Don Hogue of Pasco, Wash., was consistent enough to barely edge out Randy Phillips of Oxford, Mass., by just seven ounces for the Day 2 lead at the Bassmaster Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha Outboards and Skeeter Boats on the Harris Chain of Lakes. Hogue took the lead on the strength of Thursday’s 13-pound, 11-ounce limit building his two-day total to 24-9. Hogue says the bite has been slow but persistence paid off Thursday.
“It’s a matter of making thousands of casts and hoping for a big bite,” said Hogue, who is one of 55 anglers competing here this week. “You just have to keep that bait wet.”
If Hogue hold his position, he would take home an invitation to the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series and a Skeeter/Yamaha boat rig valued at $63,250. Additionally, he would earn one of the six berths up for grabs in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic (Feb. 19-21, Birmingham, Ala., Lay Lake).
Phillips charged up the leaderboard with 14 pounds, 11 ounces, Thursday upgrading his total to 24-2 despite an equally slow day.
I figured out a good pattern during practice, but that changed,” said Phillips. “I’m not sure why, but I found a new bite and that has been paying off.”
Phillips says his new pattern is a gamble and he’ll either win or lose big.
“I’ve only been getting five or so bites a day but they’ve been quality bites.”
Slipping to third from second was Skip Sjobeck of Randolph Center, Vt., with 22-4. Sticking to fourth was Brent Long of Catawba, N.C., with 20-13 and remaining in fifth was Randy Wieczorek of Buffalo City, Wis. with 19-6.
Along with the competition for the winner of the event, each of six division winners will punch their ticket to the 2010 Classic. Long leads the Southern division while Hogue, by virtue of his tournament lead, heads up the West. Phillips leads the East while Jeff Freeman of Max Meadows, Va., leads the Mid-Atlantic division.
Freeman won the 2007 Bassmaster Federation Nation Championship on Florida’s Lake Toho and has won Bassmaster events as a co-angler. Wieczorek leads the Northern division and Samuel Anthony of Independence, La., leads the Central.
Bryan Schmidt, the defending champion of the event, was 14th in his bid to earn his second consecutive Classic berth through the Central division.
The full field will compete for three days and the tournament will culminate Friday.
All BASS events are free and open to the public.
2009 Bassmaster Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha Outboards and Skeeter Boats Standings- Day 2
Angler Hometown D No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Don Hogue Pasco, Wash. (WA) W 10 24-09
2. Randy Phillips Oxford, Mass. (MA) E 8 24-02
3. Skip Sjobeck Randolph, Vt. (VT) E 5 22-04
4. Brent Long Cornelius, N.C. (SC) S 7 20-13
5. Randy Wieczorek Buffalo City, Wisc. (MN) N 10 19-06
6. Samuel Anthony Independence, La. (LA) C 8 19-03
7. Brian Hensley Edwardsburg, Mich. (IN) N 10 17-14
8. Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) M 9 17-07 $500.00
9. Matt Massey Lakewood, Colo. (CO) W 6 17-01
10. Chuck Murray Louisburg, N.C. (NC) S 10 16-09
11. Jody Adkins North Canton, Ohio (OH) N 8 16-09
12. Ron Cherkas Grimes, Iowa (IA) N 9 15-11
13. Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) C 8 15-07
14. Bryan Schmidt Olney, Texas (TX) C 6 14-05
15. Gerry Jooste Harare, Zimbabwe (ZWE) M 10 13-11
16. Brandon Card Lexington, Ky. (KY) S 9 12-04
17. Brandon Rose Saginaw, Mich. (MI) N 10 11-15
18. Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. (MD) M 9 11-14
19. Tim Dolon Cherryville, Pa. (PA) M 10 11-13
20. John Soukup Agra, Okla. (OK) C 9 11-12
21. Wes Haney Baldwin, Wisc. (WI) N 5 11-11
22. Kenneth Pannell Springville, Ala. (AL) S 6 11-09
23. Chris Neely Chattahoochee, Fla. (GA) S 9 10-14
24. Ben Grande Las Vegas, Nev. (NV) W 8 10-00
25. Al Gambardella North Haven, Conn. (CT) E 6 10-00
26. Jared Taliaferro Rogers, Ark. (AR) C 7 9-15
27. Nick Wood Yreka, Calif. (CA) W 7 9-13
28. Richard Risewick Norton, Kan. (NE) C 9 9-11
29. Mamoru Suzuki Tokyo 198-0063, Japan (JPN) W 5 9-02
30. Mark Warner Overland Park, Kan. (KS) C 5 8-15
31. David Boyd Quincy, Fla. (FL) S 6 8-10
32. Mark Desjardin Vassalboro, Maine (ME) E 6 8-09
33. Scott Weiland Saddle Brook, N.J. (NJ) M 5 8-07
34. Paul Reutlinger West Jordan, Utah (UT) W 7 8-06
35. Don Denault Delmar, Md. (DE) M 6 8-00
36. John Clark Bossier City, La. (PVA Champion) M 6 7-05
37. Jacopo Gallelli Firenze, Italy (ITA) N 4 7-04
38. Jay Ladner Kiln, Miss. (MS) C 4 7-02
39. Ben Parker Union City, Tenn. (TN) S 6 6-14
40. Dave Johnson Keswick, Canada (ON) E 5 6-13
41. Byron Chaves Salem, Ore. (OR) W 4 6-12
42. Samuel Russell Salt Lake City, Utah (WY) W 5 6-11
43. Leroy Starling Whitefish, Mont. (MT) W 6 6-08
44. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, R.I. (RI) E 4 6-03
45. Joe Matt Syracuse, N.Y. (NY) E 5 5-13
46. Shane Cowan Pierre, S.D. (SD) N 3 5-05
47. Gerald Sobkowiak Granville, Ill. (IL) N 4 4-10
48. Owen Lounsbury St Maries, Idaho (ID) W 4 4-08
49. Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Africa (S AFS 3 4-01
50. Tyler Hanatow Alstead, N.H. (NH) E 2 4-01
51. Russell Matt Saint Joseph, Mo. (MO) C 4 3-08
52. Chuck Rizuto Navajo Dam, N.M. (NM) W 4 2-13
53. Rick Hamer Charleston, W.Va. (WV) M 2 2-04
54. Jeff Guerrette Glendale, Ariz. (AZ) W 1 1-05
55. Cesar Madrigal San Luis Potosi, Mexico (MEX) C 0 0-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Big Bass
Day
2 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) 5-11 $500.00
2 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) 5-11 $500.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 17 163 276-03
2 18 181 301-12
----------------------------------
35 344 577-15
DIVISIONAL STANDINGS Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Randy Wieczorek Buffalo City, Wisc. (MN) 10 19-06
2 Brian Hensley Edwardsburg, Mich. (IN) 10 17-14
3 Jody Adkins North Canton, Ohio (OH) 8 16-09
4 Ron Cherkas Grimes, Iowa (IA) 9 15-11
5 Brandon Rose Saginaw, Mich. (MI) 10 11-15
6 Wes Haney Baldwin, Wisc. (WI) 5 11-11
7 Jacopo Gallelli Firenze, Italy (ITA) 4 7-04
8 Shane Cowan Pierre, S.D. (SD) 3 5-05
9 Gerald Sobkowiak Granville, Ill. (IL) 4 4-10
WESTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Don Hogue Pasco, Wash. (WA) 10 24-09
2 Matt Massey Lakewood, Colo. (CO) 6 17-01
3 Ben Grande Las Vegas, Nev. (NV) 8 10-00
4 Nick Wood Yreka, Calif. (CA) 7 9-13
5 Mamoru Suzuki Tokyo 198-0063, Japan (JP 5 9-02
6 Paul Reutlinger West Jordan, Utah (UT) 7 8-06
7 Byron Chaves Salem, Ore. (OR) 4 6-12
8 Samuel Russell Salt Lake City, Utah (WY) 5 6-11
9 Leroy Starling Whitefish, Mont. (MT) 6 6-08
10 Owen Lounsbury St Maries, Idaho (ID) 4 4-08
11 Chuck Rizuto Navajo Dam, N.M. (NM) 4 2-13
12 Jeff Guerrette Glendale, Ariz. (AZ) 1 1-05
CENTRAL
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Samuel Anthony Independence, La. (LA) 8 19-03
2 Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) 8 15-07
3 Bryan Schmidt Olney, Texas (TX) 6 14-05
4 John Soukup Agra, Okla. (OK) 9 11-12
5 Jared Taliaferro Rogers, Ark. (AR) 7 9-15
6 Richard Risewick Norton, Kan. (NE) 9 9-11
7 Mark Warner Overland Park, Kan. (KS) 5 8-15
8 Jay Ladner Kiln, Miss. (MS) 4 7-02
9 Russell Matt Saint Joseph, Mo. (MO) 4 3-08
10 Cesar Madrigal San Luis Potosi, Mexico ( 0 0-00
SOUTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brent Long Cornelius, N.C. (SC) 7 20-13
2 Chuck Murray Louisburg, N.C. (NC) 10 16-09
3 Brandon Card Lexington, Ky. (KY) 9 12-04
4 Kenneth Pannell Springville, Ala. (AL) 6 11-09
5 Chris Neely Chattahoochee, Fla. (GA) 9 10-14
6 David Boyd Quincy, Fla. (FL) 6 8-10
7 Ben Parker Union City, Tenn. (TN) 6 6-14
8 Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Afri 3 4-01
EASTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Randy Phillips Oxford, Mass. (MA) 8 24-02
2 Skip Sjobeck Randolph, Vt. (VT) 5 22-04
3 Al Gambardella North Haven, Conn. (CT) 6 10-00
4 Mark Desjardin Vassalboro, Maine (ME) 6 8-09
5 Dave Johnson Keswick, Canada (ON) 5 6-13
6 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, R.I. (RI) 4 6-03
7 Joe Matt Syracuse, N.Y. (NY) 5 5-13
8 Tyler Hanatow Alstead, N.H. (NH) 2 4-01
MID-ATLANTIC
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Freeman Max Meadows, Va. (VA) 9 17-07 $1,000.00
2 Gerry Jooste Harare, Zimbabwe (ZWE) 10 13-11
3 Brett Quader Pasadena, Md. (MD) 9 11-14
4 Tim Dolon Cherryville, Pa. (PA) 10 11-13
5 Scott Weiland Saddle Brook, N.J. (NJ) 5 8-07
6 Don Denault Delmar, Md. (DE) 6 8-00
7 John Clark Bossier City, La. (PVA Ch 6 7-05
8 Rick Hamer Charleston, W.Va. (WV) 2 2-04
