BASS Federation Nation Northern Divisional Day 2 Report

[djkimmel]

Article and all photos courtesy of Bassmaster.com
August 12, 2010, 6:06 PM ET

Mailot moves to the top
By John Neporadny Jr.
Bassmaster Senior Writer

Day Two Bass Federation Nation Northern Divisional Results


Escanaba, Mich. -- Fishing from the back deck has been very good for Brian Mailot the first couple of competition days of the BASS Federation Nation Northern Divisional at Bays de Noc.

After catching a 19-pound, 13-ounce limit the first day, the 41-year-old non-boater took over the tournament lead by weighing in a 19-4 sack full of smallmouth bass.

"This is a great fishery," said Mailot, a hydrologic technician with the U.S. Geological Survey. "It was just tough figuring things out (during practice) because it is such big water. I am pretty new at fishing the Great Lakes and smallmouth so I am still learning this."

He is proving to be a fast learner as the Columbus, Ohio angler has emerged as the tournament's pace setter with 39 pounds, 1 ounce.

Mailot mainly fished for largemouth in the past, so he practiced with Ohio teammate Steve Smith before this event to learn more about the smallmouth patterns here.

"There are a lot of fish mixed around (both shallow and deep)," said Mailot. "The fish are pretty much on the bottom."

The Outcast Bassmasters club member has been catching his fish on two lures each day.

"We fished the same kind of deal (today), but things were a little slower and it took a little bit longer to get a limit," said Mailot.

First-day leader Jim Johnson of Wisconsin added another limit today, but he had some big fish come unglued and his smaller bag dropped him into seventh place. Mailot said he also lost a few fish, but caught about 10 keepers to bolster his limit.

BASS Federation Nations from eight states are battling for the top prize of the tournament, a $41,000 Skeeter bass boat/Yamaha outboard rig. Wisconsin is the leading team with an accumulative weight of 351 pounds, 10 ounces, while South Dakota is in second place with 336-6.

Northern Divisional anglers also have a chance to advance to the BASS Federation Nation Championship since each state team's top finisher earns a berth to the premier event for amateur bass anglers. Mailot has an inside track on a championship berth since he leads the tournament and his 12-man Ohio squad.

Other state leaders are Robert Perkins (Minnesota), Wes Haney (Wisconsin), G.W. Ekroth (South Dakota), Gerald Woodard (Michigan), Harry Heins (Iowa), Dave Hedge (Indiana) and Barry Panfil (Illinois). Winners in the individual and team competitions will be determined tomorrow when the final weigh-in for the Northern Divisional begins at 2:30 p.m. CDST at Escanaba Harbor.

[djkimmel]

More pics courtesy of Bassmaster.com


Bradley Ohst and Yaleda Ohst show their support for their dad,
Michigan angler Steve Ohst


A good crowd settles in for the second-day weigh-in


Michigan Bass Federation Nation state team member Eric Bond leads
the Michigan team on day 1 with 19 pounds

Check out BASS' complete photo gallery of the 2010 BASS Federation Nation Northern Divisional in Escanaba Michigan

[djkimmel]

Complete weigh in results through Day 2 available here.

Here are the top three state teams after the day 2 weigh in - team Michigan has moved up to 3rd!

1 2 3

WISCONSIN SOUTH DAKOTA MICHIGAN

351-10 336-06 335-08

                       

[Dan]

Must have been a lot of wind up there today. Only three limits weighed in. Woodard, I believe took first on the Michigan team.

[dartag]

how many from each division move on.   what is the next event for them.   how did one qualify for this event.

i am so un-informed.

[markgoetsch]

nationals and the best from each state moves on then to the classic!

[Dan]

The Federation has a State Championship each year just as the TBF does. Really anyone can fish it. You have to field a team, but it can be a paper team. You have to have equal number boaters nonboaters and attend at least two meetings. Anyway that is what it was like a couple years ago.
A twelve man team goes to the Regional. You compete as a team and the top dog on each state's team becomes the State Champion and goes on to the National Championship.
At the National Championship you have to finish number one in your region. The angler finishing the highest in each region goes to the Bassmaster Classic. Usually there are 8-10 anglers in each region. The total number in each region is not the same. They throw in other foreign entrants in to each region. There will be an angler from Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Canada, etc.  There is only one or two such additions to each region.
The State Federation usually pays your expenses the rest of the way once you make the state team.

[djkimmel]

Northern Division included the Italian Bass Federation in the past. Those guys were smooootthh... Hard to understand, but smooth.