EUFAULA, Ala. (March 16, 2006) – Pro Johnny Crews of Lakeland, Fla., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 7 ounces to hold his lead on day two of the Stren Series Southeast Division event on Lake Eufaula.
Pros are competing for as much as $64,500 and valuable points that could qualify them for a trip to the $1 million Stren Series Championship for a shot at $140,000. The highest-finishing pro from each division at the Stren Series Championship will also earn a spot in the new $2 million 2007 Forrest Wood Cup where they will compete against top pros from the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League and Ranger owners’ tournaments for bass fishing’s first $1 million top award.
Crews, who also led on day one by catching bedding fish, continued his pattern on day two, though he said constantly falling water is making his pattern tougher each day.
“These bass are in a foot of water or less,” Crew said. “It’s crazy. I can’t get my boat in there to them because it’s so shallow, so when I hook one, I have to drag it through weeds and cover, so I’m losing quite a few fish. I lost a 5-pounder and a 3-pounder today.
“I’ve been getting bit on a Berkley jig tied on heavy braided line to bring them through the cover.” With the falling water levels, bass are getting a little spookier each day. Crews is getting bit early in the morning, but the bite is waning as time goes on.
Rounding out the top five pros are Ryan Ingram of Phoenix City, Ala. (10 bass, 35 pounds, 1 ounce); John Cox of Debary, Fla. (10 bass, 33 pounds, 8 ounces); Rodger Beaver of Dawson, Ga. (10 bass, 32 pounds, 14 ounces); and Scott Hayes of Newnan, Ga. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 3 ounces).
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., earned $750 for the Snicker’s Big Bass award in the Pro Division, thanks to an 8-pound, 14-ounce bass.
Anthony Hawkins of Pell City, Ala., leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award worth as much as $35,000, including a 519VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met. He caught nine bass weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces.
Unlike Crews, who’s getting most of his bites in the morning, Hawkins reported the afternoon bite to be a little better. “They’re moving in on the beds, and the bite seemed to pick up this afternoon,” Hawkins said. “We were just blind-casting to beds in thick cover.”
While Hawkins threw a Chatterbait on day one to target pugnacious bedding fish, he had to slow his presentation and lighten his tackle to garner strikes on day two as bass became increasingly wary. “I’m using 10-pound line with a Senko and just fishing very slowly,” he said.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mike Mahady of Kennesaw, Ga. (eight bass, 19 pounds, 5 ounces); Aaron Fahnestock of Enterprise, Ala. (five bass, 19 pounds, 4 ounces); Jim Buchanan of Dothan, Ala. (nine bass, 18 pounds, 14 ounces); and Kevin Roberts of West Chester, Ohio (eight bass, 17 pounds, 15 ounces).
Jim Barnick of Pembroke Pines, Fla., earned $250 for the Snicker’s Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass.
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of three rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 20 pros and co-anglers – based on two-day accumulated weights – advance to day three. Anglers start at zero Thursday and compete for 10 spots in each division in the final round. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.
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, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $36.9 million through 241 events in 2006.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.