February 12, 2020 by Brian Stahl
Land O’ Lakes, FL- There was a lot of anticipation leading into the first event for the new Polk County Division. There was a lot of chatter about the new division at boat ramps and on social media, but until the event would actually take place, the level of competition was still an unknown. A strong field of 24 teams rolled into the boat ramp of Lake Parker Park with high excitement for an Xtreme Division that travels to different bodies of water. With a rising full moon, Lake Parker showed out. Mike Bechard and Curtis Bechard wowed the crowd with a 33.72 pound, 5 bass Mega Bag. Their limit was anchored by a 9.92 pound Trophy Catch and the event’s big bass, an 11.42 pound giant. The duo took home $1,150.00 in winnings for the day. Steve Coleman and Steve Coleman, Jr. had a great day as well, finishing in second place. The father and son team weighed a 27.68 pound bag that was anchored by an 8.17-pound Trophy Catch, as well as a 7.75 pound lunker to win $480.00. Daniel Garcia and Robert Garcia rounded out the Top 3 by anchoring a 21.71 pound limit with a 7.35 pound kicker, earning $260.00.
19 teams took to the waters of Lake Istokpoga for their division’s second event of the season, with the hope that the big fish the lake used to be known for would make an appearance. Along with Lake Okeechobee, the St. Johns River, and other bodies of water across the state, Lake Istokpoga has been the topic of much debate among anglers due to the management of aquatic vegetation by the state. Scott Bradley and James Stephens were able to put together a 14.20 pound, 5 bass limit to top the field, taking home $800.00 in winnings. Michael Zetts and Shayne Zetts weighed a 12.23 pound, 3 bass bag to finish in second place. Though they weren’t able to put a limit on the scales, they did have the help of an 8.08 pound Trophy Catch anchoring their bag, earning big bass for the event and a total of $560.00. Eric Gaines and Troy Brown inked a third place finish with a 12.06 pound, 5 bass limit, earning $260.00.
The Xtreme Bass Series 2020 championship will be held on Lake Kissimmee. Hosted by Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina, and RV Resort, qualifying anglers will have the opportunity to compete for a new Blazer 595 Pro Elite powered by a 200 HP Mercury Pro XS valued at $40,000.00. To qualify, members must have competed in 7 of 9 events in any one division, or 8 events in a combination of any division. For more information visit the rules page at www.xbseries.com. More photos can be found on the Xtreme Bass Series Facebook page.
Results for the Suwannee River division event on February 9th were not readily available at the time of this writing.
Photos: Brian Stahl, Craig Datema
Cover Photo: Mike and Curtis Bechard show off their winning catch
