Windy conditions, rough water lengthen runs
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Randy Blaukat, 38, of Joplin, Mo., caught five bass weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces after a grueling 180-mile run down the Mississippi River to retain his lead Thursday at the $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop in Memphis with a first-round total of 38 pounds.
“I’m physically beat,” Blaukat said. “It’s hard to explain what it’s like to go through that for seven hours a day. It feels like you’ve been in a fight.
“Most people don’t realize how dangerous this river is. It gets unbelievably rough with the current and a south wind. For 180 miles, it’s nothing but rough, rough water. I’m just lucky to have made it back in time,” Blaukat added.
The long run and rough water wreaked havoc on Blaukat’s boat, disabling it just 30 minutes into his estimated four-hour-and-20-minute return trip. Fortunately, fellow competitor Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., happened upon Blaukat and gave him a ride back to the weigh-in. Clunn, the winner of last month’s Wal-Mart Open, also gave Larry Frasier of Madisonville, Ky., a ride on opening day after his boat broke down. Frasier finished the round in second place with a two-day total of 37-9 while Clunn placed third with 36-5.
These anglers will join defending Memphis FLW Tour stop winner Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, and six other pros as they renew their quest for a $100,000 payday in Friday’s semifinal round.
Although he missed the top-10 cut (for just the second time this season), Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, retained his lead in the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year points race. With just one tournament remaining to determine the Angler of the Year, Wendlandt leads the pack with 289 points. Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., and Tracy Adams of Wilkesboro, N.C., are his closest rivals with 261 and 256 points respectively.
The winner of the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year title will receive $25,000 and a Johnson- or Evinrude-powered Ranger 518 VX bass boat. The winner also will be featured on a special series of Kellogg’s cereal boxes.
In the Co-Angler Division, Michael Roberts of Tunica, Miss., retained his lead with a 5-pound, 12-ounce catch Thursday for a two-day total of six bass weighing 19-0.
David Hudson of Jasper, Ala., is leading the Co-Angler of the Year race with 263 points. The Co-Angler of the Year will receive priority entry into the 2001 FLW Tour Pro Division and a Ranger R91 boat powered by an Evinrude or Johnson outboard.
Big bass honors for the day went to pro Rob Kilby of Hot Springs, Ark., and co-anlger Gary Mullins of Wagoner, Okla., for catching a 5-pound, 12-ounce largemouth and a 5-pound, 5-ounce largemouth respectively. Kilby received $750 for his trophy catch and Mullins received $500.
Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., won the Coca-Cola Big Bass award of $1,000 for the heaviest bass caught during round one, a 7-pound, 9-ounce largemouth that he landed on opening day. At the end of the season, Coca-Cola will award $5,000 for the biggest bass of the year. Quinten Stacy of Bassett, Va., is leading the Coca-Cola Big Bass race with an 8-pound, 10-ounce largemouth he caught on Lake Murray near Lexington, S.C.
The 10 remaining pro anglers will start from zero Friday and fish for one day to secure a slot in Saturday’s five-man final round. Co-angler competition ends Friday.
Friday’s weigh-in will start at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Bartlett, Tenn. Saturday’s final weigh-in, which will be broadcast live to Wal-Mart stores nationwide, begins at 3:30 p.m. at Wal-Mart. The weigh-in also will air June 3 as part of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour series on ESPN at noon EST.
Coca-Cola is presenting the Memphis tournament.