Stevens Wins On Lake Seminole

ATHENS, Ala. – Terry Stevens won the American Fishing Tour, presented by American Bass Anglers, Division 114 tournament, held Jan. 27, 2013, on Lake Seminole near Chattahoochee, Fla.

The Marianna, Fla., angler won with a five-bass tournament limit weighing 18.59 pounds to collect 200 points toward the divisional angler of the year title. Stevens anchored his catch with a 5.17-pound tournament lunker and pocketed $556 for the victory. He landed two bass by fishing beds and enticed the others with rattling crankbaits.

In second place, Keith Childree caught five bass going 16.75 pounds, followed by Bryan Thurman with 15.91 pounds. Kyle Brooks finished fourth with 12.68 pounds. Steve Raines rounded out the top five anglers with a 9.36-pound bag.

The anglers could fish anywhere on the 37,500-acre lake, which touches three states. Impounded in 1952 where the Chattahoochee River, Flint River and Spring Creek merge to form the Apalachicola River near Chattahoochee, Fla. The Chattahoochee River forms part of the Georgia-Alabama line and feeds into Lake Seminole from the northwest. The Flint River runs northeast up through Georgia.

Weather Conditions: The days leading up to the tournament were unseasonable warm with cloud cover. Tournament day started with a 45 minute fog delay to a partly cloudy ski, with temperatures getting to 81 degrees. The fog did not lift completely until 11:00 o’clock.

The bait of the day was plastic, plastic and more plastic a few fish came off of spinnerbaits. Most anglers reported catching their fish in tide water, with little acting in the main river and the lakes. The anglers reported fishing in the lakes and oxbow.

Next Tournament is the Division Championship: The Tournament in Division 94 will be on Feb 23th out of Millstone Landing in Hardeeville, SC.

Each of these anglers earned valuable points toward the divisional angler of the year title. The points champion from each division will compete in the annual American Bass Anglers AFT Angler of The Year Final Round Fish-Off. In addition, the top 500 anglers from the AFT divisions in more than 40 states will earn the right to compete in the three-day AFT National Championship tournament, slated for Clarks Hill Lake near Appling, Ga., on Oct. 23-25, 2013.

For more information on this or any future events in this Division contact Dan J. Martin(843) 384-3855 or by email tmartin@hargray.com. Or call ABA at 256-232-0406 and visit online at www.americanbassanglers.com.

The American Fishing Tour offers low cost, close to home bass tournaments that are designed for the weekend angler. All ABA anglers fish for money and points. The points advance the angler to their divisional championship and the top 500 anglers in the US are invited to the American Fishing Tour National Championship.