Ten anglers have made the first round cut to advance to Friday’s second round of professional fishing action in the third event of the $471,500 Wal-Mart FLW Tour being held on Lake Lanier. The world’s best bass anglers are competing for a first place cash prize of $100,000 in the third of seven events on the tour that in 1999 will award anglers $4 million.
The 10 world class anglers, together with the remaining 10 co-anglers, will compete Friday, for one day, with the top five professionals, based on Friday’s catch weight, advancing to Saturday’s final round. In addition to the $100,000 first place cash, the winning professional and co-angler receive berths in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship, presented by CITGO, September 22-25, 1999, on Ft. Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma, where the winning professional will receive the largest cash award in fishing – $250,000.
The top 10 pros advancing include: (1) Mickey Bruce, Buford, GA, 27 pounds, 2 ounces; (2) David Walker, Cannon, KY, 26-5; (3) Steve Daniel, Clewiston, FL, 25-13; (4) David Fritts, Lexington, NC, 25-4; (5) James Jennelle, Sterling, VA, 25-3; (6) Johnny LeSesne, Blue Ridge, GA, 24-12; (7) Johnny McCombs, Morris, AL, 24-8; (8) Tom Mann, Jr., Buford, GA, 24-2; (9) Eric Weir, Belmont, NC, 23-8; (10) Jim Nolan, Bull Shoals, AR, 23-7.
The top 10 co-anglers advancing include: (1) Rick Parnell, Casselberry, FL, 13 pounds, 1 ounce; (2) Gil Keener, Jr., Muskogee, OK, 11-8; (3) Bud Goeke, Pinckneyville, IL, 10-6; (4) David Hudson, Jasper, AL, 9-12; (5) Craig Clayton, Rogers, AR, 9-9; (6) Ronald Ott, Indianapolis, IN, 9-1; (7) Chris Douglas, Belleville, IL, 8-14; (8) Bill Halter, Anna, IL, 8-12; (9) Leon Williams, Fairdale, KY, 8-11; (10) Rick Marsh, High Point, NC, 8-6.
Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Gainesville Wal-Mart Supercenter. Friday’s weigh-in will begin at 5:00 p.m EST. Saturday’s activities will begin at 11:30 a.m.
Jim Moynagh of Carver, Minnesota, landed a 10 pound, 4 ounce bass to win the Coca-Cola Big Bass award of $1,000. Coca-Cola will award $5,000 to the angler weighing in the biggest bass during the 1999 tour. Moynagh is leading the big bass contest with his bass.
All tour events are scheduled to be televised on ESPN approximately two weeks after the tournament. The Wal-Mart FLW Tour Lake Lanier event will be televised on ESPN, Saturday, April 3, at 6 p.m. EST.
The highest-finishing original Ranger boat owner in each tournament will qualify to enter the $3.5 million Ranger M1 Millennium tournament, the richest bass event in history, with a $1 million first-place cash prize at stake. The Ranger owner who catches the largest bass in each division over the course of the season will also qualify for the Ranger Millennium tournament.
Sponsors of the 1999 Wal-Mart FLW Tour include: Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Land O’Lakes, CITGO Petroleum Products, Chevy Trucks, Uniroyal Tires, Fujifilm, EverStart Batteries, Eveready Flashlights, Black and Decker, Coleman Company, Ranger Boats, Mitchell Rods and Reels, Spiderwire, Evinrude Outboard Motors, Evinrude Electric Trolling Motors, Eagle Electronics, Timex Expedition, Wrangler, Chex Mix, Hamburger Helper, and Wheaties. The Lake Lanier event of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour is presented by the Gainesville-Hall County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.