Diaco wins The Bass Federation Eastern Division Championship

Top anglers from each state team advance to the 2009 TBF National Championship

CENTER HARBOR, N.H. – New Hampshire team member John Diaco of Rochester, N.H., won The Bass Federation 2008 Eastern Divisional Championship on Lake Winnipesaukee Friday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 40 pounds even. For his victory, Diaco earned a $500 Wal-Mart gift card as the Castrol Maximum Performer.

Diaco opened the tournament Wednesday with five bass weighing 12-12. He added another five bass weighing 15-12 Thursday before catching five bass weighing 12-02 Friday to seal the win.

The top-finishing angler from each 12-person state team will advance to the 2009 TBF National Championship presented by the National Guard as a boater. Those advancing as boaters are Mike Kane of Clinton, Conn. (13 bass, 29-04); Laurence Hogue of Kennebunk, Maine (15 bass, 34-02); Jim Gildea of Weston, Mass. (15 bass, 38-08); Rob Lamoy of Chazy, N.Y. (11 bass, 23-14); Mike Mantha of Charlton, Mass. (14 bass, 32-08) and Gilbert Gagner of Highgate Springs, Vt. (15 bass, 36-06).

The No. 2 competitor from each state team will advance to the National Championship as a co-angler.

Those advancing as co-anglers are Christopher Blanc of Cos Cob, Conn. (14 bass, 22-06); Jason Mitsin of Hollis Center, Maine (15 bass, 31-06); Pete De Moya of Plymouth, Mass. (15 bass, 33-01); Alan Denise of Haverhill, Mass. (15 bass, 34-00); Derrick Martineau of Au Sable Forks, N.Y. (11 bass, 22-14); William Hopkins of Rockville, R.I. (11 bass, 25-12) and Matthew Applebaum of Johnson, Vt. (15 bass, 34-03).

New Hampshire was the top-finishing team in this week’s divisional, taking home the traveling cup for bringing in 164 bass, weighing 337 pounds, 3 ounces over the three-day competition. Second place in team competition was Massachusetts, with 141 bass, weighing 290 pounds, 15 ounces. Maine brought in 130 bass weighing 250 pounds, 1 ounce to claim the No. 3 spot.

TBF National Championship anglers will compete for a share of more than $200,000 in cash and merchandise, including a $100,000 “Living the Dream” prize package that includes use of a wrapped Chevy truck and Ranger boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha, sponsor merchandise and entry fees into the Wal-Mart FLW Tour or Wal-Mart FLW Series. The top boater and co-angler from each of the TBF’s six divisions at the National Championship will receive a berth into the $1 million BFL All-American presented by Chevy, where boaters compete for a top award of $140,000 and co-anglers cast for a top award of $70,000. The winning boater and co-angler at the TBF National Championship will also advance to the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by Castrol, where pros compete for a top award of $1 million and co-anglers fish for a top award of $50,000.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offered anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players could become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, which provided them with exclusive insider information that could have guided them to a $100,000 victory at every Walmart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage gave them an edge over the competition and increased their shot for the $1 million cash grand prize awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Visit FantasyFishing.com today to find out more information and to register for next season.

Coverage of the TBF National Championship will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television series. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.

The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) is owned by those it serves and is dedicated to the sport of fishing.

TBF affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing, youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided the foundation for the entire bass-fishing industry for more than 30 years. For more information about The Bass Federation, visit bassfederation.com or call (580) 765-9031.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.