Okeechobee to host $10M FLW Tournament

$10 MILLION WAL-MART FLW SERIES TO VISIT LAKE OKEECHOBEE

$1 million BP Eastern Division tournament to feature top bass anglers from 26 states

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2007) - The $10 million Wal-Mart FLW Series will visit Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla., Jan. 24-27 for its first BP Eastern Division tournament of the season. Hosted by Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina & Resort, the tournament will feature as many as 400 top bass anglers from 26 states casting for top awards of $125,000 in the Pro Division and $25,000 in the Co-angler Division.
"The weather has been hot down here lately," said Team BP pro J.T. Kenney of Daytona Beach, Fla., who fished in the Stren Series Southeast Division opener on Lake Okeechobee last week. "But Mother Nature has a way of working things out, so we could have a cold front move through the area. If we do, the lake is so low that there's nothing for the fish to hide in, and it will be a tough bite."
According to Kenney, low water levels have a lot of the lake's grass on dry ground, so flipping matted grass will not be as big of a factor as in past tournaments. Kenney expects to see similar weights in the FLW Series event as weights posted in the recent Stren Series tournament, where Glenn Browne of Ocala, Fla., won $65,000 with a four-day catch of 20 bass weighing 60 pounds, 2 ounces.
"As low as the lake is, cold-weather fishing just won't be good," Kenney said. "We are pulling for warm weather, which would give us a late-spawn pattern, but if it turns out to be cold, the tournament will be more of a canal and ditch event. We'll just have to wait and see."
Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina & Resort located at 920 E. Del Monte Avenue in Clewiston, Fla., at 7 each morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday's weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday's final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston, Fla., beginning at 4 p.m. Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday's weigh-in from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wal-Mart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include the Fujifilm trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.
The entire field competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three based on the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.
In FLW Series competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The total purse for the Lake Okeechobee tournament is $1 million, including $10,000 through 50th place and $2,000 through 75th place in the Pro Division. Ultimately, all anglers in the tournament will also be competing for valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the BP East-National Guard West Challenge and a shot at advancing to the $2 million, 2008 Forrest Wood Cup, where the winning pro will earn as much as $1 million - the sport's biggest award.
Coverage of the Lake Okeechobee FLW Series tournament will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the "FLW Outdoors" television program airing March 4. "FLW Outdoors" airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time. "FLW Outdoors" is also broadcast internationally to approximately 350 million households in Europe, Africa and Asia, making it the most widely distributed weekly fishing program in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 servicemembers stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 238 events in 2007.

NATIONAL GUARD EXPANDS ANGLING TEAM FOR 2007

Wal-Mart FLW Tour pros Martin, Pirch headline new additions

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 9, 2007) - The National Guard announced today eight new members of its angling team set to compete in FLW Outdoors tournaments in 2007. Notable additions are Wal-Mart FLW Tour pros Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., and Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz.
In the fall of 2005, the National Guard entered into a marketing partnership with FLW Outdoors. Since then, the National Guard has demonstrated unprecedented support for the sport of professional angling. For example, beginning in 2007, the National Guard will sponsor the National Guard Open as part of the $9.5 million FLW Tour. Moreover, the National Guard answered the call from Western anglers for big-money, televised events in California, Washington and Arizona with the introduction of the National Guard Western Division of the Wal-Mart FLW Series.
In 2007, the 12-member National Guard angling team will consist of bass-fishing pros Martin, Pirch, Jonathan Newton, Ramie Colson, Tim Klinger and Derek Jones as well as co-anglers Pam Wood, Diane DeLaGarza, Pat Lay, Adam Lock, Rachel Urbie and Justin Lucas. Newton, Colson, Klinger and Jones are holdovers from the 2006 team.
Part of Martin's fame may come from his familiar last name and charming smile, but make no mistake, this Florida boy can fish with the best of them. Raised on the shores of Lake Okeechobee under the bass tutelage of his widely known father, Roland, Martin has been rooted in fishing his entire life. Martin began competing on the FLW Tour as a pro in 2000 and has quickly ascended to the sport's upper echelon. In fact, Martin has already accumulated over $670,000 in FLW Outdoors events, including two FLW Tour victories. Martin's 2006 season was especially impressive, as he finished fourth at the FLW Tour Lake Champlain event and fifth in the season-long Land O'Lakes Angler of the Year race.
"Over the past year or so I've forged a relationship with Frank and the National Guard," Martin said. "They stand for tremendous values, and I try to stand for the same ones. I can't wait to stand up and wear the colors for them."
Martin will fish the FLW Tour and the BP Eastern Division of the FLW Series in 2007.
"Angler of the Year is something I've been really honing in on. I learn more and more about my strengths and weaknesses every year I fish," Martin said.
Pirch rose from the ranks of the Stren Series Western Division when it began in 2003. There, he established himself as one of the most consistent, well-rounded anglers on the nascent Western circuit. After having competed in the Stren Series Championship in both 2003 and 2004, Pirch earned his wings and turned his sights toward the FLW Tour. He first popped up on radar at Beaver Lake during his rookie season in 2005, where he finished fourth. In 2006, he managed two more top-10 finishes, at Lake Murray and again at Beaver Lake. Proving his mettle at a young age, Pirch qualified for the 2006 FLW Tour Championship as the 41st-ranked angler. Following the recent influx of Western anglers, Pirch will travel on tour with his wife and two daughters in a National Guard-wrapped Chevy Suburban.
"When Sergeant O'Laughlin came to me at the Lake of the Ozarks event, I was real excited," said the Ranger-Yamaha pro. "To promote something honorable that I really believe in is great. It's just a great team to be a part of."
In 2007, Pirch will focus most of his efforts on the FLW Tour and National Guard Western Division of the FLW Series.
"Fishing for that kind of money in the West is a big deal. I'm excited to fish some lakes that I've had past success on," he said. "This new circuit will really showcase the West."
Sgt. 1st Class Frank O'Laughlin with the National Guard said: "Just like FLW Outdoors, the National Guard is looking to make every situation they're involved with better. With the new team and the new National Guard Western Division of the FLW Series, I believe FLW Outdoors and the National Guard are enhancing the sport as a whole. We couldn't be prouder of our new team and we're excited for the upcoming season."
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 238 events in 2007.

How about this one

Jim please check your inbox

R19