Team (noun) /’tēm/: a group of people who compete in a sport, game, etc., against another group.
That term in the sport of tournament fishing is typically used to describe two anglers fishing from the same boat in “buddy” tournaments. Unlike other sports that require multiple individuals to work as a whole for the greater good of an organization, anglers in team fishing tournaments tend to work together for themselves.
The Florida B.A.S.S. Nation changed that thought process over the weekend of September 20-21, 2014 with their 4-Man Club Team Tournament. 18 teams, representing 10 clubs from around the state, battled it out over 2 days on the Kissimmee Chain for club bragging rights and the trophy. Those teams would consist of 2 anglers per boat. Each boat was able to weigh a 5 bass limit each day, with the 2 weights from each boat combining for the team total.
- Randall Montoney from the Florida Trails Bassmasters shows off a nice bass prior to the start of the day 2 weigh in.
The rainy weather on day 1 didn’t stop anglers from finding the quality bass the Kissimmee Chain is known for. Marion County Bassmasters’ David Westerlund & Winfred Jackson weighed in 19.64 lbs.; Daniel Tillis and Russell Tillis weighed 12.21 lbs., landing the team in 5th place with a 31.85-lb. team total.
Club Florida, the 2013 4-Man Club Team Tournament Champions, sat in 4th place. Ricky Carr & Dennis Hanley caught 14.83 lbs.; Michael Grovesteen & Tom Walsh weighed in 22.16 lbs., giving them a 36.99-lb. total on day 1.
In 3rd place sat one of the teams from Lakeland Bassmasters. Lee Sisson & John Hunt weighed in the day’s largest bag, a 27.32-lb. limit. Michael Nicknadarvich and Brian Ahearn caught an additional 12.87 lbs. to give the team a total of 40.19 lbs.
The First Coast Christian Bass Club landed in 2nd place on day 1. Charles Loftin & Chad Dorland weighed in 23.03 lbs.; Daniel Irish & Jerry Shawver, Jr. weighed in 17.33 lbs., giving the team from Orange Park a 40.36-lb. total.
After all the weights were tallied on day 1, it was another team from Lakeland Bassmasters who held the top spot. Levi Brown and Richard Finley weighed in 23.20 lbs.; Brad Renner & Tommy Robinson weighed in 18.28 pounds, to give the Central Florida anglers a 41.48-lb. team total.
Anglers were greeted with better conditions on day 2. As to be expected in multi-day events, the change in weather also brought changes to the leaderboard. After catching a tournament best limit on day 1, Lee Sisson & John Hunt’s fish vanished on day 2. They brought in 11.48 lbs. Teammates Michael Nicknadarvich & Brian Ahearn caught 10.27 lbs., giving the team from Lakeland Bassmasters a 61.94-lb., 2 day total, landing them in 5th place.
- Levi Brown and Richard Finley show off a few fish from their 23.61-lb. Day 2 bag.
One of the teams representing Bay Area Bassmasters moved up the leaderboard to grab the 4th place spot. The team weighed in 27.20 lbs. on day 1. Both boats capitalized better on the 2nd and final day of the event. Clay Garrett & Jeff Baker caught 19.38 lbs.; Joe Hobson & Gary Ford caught 21.44 lbs., giving them a 68.02-lb., 2 day total.
Club Florida moved up one spot to 3rd place on day 2. Ricky Carr & Dennis Hanley upped their day 1 limit by throwing Speed Worms and Big EZ’s to catch 21.89 lbs.; Michael Grovesteen & Tom Walsh weighed 12.99 lbs., for a 71.87-lb., 2 day total.
The club from Lakeland Bassmasters that led day 1 dropped to 2nd place overall. Levi Brown & Richard Finley matched their day 1 total with 23.61 lbs. flipping Senko’s. Brad Renner & Tommy Robinson weighed an additional 11.75 lbs. to give the team 76.84 lbs. for the weekend.
The First Coast Christian Bass Club would prevail to claim the title of 4-Man Club Tournament Champions. The 2nd largest bag of the event was weighed by Charles Loftin & Chad Dorland, their 5 fish weighed in at 25.07 lbs. Daniel Irish and Jerry Shawver, Jr. weighed an additional 20.06 lbs., lifting the team to an 85.49-lb. total for the event. Both teams stated they caught their fish by means of schooling fish and flipping at the end of the day.
Here is a list of the complete standings:
Club Florida’s Michael Grovesteen and Tom Walsh claimed the Big Bass award on day 1 with an 8.89-lb. lunker.
First Coast Christian’s Charles Loftin and Chad Dorland bagged an 8.07-lb. lunker to win Big Bass on day 2.
Anglers are already looking forward to next year’s 4-Man Club Team Tournament being held on Lake Okeechobee. Those dates will be posted soon. For more information on the Florida B.A.S.S. Nation, visit their website at www.floridafederationnation.com. To view the photo gallery from Day 2 of this tournament, click the link for our Facebook Page.
