February 4, 2022-XBS News
APOPKA, Fla- January in Florida is sure to mean one thing when it comes to bass fishing. Ok, maybe two things. The first being when it comes time for tournament weekend, it’s almost a given that anglers wanting to get on the water will be met with the passing of cold fronts. That means high winds and cold air temps that, in turn, cause water temps to drop. The other for sure when it comes to January fishing in Florida is big weights. Bass will be found in various stages of the spawn this time of the year and if the right ones bite, it can be the day of a lifetime for those lucky anglers.
The Orange/Lochloosa division has been known for it’s Big Bass over the years. The 2021 Big Bass of the Year came from that division, an 11.60 pound Florida TrophyCatch giant that netted Johnny Key $5,160.00. 26 teams started the season on January 22nd, hoping to find a lunker to kick start the 2022 season and set the bar high for the Big Bass of the Year honor. C.J. King and Taylor Shirley did just that, and on their first cast of the season. King boated a 10.68 pound giant on his first cast of the morning to set the bar for Big Bass of the Year honors. The duo weighed a 22.61 pound bag, anchored by King’s lunker, to top the field and take home a victory and Big Bass of the day honors. Jody Davis and Russell Davis took home a second place finish with a 16.56 pound, five bass limit. CarsonKamien and Scott Kamien finished in third place with 12.64 pounds, followed by Johnny Key and Joey Key in fourth place with 12.02 pounds. The next divisional event for Orange/Lochloosa is scheduled for Saturday February 12th.
Steve Mui (R) & Richard Dunham (L)
The Lake Tarpon division saw an increase in participation at the year’s first event compared to last season. 12 teams showed up at Anderson Park on January 22nd. Lake Tarpon was once renowned as one of the best bass fishing lakes in the state and seems to be making a comeback. Weights were tight amongst the Top 3, but the team of Steve Mui and Richard Denham topped the field, weighing a 19.66 pound, 5 bass limit to take the win. Richard Newberry and Blake Otterson finished the day in second place with a 19.43 pound bag. Newberry anchored the team’s catch with a 7.63 pound lunker to take the event’s Big Bass honor. Ricky Teschendorf and Blake Mead rounded out the top 3 with a 19.38 pound, 5 bass limit. The next divisional event for Lake Tarpon is scheduled for February 20th.
Andrew Hall
The Lake Kissimmee Division out of Camp Mack had 25 teams participate in the division’s season kick off event. Lake Kissimmee, home to world renowned bass fishing, did not disappoint, seeing multiple fish over 8 pounds weighed. Andrew Hall topped the 25 boat field with a 22.02 pound, 5 bass limit. Hall anchored his bag with an 8.03 pound Florida TrophyCatch to help push his way to a victory. Chris Maxwell and Mike Porter finished in second place for the event, weighing a 20.70 pound, 5 bass limit. The duo anchored their bag with an 8.04 pound Florida TrophyCatch.
Tracy Bray and Jason Liggett took home a third place finish with a 19.27 pound bag, followed by Kris Smythe and Kenny Garrand in fourth place with a 16.38 pound bag. Clayton and Shane Walls weighed the event’s Big Bass, an 8.10 pound Florida TrophyCatch. The next divisional event for Lake Kissimmee is scheduled for February 13th.
Blake Briscoe (L) & Chad Briscoe (R)
The Citrus Division kicked off their season at Lake Panasoffkee on January 30th. Air temperature at launch was 26 degrees, but that didn’t stop 27 teams from showing up to the ramp. Blake Briscoe and Brad Briscoe found an early hot bite in cold weather, weighing a 25.25 pound, 5 bass limit to top the field. The duo anchored their winning bag with a 9.56 pound Florida TrophyCatch to earn the day’s Big Bass honor as well. Matt McKibbin and Levi O’Steen took home a second place finish with a 23.99 pound, 5 bass limit.
Third place went to the team of Steve Boggs and Brandon Boggs who weighed a 21.85 pound bag. The duo Boggs anchored their limit with an 8.63 pound Florida TrophyCatch. Chris Prowant and Brice Prowant followed in fourth place with a 16.53 pound, 5 bass limit. The next divisional event for the Citrus Division is scheduled for February 27th at Lake Rousseau.
Edward Mathis (L) & Chris Lee (R)
The Suwannee River division held their second event of the season on January 30th. With the division being in the northern part of the state, anglers saw temperatures dip to 21 degrees at launch. But in true Suwannee River fashion and with ice on their boats, 31 teams took to the water. Chris Lee and Edward Mathis chipped through the ice and topped the field with a 20.50 pound, 5 bass limit to take home the win. Bryan Allen and Dempsey Allen finished the day in second place with an 18.70 pound limit. Eric Wood and Jace Wood finished in third place with 13.86 pounds, followed by Joey Wood and Bryce O’Steen with 13.77 pounds. Wood and O’Steen bagged a 6.88 pound Suwannee River lunker to take home the event’s Big Bass honor. The next divisional event for the Suwannee River division is scheduled for February 13th out of Fanning Springs. This event was originally scheduled for February 20th.
The Harris divisional event that was scheduled for January 29th was cancelled due to forecasted high winds and adverse weather conditions. The event will be rescheduled at a later date and will be announced as soon as that date is available.
The Xtreme Bass Series is the largest grassroots bass tournament trail across Florida, featuring 12 divisions and 108 events throughout the season. Anglers can compete in close-to-home events on local bodies of water, affording them the opportunity to compete in the end of season championship. Anglers who compete in 7 of 9 events in one division, or 8 events in a combination of divisions will qualify for a chance to fish for a new Blazer 595 Pro Elite powered by a 200 HP Mercury Pro XS package at the championship event. The 2022 Championship will be held November 3-5 at Lake Okeechobee. Teams who compete in 12 or more events during the season will qualify for a chance to win the Michael J. Blocher Memorial Award during the championship event. Membership is $35.00 per angler, $120.00 entry per event. Xtreme Bass Series is proud to partner with Blazer Boats, Mercury Marine, Fitzgerald Fishing, Bill Lewis Lures, and Catch Commander.
For complete details and updated information, visit www.XtremeBassSeries.com. For continuous updates, results, photos, information, tournament news, and more, follow Xtreme Bass Series social media on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
