Travis retains lead in TBF National Championship

North Carolina native holds top spot on Lake Wylie

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Southern Division boater Brian Travis of Conover, N.C., is one step closer to “Living the Dream” after catching five bass weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces on day two of The Bass Federation National Championship presented by the National Guard Friday on Lake Wylie. Now, with a two-day total catch of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 4 ounces and a 3-pound, 10-ounce lead on the rest of the field, Travis is one day away from making his dream a reality.

The catch was the heaviest of the tournament giving Travis the lead over Western Division rival Ronald Hobbs Jr. of Graham, Wash., in the race to win a $100,000 prize package that includes berths into two of the sport’s most coveted events – the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup and the $1 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American.

“The only thing I did different today was change areas,” said Travis, a hometown favorite on Lake Wylie. “I went to new areas that I knew had fish. I guess that’s the home field advantage.

“It’s going to be tough tomorrow. The lake will have a lot of pressure with other tournaments going on. I know for a fact that my club has a tournament on Lake Wylie tomorrow,” Travis said.

In addition to incredibly lucrative championship berths, the TBF National Championship will also award $10,000 and a “Living the Dream” prize package to the first-place boater. The package includes use of a “Living the Dream” wrapped Chevy truck and Ranger boat powered either by Evinrude or Yamaha, sponsor merchandise and entry fees into the winner’s choice of either the 2009 Wal-Mart FLW Tour or Wal-Mart FLW Series to compete against the world’s top bass anglers.

Anglers from six nationwide TBF divisions competed during 2007 and qualified through a series of TBF club, TBF state and TBF divisional tournaments to compete in the no-entry-fee TBF National Championship.

If his productive pattern holds up one more day, Travis will advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ark., May 29-31 along with the top boater from each of the six TBF divisions represented in Charlotte. He will also advance to the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Castrol in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 14-17, where the nation’s top pros will compete for as much as $1 million.

Rounding out the division-leading boaters are Hobbs (Western Division, 10 bass, 27-10); Tom Belinda of Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Mid-Atlantic Division, 10 bass, 25-6); Robert Crino of South Royalton, Vt. (Eastern Division, 10 bass, 24-14); Don Owens of Ponca City, Okla. (Central Division, 10 bass, 23-14) and Terry McWilliams of Greenfield, Ind. (Northern Division, 10 bass, 20-15).

Overall there were 183 bass weighing 407 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 39 boaters. The catch included 32 five-bass limits.

Bill Roberts, a Federal Judge from Fairfax, Va., representing the Mid-Atlantic Division, captured the co-angler lead with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 21 pounds, 11 ounces.

“I qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup last year through the Ranger Owner’s tournament and would love to be able to go this year to Columbia for another shot at the co-angler title,” Roberts said. “It would be a great feeling to qualify two years in a row for such a prestigious tournament.

“Tomorrow I expect the bite to be tougher with all the weekend traffic on the lake. If I can catch 10 pounds, I would be absolutely delighted and take my chances with that,” Roberts said.

If Roberts holds on for the win, he will earn a $10,000 prize package that includes a berth into the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup for a chance to fish for as much as $50,000. He will also earn a berth into the All-American along with the top co-angler from each TBF division for a chance to fish for as much as $70,000.

Overall there were 115 bass weighing 215 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 36 co-anglers. The catch included 12 five-bass limits.

Copperhead Island Park will host takeoff Saturday at 6:25 a.m. Anglers will weigh in at 3 p.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center followed by the Wal-Mart FLW Tour National Guard Open weigh-in at 4 p.m. FLW Tour anglers will return to the convention center Sunday for their final weigh-in at 4 p.m.

Prior to the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, FLW Outdoors® and the TBF will host a free Family Fun Zone and outdoor show at the Charlotte Convention Center from noon to 6 p.m. each day. The Family Fun Zone offers fans a chance to meet their favorite TBF and FLW Tour anglers face-to-face and review the latest products from Berkley, Lowrance, Ranger, Evinrude, Yamaha and other sponsors while children are treated to giveaways, fishing themed games and rides like the Ranger Boat simulator. Saturday and Sunday children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone will also receive a free rod and reel combo while supplies last. On Sunday, during the final 4 p.m. weigh-in, one lucky member of the audience will win a new Ranger boat. Admission is free and you must be present to win.

The entire field of 40 TBF boaters and 40 co-anglers fished Thursday and Friday for an accumulated two-day weight. The top boater and co-angler from each of the TBF’s six divisions advanced to Saturday’s final round, where the winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day accumulated weight.

Coverage of the TBF National Championship presented by the National Guard will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States on June 8 as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) is owned by those it serves and is dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing, youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided the foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for more than 30 years. For more information about The Bass Federation, visit bassfederation.com or call (580) 765-9031.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.