The 2025 Georgia Bass Federation (GBF) State Championship is underway on Clarks Hill Lake, Appling, GA. The event kicked off on Friday evening with the President of the GBF, Quinnen Peavy, providing a detailed rules and safety brief. Fifty (50) teams are participating in this two-day event with the final weigh-in starting at 2:00 pm on Sunday, 23 March, at Wildwood Park, Appling, GA. The top Boater and Co-Angler will automatically win a berth in the Bass Federation (TBF) Federation National Championship in 2026. The top ten (10) Boaters and Co-Anglers will automatically advance to the District 1 GA-FL National Semi Finals in September on Lake Blackshear, Cordele, GA.

The Bass Federation (TBF) held its National Semi Finals Championship this past weekend, November 16-17 on the St. John’s River, Palatka, Florida, just barely six weeks after Hurricane Helene swept through Florida, Georgia and others parts of the Southeast, leaving destruction of epic proportion in its path. Bass Fisherman from Georgia and Florida didn’t let the destruction from Hurricane Helene dampen their charge to advance to and competed in the Championship.

Three days of practice started on Wednesday, November 13.   Practice for the competitors proved to be challenging with sunny weather and 10-20 mph winds varying from the South to the NNE.

Anglers from both states blasted off from the Palatka City Ramp with weigh-in starting at 3:00 p.m. both days. Weather conditions on the first day of the event showed a huge improvement over the practice days. There was a light breeze on the river and schooling fish were located on several of the shell beds.

Day 1 results had Michael Deen of the Georgia’s Okefenokee Bass Anglers leading on the Boaters side with five (5) bass weighing 21.81 pounds.  Larry Atkins of the Augusta Bass Club lead the Co-Anglers with five (5) bass weighing 13.30 pounds.  Florida’s Boater, Jesse Tacoronte lead with five (5) bass weighing 16.5 pounds and Florida’s Co-Angler, Josh Williams lead with five (5) bass weighing 10.15 pounds.   Patrick Brown of the Georgia’s Bulloch Bass Club caught Big Fish weighing 5.13 pounds.

Day 2 results had Boater Michael Deen of the Georgia’s Okefenokee Bass Anglers coming in with five (5) bass weighing 14.69 pounds and Co-Angler Danny Rawlings from the Georgia’s Lowndes County Bass Masters weighing in four (4) bass totaling 7.78 pounds.  For Florida, Boater Doug White had five (5) bass weighing 17.17 pounds and Co-Angler Josh Williams had five (5) bass weighing 16.68 pounds.   Florida’s Doug White caught Big Fish for Day 2 weighing 5.35 pounds.

Overall winners for the 2024 District 1 TBF FL-GA National Semi Finals were Georgia’s Boater Michael Deen with 36.50 pounds and Florida’s Boater, Doug White with 29.98 pounds.  Larry Atkins was Georgia’s leading Co-Angler with 13.30 pounds and Josh Williams Florida’s leading Co-Angler with 26.83 pounds.  Florida’s Doug White captured Big Fish for the tournament weighing in at 5.35 pounds.

A total of 188 bass were weighed in with a combined weight of 447.93 pounds.

The top Boater and Co-Angler from each state advances to The Bass Federation National Championship in 2025, where they will test their skills by competing against the winners of the other forty-eight states.  Date and location of the 2025 The Bass Federation (TBF) National Championship TBA.

Georgia Bass Federation (GBF) anglers for the first time in history will converge on Thomson, Georgia to compete in the 2025 Georgia State Championship Bass Tournament.  The tournament will be held on March 22-23, 2025 at Amity Recreation Area located at the Raysville bridge in Lincolnton, GA. Official practice dates are 19-21 March, 2025.

Strom Thurmond Lake, formally Clark’s Hill Lake, is the third-largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi River at 71,000 acres, bordering Georgia and South Carolina in the Savannah River Basin.   The lake is one of the Southeast’s largest and most popular public recreation lakes.  Strom Thurmond dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1946 and 1954, as part of a flood control, hydropower and navigation project.  Its legally authorized purposes now include recreation, water quality, water supply and fish and wildlife management.

The Georgia Bass Federation (GBF) is one of the first of 47 federations organized under the umbrella of The Bass Federation, Inc.  Founded in 1970, we remain a 100% member owned, not-for-profit corporation in Georgia.  GBF is a 100% volunteer-operated organization, serving nature loving families in Georgia for over fifty years.  GBF founding principles are angling, conservation and ongoing support for the youth of the sport with an emphasis on serving our members, caring for our shared outdoor resources and the communities we live in.

More information about The Bass Federation is available at www.bassfederation.com.

For additional local information see Thomson-McDuffie County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau at https://www.thomsonmcduffiechamber.com 

Coinciding with the 50^th Anniversary of National Hunting and Fishing Day the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division/Georgia Department of Natural Resources held several free to the public Outdoor Adventure Days. For one of these events the Georgia Bass Federation (GBF) was asked by The McDuffie Environmental Education Center (MEEC) to participate at the McDuffie Public Fishing Area (GeorgiaWildlife.com/mcduffie-pfa). Kids ages 3-15 could participate in educational exhibits, try their hand at archery and also participate a fun day of fishing!

This event required a responsible adult companion for the children – but the fishing was just for the kids. They could each bring their own poles, tackle and bait. Those that wanted harvest a few fish could bring a cooler as each child was allowed to keep 5 Catfish from the McDuffie Public Fishing Area provided put and take ponds!

At this McDuffie Environmental Education Center (MEEC) Adventure Day held on Saturday September 24, 2022 nine Georgia Bass Federation volunteers provided a knot tying class, a Reel Kids casting contest, water, artificial lures and various fishing related items to each interested child free of charge. GBF anglers also patrolled the two ponds for water safety and to assist families with casting instruction, baiting and handling the catfish caught. Approximately 150 children with their guardian companions attended this event.

About The McDuffie Environmental Education Center

The McDuffie Environmental Education Center (MEEC) is one of seven regional education centers operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The MEEC is a collaboration between the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the McDuffie County Board of Education, the Watson Brown Foundation, and the Central Savannah River Area – Regional Educational Services Agency (CSRA RESA). This project provides teachers a unique site to take students for hands-on outdoor experience. Lessons address the dimensions of the Georgia Standards of Excellence in this diverse biologically rich area with activities available for PreK through seventh grade. The McDuffie Environmental Education Center provides students with stimulating, outdoor learning experiences about the ecology of our wildlife, water, soils, and forests and the stewardship of these important natural resources.

 About The Georgia Bass Federation

 The Georgia Bass Federation (GBF) is one of 47 independent state and provincial bass Federations affiliated with The Bass Federation, Inc. (TBF). GBF is a coalition of independent TBF affiliated bass clubs within The State of Georgia. The Georgia Bass Federation is 100% member owned and is managed by an all-volunteer Staff and Board of Directors. Holding the same core values as TBF the GBF supports ongoing efforts in Conservation and Youth. The GBF promotes the future health of the sport of fishing, and the clean family values that are associated with it. These are our only goals, along with providing fun experiences for our members and support to the many communities we serve.