Time to double down
Top-10 pros set sights on tourney title at Wal-Mart FLW Series National Guard Western Division event on Lake Mead
HENDERSON, Nev. – With temperatures inching up and the wind dying down, the remaining top-10 pro finalists departed the Lake Mead National Recreation Area shortly after 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning in search of one common goal – a tournament championship on stingy Lake Mead.
To be sure, this week has been a grueling battle for today’s finalists. After braving gusting winds on days one and three, the group has spent the entire week – hours each day – weeding through a plethora of small-sized bass in search of the elusive 3-pounders. To underscore just how difficult the fishing has been, only one finalist – Sean Minderman of Spokane, Wash. – has recorded more than one 10-pound-plus stringer the entire week.
However, that being said, the top-10 field looks to be very competitive today. In total, all 10 pros are separated by just over 4 pounds. And with big bites in short supply and honey holes drying up faster than the desert sand, the Vegas tournament is anybody’s game right now.
“This is a schizophrenic lake,” said second-place pro qualifier Roy Hawk of Salt Lake City, Utah. “Right now I’m about 2 pounds out of first place so anything is possible. These are best fishermen in the western United States. So anybody in the top-10 has a shot today.”
Minderman, who had a comfortable lead over the rest of the field until yesterday, said his gameplan is to do everything possible to finish the tournament in first place and lead wire to wire.
“I’ve got to figure out a way to catch 10 pounds today,” said Minderman. “I’ve got an idea where to fish and hopefully it will pan out. I’ll probably start in Callville Bay because it’s been a good area for me this week. Then we’ll see what happens from there.”
Lake Mead competition
Today’s pro champion will be determined by the angler who brings in the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days of competition. Pros will be fishing for the first-place prize of $125,000 as well as the lion’s share of the tournament’s $1 million total purse.
Ultimately, the top-10 finalists will also be competing for valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the BP East-National Guard West Fish-Off and a shot at advancing to the $2 million, 2009 Forrest Wood Cup, where the winning pro will earn as much as $1 million – the sport’s biggest award.
Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 300 East Lake Mead Drive in Henderson, Nev., beginning at 4 p.m. Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday’s weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Wal-Mart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include the Kellogg’s trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.
Can`t make the weigh-in in person, then watch it on FLW Live on FLWOutdoors.com beginning at 3 p.m. Pacific Time.
Vital statistics:
Sunrise: 5:38 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 69 degrees
Expected high temperature: 89 degrees
Water temperature: 62-67 degrees
Wind: From ENE at 8 mph
Maximum humidity: 12 percent
Day’s outlook: Sunny