Alabama anglers arrived in Eufaula confidant that Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation, the host state, would win this year’s Southern Division Tournament. The only question most had on their mind was who would be the Alabama competitor going to the B.A.S.S. National Championship and possibly the Bassmasters Classic.
Day One of the tournament was greeted by a cold front with temps in the 30’s. The already muddy water got even muddier. When the weigh-in was complete, the once confidant Alabama team found itself in sixth place, some 46 lbs. behind first place Georgia.
Thursday, April 17th, day two of the three day event, brought overcast skies with rising waters. A new wrinkle to the Southern Division Tournament this year was the addition of a high school team to each State Team. The high school anglers combined boat weight counted on the last two days of the tournament. Alabama’s high school anglers Zeke Gossett and Hayden Bartee from Pell City High School brought more than twenty pounds to the scale to help elevate Alabama’s team into fourth place—just 34 lbs. 15 oz. behind first place North Carolina. The Alabama team was led by 2013 Bassmaster Classic contender Coby Carden. Ray Covington was second by less than two pounds. Covington was followed very closely by Wes Logan and 2011 Bassmaster Classic contender George Crain.
Coby Carden wins another berth in the B.A.S.S. Nation National Championship.
SFN File Photo
Day three began and ended with rain. Almost every angler on the Alabama team brought in a limit of fish. The Pell City High School team brought in 21 lbs. and won the Southern Division High School trophy. Ray Covington led the Alabama team and waited anxiously as Day Two leader Coby Carden came to the scales. A disappointed Covington watched as Carden, holding his son and with his daughter by his side, won another trip to the National Championship.
North Carolina angler, Rob Digh, was the overall tournament winner. However, no one had any idea which state would take home the first place trophy and new Triton boat. We thought surely Alabama would at least move into second or third place with the catches the Alabama team had on this the final day. We held our breath as South Carolina was announced as 4th then Georgia, with 456.2 lbs., was announced as 3rd. Wow we thought! We made 2nd place, but North Carolina with 465 lbs. won that. Unbelievably, Alabama with a 35 pound deficit on day two, came in 1st place by more than twenty pounds on day three!
With pride, the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation team accepted its 1st place plaques with each member a contributor to the team’s victory.
Coby Carden will move on to the B.A.S.S. National Championship on the Ouachita River in Louisiana with the expectation of putting another Alabama angler in the Classic.
Congratulations to the 2014 Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation State Team.
Submitted by Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation
