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CRESTVIEW — Local angler Michael Smith of Paxton has earned a trip to the Toyota Bassmaster Weekend Series 2012 National Championship at Jasper, Texas. The championship, run by American Bass Anglers, will be Nov. 4-10 on Lake Sam Rayburn.
Smith, 21, had a strong two days of fishing Oct. 5-6 at Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Ga., finishing fourth out of 127 anglers in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Southeastern Regional Championship Divisions. Competitors were from Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.
Smith’s fourth-place finish earned him the trip to the national championship.
Smith — who caught 11.46 pounds over the two-day tournament — consistently weighed in fish each day. On the first day, he had a 5.34 catch (limit of 3 fish).
He caught his largest bass — 5.01 pounds — on the second day. His total weight on day two was 6.12 pounds with two fish.
Smith won a plaque and a cash prize for his fourth-place finish.
This is his second trip to a national bass fishing tournament. Last year, he won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship in the co-angler division at Lake Santee Cooper in South Carolina.
Smith — a senior at the University of West Florida — is a member of the Hub City Bass Masters of Crestview. He is the son of Hinton and Barbara Smith and grandson of Geraldine Ballard of Paxton.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Local angler earns trip to nationals