FLW Outdoors has announced the winners from the first October session of its Pro Fishing Game presented by U.S. Bank – the latest interactive fishing contest made available at FLWOutdoors.com. After a hard-fought battle, Kevin Steele of Eufaula, Okla., claimed the top spot in the virtual fishing contest after posting a high score of 46 pounds, 2 ounces for the month of October.
For his first-place efforts, Steele won a $200 U.S. Bank Visa Gift Card. Sandi Komosinski of Grand Haven, Mich., used a high score of 45 pounds to grab second place and net a U.S. Bank tournament-fishing jersey valued at $150. Third place belonged to Stephen Tindell of Hartford, Ala., who recorded a total five-fish stringer weighing 44 pounds, 13 ounces. Tindell, who won the third-place tiebreaker by virtue of a random drawing, took home a prize package worth $50, including an FLW Outdoors T-shirt as well as an FLW Outdoors-branded lure.
November winners announced
The winners of the November installment of the U.S Bank/FLW Outdoors Pro Fishing Game are listed with their scores and prizes below:
First place – Cliff Ivy of Milford, Ohio, with 45 pounds, 9 ounces – $200 U.S. Bank Visa Gift Card.
Second place – two-time winner Sandi Komosinski of Grand Haven, Mich., with 45 pounds, 5 ounces – U.S. Bank tournament-fishing jersey valued at $150.
Third place – Wayne Fuller of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., with 45 pounds – FLW Outdoors T-shirt and FLW Outdoors-branded lure valued at $50.
How the game works
The new interactive computer fishing game – produced jointly by FLW Outdoors and U.S. Bank – offers players a chance to test their onscreen angling savvy in a virtual format. Players who participate in the <a href="http://www.flwoutdoors.com/games"FLW Outdoors Pro Fishing Game are required to make all the same tough decisions as the pros – where to fish, what lures to use and how far to cast. And, just like a real tournament setting, players are faced with similar pressure-packed time constraints.
The rules of the game are simple. Players have three minutes to try to catch the largest five-fish stringer possible. Participants click the computer mouse to see the casting power meter, which shows the strength of the cast they would like to use. By clicking the mouse again, players are able to direct the cast in any direction they’d like. Once a cast has been made, players wait until the computer reels in their catch. Once a fish is in the livewell or their lure returns without a bite, a player can cast again. To change lures, a player simply clicks on the lure in the tackle box in the upper right part of the screen.
Players are allowed a maximum of five fish. When a player catches the sixth fish, he or she will be allowed to keep the fish if it is larger than the smallest fish in the livewell, which is then released. A player’s current total weight and the time left are displayed in the banner at the top of the page. A contestant’s largest single fish weight (Big Bass) will be displayed under the timer after the player has caught at least one fish.
When a player’s time has expired, that player will have the opportunity to add a high score to the nationwide leaderboard and compete for the top spot in the monthly contest. Participants can play as often as they’d like.
Each contest cycle will last one month. At the end of each month, the leaderboard will be cleared and winners will be declared for the previous month.
Grand prize awaits
At the end of three months – after three different contest cycles have been completed – the player with the highest overall score will win the grand prize, consisting of a trip for two to an FLW Tour tournament stop during the 2005 season. The grand prize winner will also receive a one-day fishing trip with a professional angler at the selected tournament (approximate total retail value $2,000).
Currently, Kevin Steele of Eufaula, Okla., owns the overall high score with 46 pounds, 2 ounces with one month to go in the Grand Prize giveaway.
So, if you haven’t yet tested your virtual fishing abilities against the best, what are you waiting for? The next contest is already under way.