-00
35. Bryan Mayhew Hurt, Va. (VA) 10 16-09
36. Ric May California, Maine (MD) 9 16-06
37. Lew Boulden Townsend, Del. (DE) 9 16-05
38. Jim Wigal Claysville, Pa. (WV) 8 15-11
39. Steve Billeter New Martinsville, W.Va 8 15-07
40. Timothy Stump Dover, Del. (DE) 10 14-10
40. Aaron Kibler Milford, Del. (DE) 9 14-10
42. James Harper N Cape May, N.J. (NJ) 11 14-06
43. Mike Goff Clendenin, W.Va. (WV) 8 14-02
44. Jon Stone Pittsburg, Pa. (PA) 8 14-01
45. Jim Martin Collinsville, Va. (VA) 7 13-09
46. Apollo Quiban Virginia Beach, Va. (V 10 13-05
47. Tom Semanick Ferndale, Md. (MD) 7 12-14
48. John Radamski Toms River, N.J. (NJ) 7 12-13
49. Stephen Poole Dover, Del. (DE) 7 12-06
50. Ken Baumgardner Monongahela, Pa. (PA) 8 12-04
51. Richard Webb Milford, Del. (DE) 8 12-02
52. Matt Lazaroff Mercer, Pa. (PA) 6 11-11
52. John Veres Neffs, Ohio (WV) 6 11-11
54. L R Amos Claysville, Pa. (WV) 8 11-05
55. Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. (MD) 8 10-14
56. Kirk Wagner Baltimore, Md. (MD) 8 10-04
57. Chad Brinegar Berkeley Springs, W.Va 6 10-03
58. Erik Lentine Fair Haven, N.J. (NJ) 5 10-01
58. Mark Melega Rice Landing, Pa. (PA) 4 10-01
60. Mike Reilly Hammonton, N.J. (NJ) 6 8-15
61. David Perrego Dover, Del. (DE) 5 8-04
62. Andy Starner Dover, Pa. 4 7-15
63. Scott Adams Little Hocking, Ohio ( 6 7-13
64. Brad Billeter Waverly, W.Va. (WV) 5 7-12
65. Richard Exline Sharpsburg, Md. (MD) 7 7-03
66. Randy Elliott Bowie, Md. (MD) 5 6-13
67. Jere Hayslett Alexandria, Va. (MD) 5 6-11
68. Tom Cusmano Colonia, N.J. (NJ) 5 6-07
69. Jerald Conley Sowell, N.J. (NJ) 4 6-01
70. Ron Wolf South Hampton, Pa. (PA 3 5-07
71. Abe Street Pulaski, Va. (VA) 3 5-06
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
3 18 212 375-04
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64 663 1225-05
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
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State Lbs-Oz
1
VIRGINIA 261-04
2
DELAWARE 211-15
3
NEW JERSEY 196-04
4
PENNSYLVANIA 195-06
5
MARYLAND 193-04
6 WEST
VIRGINIA 159-05
7 7-15
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
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VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ivan Morris Virginia Beach, Va. 15 43-13
2 Craig Owens Chesapeake, Va. 15 34-13
3 Steve Roberts Lynchburg, Va. 9 26-10
4 Steven Brady Hillsville, Va. 13 25-10
5 Bryant Copley Altavista, Va. 13 25-05
6 R W Phillips Martinsville, Va. 11 20-02
7 Ed Santuk Hardy, Va. 12 18-04
8 Jimmie Hale Martinsville, Va. 9 17-14
9 Bryan Mayhew Hurt, Va. 10 16-09
10 Jim Martin Collinsville, Va. 7 13-09
11 Apollo Quiban Virginia Beach, Va. 10 13-05
12 Abe Street Pulaski, Va. 3 5-06
DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Greg Alexander Hebron, Md. 12 26-14
1 John Fitzgerald Lincoln, Del. 12 26-14
3 Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, Md. 15 21-15
4 Robert Moody Dover, Del. 11 21-03
5 Ryan Smith Milford, Del. 10 18-12
6 Robert Chango Secretary, Md. 10 18-00
7 Lew Boulden Townsend, Del. 9 16-05
8 Timothy Stump Dover, Del. 10 14-10
8 Aaron Kibler Milford, Del. 9 14-10
10 Stephen Poole Dover, Del. 7 12-06
11 Richard Webb Milford, Del. 8 12-02
12 David Perrego Dover, Del. 5 8-04
NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Robert Laufenberg Dover, N.J. 12 27-01
2 Daniel Ottmer Pt Pleasant, N.J. 12 25-15
3 Jeff Davis Malton Lakes, N.J. 10 23-12
4 Kevin Collins Morristown, N.J. 13 23-06
5 Craig Townsend Mount Holly, N.J. 10 19-06
6 Ken Bertles Pennsville, N.J. 10 18-01
7 James Harper N Cape May, N.J. 11 14-06
8 John Radamski Toms River, N.J. 7 12-13
9 Erik Lentine Fair Haven, N.J. 5 10-01
10 Mike Reilly Hammonton, N.J. 6 8-15
11 Tom Cusmano Colonia, N.J. 5 6-07
12 Jerald Conley Sowell, N.J. 4 6-01
PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jim Lambert Pittsburg, Pa. 15 28-03
2 Merrill Showers New Columbia, Pa. 10 26-03
3 Mike Moran Sutersville, Pa. 15 25-03
4 Daniel Gray Butler, Pa. 15 23-03
5 D J Bishop Verona, Pa. 13 21-11
6 Deron Eck Kittanning, Pa. 12 17-07
7 Jon Stone Pittsburg, Pa. 8 14-01
8 Ken Baumgardner Monongahela, Pa. 8 12-04
9 Matt Lazaroff Mercer, Pa. 6 11-11
10 Mark Melega Rice Landing, Pa. 4 10-01
11 Ron Wolf South Hampton, Pa. 3 5-07
MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Waterman Laplata, Md. 15 30-02
2 John Burdette Frederick, Md. 13 28-03
3 Larry Iden Mc Henry, Md. 15 27-15
4 Christopher Peloquin Damascus, Maine 12 18-15
5 Marty Isles Owings, Md. 8 17-00
6 Ric May California, Maine 9 16-06
7 Tom Semanick Ferndale, Md. 7 12-14
8 Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. 8 10-14
9 Kirk Wagner Baltimore, Md. 8 10-04
10 Richard Exline Sharpsburg, Md. 7 7-03
11 Randy Elliott Bowie, Md. 5 6-13
12 Jere Hayslett Alexandria, Va. 5 6-11WEST
VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Alan Fluharty Fairmont, W.Va. 10 23-10
2 Kevin Goff New Martinsville, W.Va. 11 21-09
3 Steve Harrison Clarksburg, W.Va. 11 17-08
4 Jim Wigal Claysville, Pa. 8 15-11
5 Steve Billeter New Martinsville, W.Va. 8 15-07
6 Mike Goff Clendenin, W.Va. 8 14-02
7 John Veres Neffs, Ohio 6 11-11
8 L R Amos Claysville, Pa. 8 11-05
9 Chad Brinegar Berkeley Springs, W.Va. 6 10-03
10 Scott Adams Little Hocking, Ohio 6 7-13
11 Brad Billeter Waverly, W.Va. 5 7-12
12 Thomas Vankirk Washington, Pa. 1 2-10
1 Andy Starner Dover, Pa. 4 7-15