ROGERS, Ark. – Randy Howell of Trussville, Ala., will lead five of the nation’s top bass anglers into the final round of the $1 million Wal-Mart Open after catching five bass weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces Friday on Beaver Lake. Hanging in the balance at this event, the fourth stop on the $4.45 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour, is a top award of $200,000 cash – one of the most lucrative payouts in tournament fishing.
Howell, who already has one Wal-Mart FLW Tour victory to his credit, caught a combination of largemouths, smallmouths and spotted bass to claim the top qualifying spot. He will have to duplicate his successful sight-fishing tactic Saturday, however, to claim top honors as weights from the previous round are cleared and all finalists start on equal footing.
“I’m tickled to death just to make the top 10,” said Howell, who advanced to Friday’s semifinal round in ninth place. “Even if I finish fifth, it means $30,000. You can’t beat that.”
Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn. (five bass, 10-13); former Wal-Mart Open Champion Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas (five bass, 10-11); former Wal-Mart Open Champion Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala. (five bass, 10-7); and opening day leader Mark Pack of Mineola, Texas (five bass, 10-6) rounded out the finalists.
In the Co-Angler Division W.D. (Hoot) Gibson, 63, of Bryant, Ark., won $40,000 and a year’s supply of CITGO gasoline Friday with five bass weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces that he caught while sight fishing in shallow water. He advanced to the final day of co-angler competition in seventh place.
Fred Hill of Roxboro, N.C. (four bass, 5-1); Wendell Bennett of Searcy, Ark. (four bass, 4-4); Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala. (three bass, 3-6); and Troy Pickett of Roberta, Ga. (three bass, 2-11) rounded out the top five Co-Anglers.
Overall, 80 bass were caught Friday including 11 five-bass limits. All of the bass were returned to Beaver Lake alive.
Following Friday’s weigh-in, country singing sensation Kenny Chesney performed a free concert in front of a capacity crowd at the Rogers Wal-Mart located at 2110 West Walnut. The concert was broadcast nationwide over the Wal-Mart Television network starting at 7:30 p.m. EST.
The tournament presented by Wal-Mart concludes Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. weigh-in at Wal-Mart. Saturday’s final takeoff from Prairie Creek Park in Rogers starts at 6:30 a.m. A Family Fun Zone featuring fishing seminars, free product samples, interactive displays and children’s games will open in the Wal-Mart parking lot starting at 11 a.m.