Wal-Mart FLW Tour
Wal-Mart Open
Beaver Lake, Bentonville, Ark.
April 12-15
Welcome back … Fans and fellow anglers were happy to see the return of legendary pro angler Guido Hibdon to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in Bentonville. It was Hibdon’s first tournament this season since he began treatment for throat cancer. Likely no one was happier than his son, Dion, who, in a poignant twist of fate, tied with his father in 39th place on the first day of competition – they both caught 9 pounds, 6 ounces of fish. Guido finished the tournament in 22nd place while Dion finished in 30th.
Lights, camera, fish! … Operation Bass Chairman Irwin Jacobs revealed that a full-length feature movie featuring the Wal-Mart FLW Tour is in the works. Discussions about the project have taken place between Operation Bass and a “major Hollywood studio.” … Also in production: FLW goes to China. Chinese television producers are introducing an all-sports television network to the world’s largest television market, and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour television show is slated to be the Chinese network’s first American import. “Wal-Mart’s going to China,” said Jacobs. “Do you realize what this is going to do for America in China?”
Anglers of the Year immortalized … During the Wal-Mart Open, Jacobs presented a big bass sculpture to Wal-Mart executives commemorating each season’s Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year. Created by artist Ed Pang, the sculpture was placed in the lobby at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville. It will feature the names of all past and future Anglers of the Year. “I wanted to do something special for these athletes,” explained Jacobs. “Where else better to have it than in the Wal-Mart lobby?”
Mann, oh man … When pro Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., landed a huge spotted bass while pre-fishing on Saturday before the tourney, he nearly landed himself in the record books. The spotted bass record for Beaver Lake sits at 5-5. Mann Jr. estimated his spot weighed around 6 pounds. “The fish was just totally round,” he said. “There’s not any question it was over 6 pounds. I’ve never seen one this pretty.” Not wanting to kill the big bass, Mann Jr. photographed and released it before official measurements could be made. His efforts at Beaver Lake were far from a wash, however. He placed second for the tournament, winning $100,000, and won the Energizer Keeps on Going award for coming back from a 46th-place finish on day one. At the final weigh-in, Mann Jr. expressed his appreciation for Beaver Lake to a capacity crowd of mostly Northwest Arkansans, “If y’all don’t fish and you live this close to this great fishery, you’re making a mistake.”
What kind of carp is this? … Pro Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., could smell the green on day two when he hooked what he thought was an 8-pound smallmouth. Believing he had a shot at the 7-pound, 5-ounce Arkansas state record, he celebrated as he reeled it in. His hopes fell, however, when he saw the telltale rubber lips of a carp on the end of his line. “I got real excited, what with VISA giving away that million dollars,” Nixon explained, referring to the new VISA $2 Million Challenge. … Co-angler finalist David Hudson of Jasper, Ala., also hooked what he thought was a large smallmouth just outside of Prairie Creek Marina on day three, but it, too, turned out to be a carp. Hudson presented his carp onstage during the co-angler weigh-in, telling Operation Bass Executive Vice President Charlie Evans he had a “big brownfish” in his sack. “I said, oh man, this is what I’ve been needing all day long,” said Hudson.
Well, that’s handy … Pro angler Ben Kron of Maryville, Tenn., does whatever it takes to land his fish. With just two fish in his live well and 10 minutes left of competition on day two, Kron made a cast that counted. He hooked his biggest bass of the day and was fighting it when his reel broke away from his rod. Instead of abandoning the fish, Kron reeled it in hand over hand and got it into the boat. (Kron also deserves another tip of the hat: On Friday, a day after he finished the tourney, he led this writer to a 4-pound, 12-ounce largemouth catch. Kron patted me on the back and said, “You know, Jeff, a fish like that would have put me in the money yesterday.”)
So that’s why he was all smiles … Congratulations to pro angler Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga., who not only won $3,250 at the Wal-Mart Open, but also tied the knot in Bentonville the day before the tournament. Doing the honors was Operation Bass staffer Bud Strader, who is an ordained minister. Strader married Couch and new bride Helen during a ceremony held between tournament registration and dinner Tuesday night before competition began. Explained Couch, “We’d been planning to do it for a long time and we knew we wanted Bud to do it. She just happened to come down to this tournament. It worked out that we were all in the same place at the same time.”
Doggin’ it … Sponsor Team Coleman held a free barbecue in the Family Fun Zone and moved over 300 hot dogs an hour before the final weigh-in on day four. That morning, Coleman also teamed up with fellow tour sponsors Kellogg’s and Land O’Lakes to serve hundreds of pancakes at the popular Family Fun Zone pancake breakfast.
Sound bites:
“I like fishing for $200,000, but you know who really likes it is Uncle Sam.”
– Ninth-place pro Peter Thliveros, who won $210,000 at Lake St. Clair on last year’s Wal-Mart FLW Tour, remarking about this year’s Arkansas-record purse of $1 million, with $200,000 going to the pro winner.
“You’re chasing a little green fish for $200,000. Am I proud to be an American? Yes I am.”
– Tom Mann Jr., who took home $100,000.
“A prayer.”
– Pro William Fletcher of Memphis, Tenn., who finished in 169th place, when asked what he was catching them with on day one.