MONROE, La. — Mining a miniscule area made Alabama’s Jamie Horton a champion for the second time on the Ouachita River. 

The River Region Bass Fraternity club member relied on the same spot all three days to catch 36 pounds, 2 ounces to win the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats and a coveted seat in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. In addition to his Classic berth, Horton earned the grand prize of a Skeeter Boat/Yamaha Outboard rig valued at $45,000 and an invitation to fish in next year’s Bassmaster Elite Series.

While other contenders shied away from Horton’s spot since local anglers had told them the water was too low to run there, Horton made the one-hour run and skimmed over thin water at times to reach his honey hole. “I was fishing up at a spillway, and the water has been coming over the spillway when the wind blows out of the north, and the fish were busting up there big time,” said the four-time FNC qualifier. “I caught over 30 fish there Thursday. Yesterday the water wasn’t coming over as good and I just caught but four there.”

Today it took him about 30 minutes to haul in a limit from the spillway. ”I stayed with them until about 1 o’clock and culled for my last time at 12:30.” His best five weighed 9-15, which was good enough to hold onto the lead.

The key to catching his fish in the spillway was to cast into an eddy about the size of a 5-gallon bucket. He was burning a chartreuse XCalibur crankbait and banged it into rocks in about 6 to 18 inches of water. “I could see bass up there busting on shad and I could see their heads out of the water,” said Horton, who also won a Bassmaster Series regional event on the Ouachita River the first week of November in 2006. “I just kept on hammering and hammering them.”

Horton and five other Federation Nation anglers will be competing in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic Feb. 24-26 on the Red River in Louisiana because they finished at the top of their respective divisions in the FNC. The divisional winners headed for the world championship of bass fishing are John Diaco of New Hampshire, representing the Eastern division; Idaho’s Josh Polfer, Western division; Tom Jessop of Texas, Central; Indiana’s Matt McCoy, Northern; and Chris Price of Maryland, Mid-Atlantic.

For more information about the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, go to www.bassmaster.com/federation.

2011 Bassmaster Federation Championship and Federation Divisional Championships presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats Official Sponsors: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, Skeeter, Triton, Yamaha

2011 Bassmaster Federation Championship and Federation Divisional Championships presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats Supporting Sponsors: Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, MotorGuide

About B.A.S.S.

For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications — Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times — comprehensive website Bassmaster.com, ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. 

FINAL STANDINGS – 2011 B.A.S.S. FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP – WEST MONROE, LA

2011 BFNC Presented by Yamaha & Skeeter Boats 11/3-11/5

Ouachita River, West Monroe  LA.

(BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Jamie Horton           Centerville, AL         15  36-02    0  $60,500.00

  Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   09-15     Day 3: 5   09-15   

2.  Mark Pierce            Clarksville, TN         15  31-04    0   $5,000.00

  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   10-11     Day 3: 5   09-03   

3.  John Diaco             Rochester, NH           13  29-11    0   $2,500.00

  Day 1: 4   11-15     Day 2: 4   07-12     Day 3: 5   10-00   

4.  Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             15  29-04    0   $1,000.00

  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   08-05     Day 3: 5   10-06   

5.  Josh Polfer            Nampa, ID               15  27-10    0   $1,000.00

  Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   08-03     Day 3: 5   08-04   

6.  Tom Jessop             Dalhart, TX             15  27-07    0     $500.00

  Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   08-04     Day 3: 5   10-08   

7.  Matt McCoy             Indianapolis, IN        12  26-08    0     $500.00

  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 3   05-04     Day 3: 4   07-03   

8.  Jared Miller           Norman, OK              15  25-02    0     $500.00

  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   07-14     Day 3: 5   06-11   

9.  Josh Wray              Omaha, AR               15  24-10    0     $500.00

  Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   08-09     Day 3: 5   07-09   

10. Michael Smith          Laurel Hill, FL         14  24-06    0     $500.00

  Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 4   04-11     Day 3: 5   10-08   

11. Chris Price            Church Hill, MD         15  23-11    0     $500.00

  Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   09-09     Day 3: 5   06-02   

12. Todd Serfoss           Bath, SD                13  23-08    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 4   06-13     Day 2: 5   12-03     Day 3: 4   04-08   

13. Chris Morrison         St. Mary's, WV          14  23-07    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 4   05-05     Day 3: 5   10-03   

14. Justy Varkevisser      Johannesburg SOUTH AFRI 15  23-05    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   08-04     Day 3: 5   08-01   

15. Stephen Dyer           Mt Plesant, NC          15  23-00    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   06-15     Day 2: 5   07-09     Day 3: 5   08-08   

16. Bryan McNeal           Enon, OH                14  22-12    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   07-05     Day 2: 5   06-13     Day 3: 4   08-10   

17. Richard McCrone        Cream Ridge, NJ         10  21-10    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 1   00-15     Day 3: 4   10-01   

18. Heath Martin           Louisville, KY          15  20-07    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   04-10     Day 2: 5   08-00     Day 3: 5   07-13   

19. Jason Pecoraro         Youngsville, LA         15  20-03    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   06-08     Day 2: 5   06-06     Day 3: 5   07-05   

20. Jesse Reynolds         Muscatine, IA           12  19-15    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   07-14     Day 2: 2   03-07     Day 3: 5   08-10   

21. Pat Klausen            Lincoln, NE             13  19-06    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 5   09-13     Day 3: 5   05-09   

22. Daniel Stark           Eldon, MO               11  18-01    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 2   03-01     Day 2: 5   10-00     Day 3: 4   05-00   

23. Tom Reynolds           Lyme, CT                12  17-12    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   05-07     Day 2: 5   09-15     Day 3: 2   02-06   

24. Mike Cumberledge       Virginia Beach, VA      12  17-10    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 4   04-04     Day 2: 3   05-06     Day 3: 5   08-00   

25. Aaron Echternkamp      Moses Lake, WA          14  17-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   06-04     Day 2: 5   05-09     Day 3: 4   05-05   

26. Carlo Alberto Tenchini Verona ITALY            12  16-08    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 4   04-01     Day 2: 5   07-15     Day 3: 3   04-08   

27. Skip Sjobeck           Randolph, VT            11  15-15    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   06-00     Day 2: 5   08-11     Day 3: 1   01-04   

28. Paul Gietka            Abingdon, MD            13  15-14    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 3   03-02     Day 2: 5   06-02     Day 3: 5   06-10   

29. Brian Christianson     La Crosse, WI            7  15-11    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 1   03-03     Day 3: 5   10-10   

30. Jeff Jones             Marietta, GA            12  15-08    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 2   02-01     Day 2: 5   06-15     Day 3: 5   06-08   

31. Ed McCaw               Ingacio, CO             11  15-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 5   08-12     Day 3: 5   05-02   

32. Darren Thornton        Harare ZIMBABWE         11  15-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 1   02-10     Day 2: 5   05-12     Day 3: 5   06-12   

33. Thomas Kiefer          Fowlerville, MI          9  15-01    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 3   04-11     Day 3: 5   08-13   

34. Jared Roos             Paradise, UT            11  14-11    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   05-09     Day 2: 4   06-10     Day 3: 2   02-08   

35. Boyd C Golightly       Preston, ID             11  14-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 3   02-10     Day 2: 5   06-04     Day 3: 3   05-04   

36. Jay Salisbury          Aztec, NM               12  13-07    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 2   02-03     Day 2: 5   05-05     Day 3: 5   05-15   

37. Aaron Leon             Henderson, NV           10  13-04    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   05-08     Day 2: 5   07-12     Day 3: 0   00-00   

38. Tony Choe              Fairfax, VA              9  13-04    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 3   03-15     Day 2: 5   06-08     Day 3: 1   02-13   

39. George Cooper          Buxton, ME               9  13-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 1   01-01     Day 3: 3   04-02   

40. Destre Dedeaux         Meadville, MS            9  12-06    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   05-02     Day 2: 2   02-11     Day 3: 2   04-09   

41. Scott Sirakos          Houston, MA              8  12-03    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 4   06-11     Day 2: 3   03-13     Day 3: 1   01-11   

42. Andrew Nitchals        Willmar, MN             11  12-00    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   05-13     Day 2: 3   03-01     Day 3: 3   03-02   

43. Andrew MacColl         CHEPACHET, RI           10  11-12    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 2   02-08     Day 2: 3   03-01     Day 3: 5   06-03   

44. Gerald Kimzey          Willcox, AZ              9  11-08    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   07-04     Day 3: 4   04-04   

45. Curtis Spindler        Missoula, MT             9  11-07    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 1   01-00     Day 3: 3   03-11   

46. Jeff Green             Gaffney, SC              9  11-01    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 0   00-00     Day 3: 4   04-00   

47. Nicholas Fitzsimmons   Lyle, WA                10  10-13    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 4   04-07     Day 2: 3   03-03     Day 3: 3   03-03   

48. Edgar Romero           Leon MEXICO              9  09-11    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 1   01-03     Day 3: 5   04-13   

49. Don Edmonds            Sacramento, CA           8  09-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 2   02-05     Day 2: 5   05-08     Day 3: 1   01-05   

50. Beau Branine           Haysville, KS           10  08-11    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 3   05-11     Day 2: 5   00-14     Day 3: 2   02-02   

51. Greg Heindselman       Lewistown, MO            6  07-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 2   03-02     Day 2: 2   02-00     Day 3: 2   02-00   

52. Takuya Wakebe          Odawara Kanagawa JAPAN   4  06-06    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-03     Day 3: 2   03-03   

53. Craig Denham           Fenlon Falls ONTARIO CA  3  04-02    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 1   01-00     Day 2: 0   00-00     Day 3: 2   03-02   

54. Edward Robak           Weymouth, MA             3  03-00    0     $250.00

  Day 1: 1   01-03     Day 2: 1   00-15     Day 3: 1   00-14   

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIG BASS 

Day

 1   Jamie Horton             Centerville, AL     05-02          $0.00

 2   John Diaco               Rochester, NH       05-01          $0.00

 3   Bryan McNeal             Enon, OH            04-05          $0.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

 1        28       200       314-10

 2        31       206       311-15

 3        27       204       315-03

----------------------------------

          86       610       941-12