he Arkansas B.A.S.S. Nation wins the team competition Thursday with 363 pounds, 4 ounces at the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional presented by Magellan Outdoors on Lake Guntersville held out of Guntersville, Ala. Josh Ray of Arkansas weighed in 36 pounds, 10 ounces, to lead the individual competition on Day 2.
Photo by Craig Lamb/B.A.S.S.
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Arkansas scored a big win as its team overcame a 30-pound deficit to win the state bass fishing title on Lake Guntersville at the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional presented by Magellan Outdoors.
Arkansas’ 20 anglers collectively caught 363 pounds, 4 ounces to beat Day 1 leader Indiana by a margin of 33 pounds. The Hoosiers took second place with 330 pounds, 10 ounces. Wisconsin was third with 313-12 and Alabama weighed 304-6 for fourth place. Louisiana was fifth with 290-2.
“We fished individually to maintain the spirit of the competition but came together as a team when someone needed attention,” said Jim Alexander, Arkansas B.A.S.S. Nation president.
“We kept the competition between us and that made us fish stronger as a team,” added Doug Thompson, currently third place overall in the tournament. However, teammates did offer advice when their fellow anglers’ strategies were not working.
Arkansas won a Triton 189 TrX bass boat, trailer and accessories with a Yamaha VF150LA outboard valued at $37,293.
Nineteen states are competing in the regional tournament. On Day 3, the Top 38 anglers and three highest-ranking boaters and non-boaters from each state compete on Guntersville.
Josh Ray took the overall boater lead with the biggest catch thus far in the tournament. Ray’s five bass weighed 23-3 and put him in the lead by about 2 pounds.
“I caught all of them in about an hour and then left the spot,” said Ray, of Alexander, Ark. “I’m trying to save some for tomorrow.”
On Wednesday, Ray drew a late starting position, which cut into his fishing time. He managed a mediocre catch weighing 13-7, or about 9 pounds out of the lead. By the time he finished out his five-bass limit, it was nearly time to head to the weigh-in.
Today it was his turn to leave early, and that allowed him to arrive sooner in his fishing area. He caught another limit in about an hour.
“I’m trying to get away from the boat pressure,” he admitted. “I have other areas, but I haven’t needed to use those.”
Ray is swimming a leadhead jig on a tapering bottom near the river channel. That’s a common bass fishing strategy on Guntersville following the spawning cycle of largemouth. The bass are moving from shallow to deep water, where they will school along the Tennessee River over summer.
Ray is tapping into a migration route that funnels the bass along his chosen fishing area. While Ray disclosed the lure he understandably withheld other details of the presentation and specifics of the area.
To be determined is the overall winner and qualifiers to bass fishing’s world championship. That event is the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors. The top boater and non-boater from each state advances to bass club fishing’s championship competition.
The Livingston Lure Leader Award was presented to Ray. He earned the $250 bonus by leading the tournament on Day 2. Justin Harris, the leading non-boater also received a Livingston Lures merchandise package.
Harris, of McPherson, Kan., continues leading the non-boater division with 23 pounds, 11 ounces.
Big bass of the day honors go to Ted Heitschmidt of Tomahawk, Wis. He caught a largemouth weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces.
The tournament begins at 6 a.m. CT with boats returning in staggered flight times beginning at2:15 p.m. Tournament launch and weigh-in will be held at Guntersville City Harbor.
2016 B.A.S.S. Nation Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2016 B.A.S.S. Nation Presenting Sponsor: Magellan
2016 B.A.S.S. Nation Premier Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, GoPro, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2016 B.A.S.S. Nation Supporting Sponsors: A.R.E. Truck Caps, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Nationwide, Power-Pole, Rapala, Shell Rotella, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
Advertising