TBF preview: Southern Divisional Championship
Seventy-two anglers from six southern states set to battle June 7-9 for tournament title on Kentucky Lake
HURRICANE MILLS, Tenn. – The Bass Federation’s Southern Divisional Championship is up for grabs, and Tennessee Bass Federation President David Daniel expects Kentucky Lake to surrender lots of limits and heavy bags each day.
“This spring has been an exceptional season on Kentucky. It’s taken 18 to 21 pounds to win one-day tournaments, and I expect good things for the Southern Divisional event next week,” he said. “I’d say it will take daily weights of 15 pounds or better to win, but that always depends on the weather.”
The tournament, hosted by the Humphrey County Chamber of Commerce and the Tennessee Bass Federation, will take place June 7-9, with June 3, 5 and 6 slated for official practice days. Twelve anglers from each of the six states that represent the Southern Division of TBF – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee – will compete for slots in the TBF Championship. Two anglers from each state will advance; the angler with the highest weight for his state will fish as a boater, while the second-place angler will compete in the TBF Championship as a nonboater. In addition, the angler with the highest three-day weight will win the Castrol Maximum Performer Award and a $500 gift card from Wal-Mart.
Anglers are restricted to the waters between Pickwick Dam and Paris Landing State Park. Lake Barkley is off limits, but that probably won’t pinch most competitors. Kentucky Lake, said Daniel, offers a wide variety of structure and cover, and anglers with specific strengths will likely find something to suit their preferred style. There are over 2,000 miles of shoreline and 160,000 surface acres. Kentucky Lake is at full summer pool – 359 feet – and Daniel says the water color is “just right.”
“The lake has an excellent population of quality smallmouths, and there are lots of big largemouths that have been brought to the scales during tournaments this spring. Smallmouths will definitely play a role in some of the top weights,” Daniel noted. “I think the 15-inch slot limit that was placed on the bass has really helped this lake come back strong.”
Daniel added that anglers will find fish in a variety of locations: some deep, some shallow and some in between. The early-morning topwater bite should be strong, and he thinks plenty of bass will be caught on buzzbaits, Pop Rs and other surface lures. He also expects a strong flipping bite on a variety of cover. The weather forecast calls for stable conditions with temperatures in the mid-80s through all three days.
“I think anglers will fish their strengths, and they should all be able to catch fish doing what they know how to do best. Those who are coming from southern states will probably do well in shallower water because that’s what they are used to, while anglers coming from North Carolina, east Tennessee and other places with deep, clear reservoirs will probably catch lots of fish on deep ledges and other structure,” Daniel said.
Daily weigh-ins will take place at Cuba Landing at 3 p.m.
The event is presented by The National Guard. Yamaha, Chevy, Lowrance Electronics, Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Castrol and Wal-Mart also sponsor The Bass Federation, one of the nation’s leading grass-roots bass-fishing organizations.