Anthony falls short in bid for Bassmaster Classic

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Nov 1, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

TAVARES, Fla. — Sam Anthony came up a little over two pounds shy of claiming a berth in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic after the final day of the Bassmaster Federation Nation Championships on the Harris Chain of Lakes.

Anthony, from Independence, held the second-day lead among the nine Central Division anglers, but caught only one fish on the final day for a 20-pound, 7-ounce total.

Defending Federation Nation champion Bryan Schmidt from Olney, Texas, rallied from nearly five pounds down to finish with a 23-pound, three-day total. Schmidt earned the Central’s berth in the Classic, which is set for February in Birmingham, Ala.

One Classic berth went to the top finishers in each of the Federation’s six divisions.

Randy Phillips from Oxford, Mass., won the $60,000 first-place money with a 13-fish catch weighing 31-1 to take the Eastern Division spot. Second-day leader Don Hogue

from Pasco, Wash., finished second with 29-1 and took home $5,000.