Randy Phillips of Oxford, Mass., closed strong Friday, securing a berth in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic and the overall win in the 2009 Bassmaster Federation Nation Championship on the Harris Chain of Lakes with a three-day total of 31 pounds, 1 ounce.
With the victory, Phillips also scored a Skeeter/Yamaha rig valued at more than $60,000.
“It feels great, I’m ecstatic,” he said. “I could not have asked for a better tournament, everything turned out great and I’m very excited to go to the Classic, this is my dream.”
Despite landing a limit – no certainty this week – Phillips only had 6 pounds, 15 ounces on the final day of competition. But tough conditions prevailed and many of the challengers slipped. Don Hogue of Pasco, Wash., had the lead heading into the final day but fell short, claiming runner-up honors with a three-day total of 29-1.
But Hogue did take solace in the fact that he earned a 2010 Bassmaster Classic berth by way of champion of the Western division. Phillips took the Eastern division.
“This is surreal, it’s something you dream about like you dream of going to the moon,” Hogue said. “I’m kind of overwhelmed, but I’m sure most of the guys are.”
Logue describes himself as a West coast guy, having never fished in Florida or in Alabama. Hogue will fish there, on Alabama’s Lay Lake, for the 2010 Classic, which is set for Feb. 19-21 out of Birmingham, Ala.
In the Southern division, Brent Long of Cornelius, N.C., held on with a five-fish limit that went 7-3 Friday. Long will be fishing his second Classic and his only other Classic experience came on Lay in 2007. Long was fourth this week.
Jeff Freeman of Max Meadows, Va., held off Gerry Jooste of Harare, Zimbabwe, to secure his second Classic berth. Freeman won the 2007 Bassmaster Federation Nation Championship on Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga and has also scored victory in Bassmaster events as a co-angler. He will represent the Mid-Atlantic division. Freeman placed seventh in the tournament with 24-05.
Despite finishing 12th in the tournament, Bryan Schmidt of Olney, Texas, had a good enough tournament to take his second consecutive Classic berth. Schmidt bested fellow Texan Tom Jessop of Dalhart and Samuel Anthony of Independence, La. Schmidt will look to repeat his strong 2008 performance when he finished sixth.
To round the Classic qualifiers, Jody Adkins of North Canton, Ohio, will represent the Northern division on the strength of his third-place finish in the tournament. The full standings can be found below.
In the Junior Bassmaster World Championship, which played out on nearby Lake Yale, Jake Cook of Kennewick, Wash., bested the 15-18 division with 13 pounds, 1 ounce. John Duarte of Middle River, Md., won the 11-14 division with 5 pounds. Youth prizes included scholarships for the top finishers.
The Bassmaster CastingKids National Championship was also determined with Sierra Voisin of Mildmay, Ontario, Canada, scoring her third CastingKids victory in the 7-10 age division. Jared Raymer of Brandenburg, Ky., won the 11-14 division besting Shauni Voisin, Sierra’s older sister.
Kids in two age groups ( 7-10, 11-14 ) casted, pitched and flipped to targets. Full stories can be found on Bassmaster.com.
2009 BASS FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP 10/28-10/30 Harris Chain Of Lakes, Tavares Fla.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown D No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Randy Phillips Oxford, Mass. (MA) E 13 31-01 $60,000.00
2. Don Hogue Pasco, Wash. (WA) W 13 29-01 $5,000.00
3. Jody Adkins North Canton, Ohio (OH) N 13 28-03 $2,500.00
4. Brent Long Cornelius, N.C. (SC) S 12 28-00 $1,000.00
5. Skip Sjobeck Randolph, Vt. (VT) E 6 26-07 $1,500.00
6. Chuck Murray Louisburg, N.C. (NC) S 15 25-07 $500.00
7. Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) M 14 24-05 $1,000.00
8. Randy Wieczorek Buffalo City, Wisc. (MN) N 13 24-05 $500.00
9. Brian Hensley Edwardsburg, Mich. (IN) N 15 24-00 $500.00
10. Ron Cherkas Grimes, Iowa (IA) N 12 23-13 $500.00
11. Gerry Jooste Harare, Zimbabwe (ZWE) M 15 23-02 $500.00
12. Bryan Schmidt Olney, Texas (TX) C 11 23-00 $250.00
13. Samuel Anthony Independence, La. (LA) C 9 20-07 $250.00
14. Matt Massey Lakewood, Colo. (CO) W 8 20-07 $250.00
15. Brandon Card Lexington, Ky. (KY) S 14 19-11 $250.00
16. Wes Haney Baldwin, Wisc. (WI) N 10 19-08 $250.00
17. Scott Weiland Saddle Brook, N.J. (NJ) M 9 19-03 $250.00
18. Jacopo Gallelli Firenze, Italy (ITA) N 6 19-00 $750.00
19. Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) C 10 18-08 $250.00
20. Kenneth Pannell Springville, Ala. (AL) S 10 17-09 $250.00
21. Brandon Rose Saginaw, Mich. (MI) N 15 17-03 $250.00
22. John Soukup Agra, Okla. (OK) C 11 16-15 $250.00
23. Jared Taliaferro Rogers, Ark. (AR) C 12 16-03 $250.00
24. Tim Dolon Cherryville, Pa. (PA) M 13 15-07 $250.00
25. Mark Desjardin Vassalboro, Maine (ME) E 11 15-01 $250.00
26. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, R.I. (RI) E 9 13-14 $250.00
27. Mamoru Suzuki Tokyo 198-0063, Japan (JPN) W 8 13-11 $250.00
28. Samuel Russell Salt Lake City, Utah (WY) W 10 13-07 $250.00
29. Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. (MD) M 10 12-12 $250.00
30. Joe Matt Syracuse, N.Y. (NY) E 8 12-09 $250.00
31. Chris Neely Chattahoochee, Fla. (GA) S 10 12-02 $250.00
32. Al Gambardella North Haven, Conn. (CT) E 7 11-11 $250.00
33. Jay Ladner Kiln, Miss. (MS) C 6 11-05 $250.00
34. Paul Reutlinger West Jordan, Utah (UT) W 9 11-02 $250.00
35. Don Denault Delmar, Md. (DE) M 8 10-07 $250.00
36. Mark Warner Overland Park, Kan. (KS) C 6 10-03 $250.00
37. David Boyd Quincy, Fla. (FL) S 7 10-01 $250.00
38. Ben Grande Las Vegas, Nev. (NV) W 8 10-00 $250.00
39. Nick Wood Yreka, Calif. (CA) W 7 9-13 $250.00
40. Leroy Starling Whitefish, Mont. (MT) W 8 9-12 $250.00
41. Tyler Hanatow Alstead, N.H. (NH) E 6 9-12 $250.00
42. Richard Risewick Norton, Kan. (NE) C 9 9-11 $250.00
43. Dave Johnson Keswick, Canada (ON) E 7 9-10 $250.00
44. Shane Cowan Pierre, S.D. (SD) N 5 9-10 $250.00
45. Gerald Sobkowiak Granville, Ill. (IL) N 6 9-07 $250.00
46. Rick Hamer Charleston, W.Va. (WV) M 5 9-06 $250.00
47. Byron Chaves Salem, Ore. (OR) W 6 9-01 $250.00
48. Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Africa (S AFS 6 8-15 $250.00
49. John Clark Bossier City, La. (PVA Champion) M 7 8-05 $250.00
50. Russell Matt Saint Joseph, Mo. (MO) C 7 7-09 $250.00
51. Ben Parker Union City, Tenn. (TN) S 6 6-14 $250.00
52. Owen Lounsbury St Maries, Idaho (ID) W 5 5-09 $250.00
53. Chuck Rizuto Navajo Dam, N.M. (NM) W 4 2-13 $250.00
54. Jeff Guerrette Glendale, Ariz. (AZ) W 2 2-06 $250.00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Skip Sjobeck Randolph, Vt. (VT) 9-05 $500.00
2 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) 5-11 $500.00
2 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) 5-11 $500.00
2 Jacopo Gallelli Firenze, Italy (ITA) 8-12 $500.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 17 163 276-03
2 18 181 301-12
3 15 148 249-12
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50 492 827-11
DIVISIONAL STANDINGS Day 3
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NORTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jody Adkins North Canton, Ohio (OH) 13 28-03 $2,500.00
2 Randy Wieczorek Buffalo City, Wisc. (MN) 13 24-05 $500.00
3 Brian Hensley Edwardsburg, Mich. (IN) 15 24-00 $500.00
4 Ron Cherkas Grimes, Iowa (IA) 12 23-13 $500.00
5 Wes Haney Baldwin, Wisc. (WI) 10 19-08 $250.00
6 Jacopo Gallelli Firenze, Italy (ITA) 6 19-00 $750.00
7 Brandon Rose Saginaw, Mich. (MI) 15 17-03 $250.00
8 Shane Cowan Pierre, S.D. (SD) 5 9-10 $250.00
9 Gerald Sobkowiak Granville, Ill. (IL) 6 9-07 $250.00
WESTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Don Hogue Pasco, Wash. (WA) 13 29-01 $5,000.00
2 Matt Massey Lakewood, Colo. (CO) 8 20-07 $250.00
3 Mamoru Suzuki Tokyo 198-0063, Japan (JP 8 13-11 $250.00
4 Samuel Russell Salt Lake City, Utah (WY) 10 13-07 $250.00
5 Paul Reutlinger West Jordan, Utah (UT) 9 11-02 $250.00
6 Ben Grande Las Vegas, Nev. (NV) 8 10-00 $250.00
7 Nick Wood Yreka, Calif. (CA) 7 9-13 $250.00
8 Leroy Starling Whitefish, Mont. (MT) 8 9-12 $250.00
9 Byron Chaves Salem, Ore. (OR) 6 9-01 $250.00
10 Owen Lounsbury St Maries, Idaho (ID) 5 5-09 $250.00
11 Chuck Rizuto Navajo Dam, N.M. (NM) 4 2-13 $250.00
12 Jeff Guerrette Glendale, Ariz. (AZ) 2 2-06 $250.00
CENTRAL
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bryan Schmidt Olney, Texas (TX) 11 23-00 $250.00
2 Samuel Anthony Independence, La. (LA) 9 20-07 $250.00
3 Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) 10 18-08 $250.00
4 John Soukup Agra, Okla. (OK) 11 16-15 $250.00
5 Jared Taliaferro Rogers, Ark. (AR) 12 16-03 $250.00
6 Jay Ladner Kiln, Miss. (MS) 6 11-05 $250.00
7 Mark Warner Overland Park, Kan. (KS) 6 10-03 $250.00
8 Richard Risewick Norton, Kan. (NE) 9 9-11 $250.00
9 Russell Matt Saint Joseph, Mo. (MO) 7 7-09 $250.00
EASTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Randy Phillips Oxford, Mass. (MA) 13 31-01 $60,000.00
2 Skip Sjobeck Randolph, Vt. (VT) 6 26-07 $1,500.00
3 Mark Desjardin Vassalboro, Maine (ME) 11 15-01 $250.00
4 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, R.I. (RI) 9 13-14 $250.00
5 Joe Matt Syracuse, N.Y. (NY) 8 12-09 $250.00
6 Al Gambardella North Haven, Conn. (CT) 7 11-11 $250.00
7 Tyler Hanatow Alstead, N.H. (NH) 6 9-12 $250.00
8 Dave Johnson Keswick, Canada (ON) 7 9-10 $250.00
SOUTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brent Long Cornelius, N.C. (SC) 12 28-00 $1,000.00
2 Chuck Murray Louisburg, N.C. (NC) 15 25-07 $500.00
3 Brandon Card Lexington, Ky. (KY) 14 19-11 $250.00
4 Kenneth Pannell Springville, Ala. (AL) 10 17-09 $250.00
5 Chris Neely Chattahoochee, Fla. (GA) 10 12-02 $250.00
6 David Boyd Quincy, Fla. (FL) 7 10-01 $250.00
7 Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Afri 6 8-15 $250.00
8 Ben Parker Union City, Tenn. (TN) 6 6-14 $250.00
MID-ATLANTIC
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) 14 24-05 $1,500.00
2 Gerry Jooste Harare, Zimbabwe (ZWE) 15 23-02 $500.00
3 Scott Weiland Saddle Brook, N.J. (NJ) 9 19-03 $250.00
4 Tim Dolon Cherryville, Pa. (PA) 13 15-07 $250.00
5 Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. (MD) 10 12-12 $250.00
6 Don Denault Delmar, Md. (DE) 8 10-07 $250.00
7 Rick Hamer Charleston, W.Va. (WV) 5 9-06 $250.00
8 John Clark Bossier City, La. (PVA Ch 7 8-05 $250.00
