LEESBURG, Fla. – Though international anglers commandeered Day 1 of the BASS Federation Championship, it was stateside anglers who overpowered the field Thursday, including tournament leader and 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler Bill Lowen of Ohio.
Lowen, of Cincinnati and competing in the Southern division, didn’t have a long way to go to reach the top. The formerly second-place angler pounced on Day 1 leader Anré De Villiers of South Africa by catching 10 pounds, 14 ounces and bringing his total weight to 24-9. De Villiers fought back, though, with a 9-2 bag and settled into second place with 24-1. Less than one pound separates the anglers, who are vying for one of six berths into the CITGO Bassmaster Classic on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla., Feb. 24-26.
To see the nail-biting ending, tune in to ESPN2 Saturday, Jan. 21, at 10 a.m. EST. Coverage will re-air on Jan. 27 at 7 a.m. and again on Jan. 30 at noon.
“As soon as the camera boat was on me, I had my first fish,” said Lowen. “I told him he was my lucky charm,” he joked.
Lowen covered a half-mile stretch, flipping a 4-inch craw-type lure into thick grass and lily pads. “I started getting good bites at 10 a.m.,” said Lowen. “All the fish are buried up in the grass and it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. Tomorrow I’ve got to slow down and pick it apart a little better than I did today.”
De Villiers said he would revisit his sweet spot on Friday, hoping to find the bigger bite. “The fish moved a lot today, and I just got smaller ones,” he said.
Italy’s Alessandro Debbi remained the sole international angler to keep the lead within his division. Debbi weighed a 1-pound, 8-ounce fish, or just enough to stay on top in the Northern standings with 12-8.
“I lost three fish, broke off one and caught only one keeper,” said Debbi. “It wasn’t a bad day of fishing, just a bad day for me. Tomorrow will be much better.”
Joel St. Germain of Cumberland, R.I., leads the Eastern division with 15 pounds, 4 ounces; Greg Alexander of Hebron, Md., is top of the Mid-Atlantic division with 19-3; James Kennedy commands the Central division with 11-2; and Marc Lippincott of Spokane, Wash., is winning the Western division with 19 pounds even.
All 55 anglers will return to fish on Friday, with their weights carrying over. In addition to $50,000 in total prize money awarded at the Federation Championship, the top angler from each division will advance to the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla.
Location and Field BASS Federation Championship Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla. Jan 11-13, 2006
Field 55 boaters Full field all three competition days. Weights will carry over each day.
Launch Hickory Point 27341 State Route 19 Tavares, Fla. 32778 7 a.m.
Weigh-in Venetian Gardens 201 East Dixie Ave. Leesburg, Fla. 34748 4 p.m.
Day 2 Purolator Big Bass Boater: Joe Conway, 8-2, Colorado Springs, Co.
Local sponsors: The City of Leesburg, Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Lake County Water Authority and The Lake County Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
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