South East Regional Championship on the Tensaw Delta-Day 1 Results: Nov 9, 2012
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2012 FOM STREN Team Series South East Regional Championship
Donnie and Brian Moye Lead the Tensaw Delta Championship with 14.89 lbs.
By: Frank Evans
Nov 09, 2012, Satsuma, AL…The final stop along the way in the 2012 Fishers Of Men STREN Team Series Regional Championships kicked off Thursday night at Steel Creek Lodge and Park in Satsuma, Alabama. Competitors and family members enjoyed a fantastic meal of deep-fried chicken and fish prepared and served by Catfish Junction Catering, thanks to the event hosts, Linda Worley, National Sales Manager with the Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, Edith Butler, Director of Events for the City of Satsuma and Steel Creek Park, and Danny Corte, Executive Director of Mobile Sports Authority.
Our special guest speaker for the evening was former major league baseball standout and 5-time all-star, Travis Fryman. The former Detroit Tiger, Travis, lives in Pensacola and last played for the Cleveland Indians, where he is now employed as the defensive coordinator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Fryman ). Travis’s powerful witness touched the hearts of all listeners.
When Friday morning dawned, anxious competitors from all across the Southeast were delayed 1 and 1-half hours as thick fog descended upon Dead Lake, however, an extra hour was given the anglers as the first-flight check-in time was moved to 4 pm. By the end of a very pleasant day of fishing, the tournament field brought in 271 fish that crossed the scales at 422.75 lbs. Included in today’s catch were 45, 5-fish limits with a overall live-release percentage rate of 99.6.
Alabama South anglers Donnie and Brian Moye are currently leading with their 5-fish limit weighing 14.89 lbs. Donnie and Brian also won the Day 1, 1st Big Fish Award for their 4.94 lbs largemouth.
Dan and Troy Morrow, from the South Carolina Upstate Div., are in second with 13.98. Troy and Dan hauled in the Day 1, 4.18 lbs, 2nd Big Fish that was among their limit.
Presently resting in 3rd place with 10.54 lbs is the Florida Central team of John Cox and Keith Carson.
Following closely behind with 10.50 is Georgia South’s, Neil Stillwell and Don Duke.
Rounding out the top five is David and Larry Foshee. These Alabama South boys will be going into Saturday’s competition with 10.43.
We are looking for an exciting finish tomorrow as temperatures are rising and the weights are so close that the opportunity for the win is within reach of more than half of the field.
The highest placing adult-youth team after Day 1 is Kevin and Konner Sanders (Georgia North Div.). The father-son team has a limit weighing 8.86 and the highest placing male-female team is Jackie and Lisa Cox. Jackie and Lisa have 7.95 lbs and normally fish out of Allen Couch’s Alabama South Div.
To earn a spot in the South East Regional Championship, anglers from divisions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina had to battle their way to the top of their respective divisions through five qualifying events by earning points. Points are awarded to the competitors according to how they place in the tournaments. Anglers also are awarded 50 extra points for attending the Friday-night meetings.
The top 10 teams by weight and the highest placing team from each division, not already qualified, along with the highest finishing Adult-Youth and Male-Female teams from all 2012 Regional Championships will earn a berth to the 2012/2013 Stren Team Series, National Championship, Presented by Pflueger, which will be held May 16th, 17th, and 18th on Clarks Hill Reservoir in Columbia County Georgia, where the first place prize will be a 2013 Skeeter FX-21 powered by the strong running Yamaha 250/SHO and the second place prize, a Skeeter ZX190 powered by a Yamaha 150, or cash prizes.
We wholeheartedly thank everyone who participated in bringing the championship to the Tensaw Delta; David Randal CEO, and Linda Worley, National Sales Manager with the Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau. We also thank Danny Cory with the Mobile Sports Authority and Edith Butler, Director of Events for the City of Satsuma and Steel Creek Park (http://www.cityofsatsuma.com/SteeleCreekLodge.html ), Nick Patel at La Quinta Inn and Suites as the housing host, Catfish Junction Catering, and everyone at Dead Lake Marina (Mobile County River Delta Marina) Creola AL (http://www.mobilecountyal.gov/living/parks_river_delta.html ) who are second to none in launching a tournament and vehicle parking management.
We also want to thank all the fine companies that make Fishers of Men possible: Stren (the Team Series Presenting Sponsor), Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Pflueger Fishing, Markel American Insurance Company, Nestor Hosiery, Strike King Lure Company, Power Pole, Marshall’s Marine, Helly Hansen Outdoor Gear/Sporting Goods, Keelshield, Buckeye Lures, Jacobs Glass, Solar Bat, Duckett Fishing, Berkley Fishing Products, Outdoor Specialty Products (Rejuvenade "Next Generation"®), Abu Garcia, Markel American Insurance, Nester Hosiery, Power Pole, Marshall’s Marine of Lake City SC, Keelshield, and Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits.
For higher resolution digital copies, email me your boat number at: fevans@fomntt.com or my primary email account: franke@suddenlink.net
