$1 million to be awarded in Forrest Wood Open
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers will hit New York’s Lake Champlain June 19-22 in pursuit of its renowned smallmouth and largemouth bass and a share of $1.05 million cash in the Forrest Wood Open presented by Kellogg’s. Participants will come from more than 30 states and from as far as Japan.
The top pro will collect $210,000, while the top co-angler will collect $40,000. The coveted Land O’Lakes Angler-of-the-Year title is also at stake. Reigning Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., leads the charge with 914 points followed by Yamaha pro Jay Yelas of Tyler, Texas, with 886 points and Bernie Schultz of Gainesville, Fla., with 857 points. If he wins, VanDam would be the first back-to-back Angler of the Year in tour history.
“I’m looking forward to Lake Champlain,” said VanDam, who has four second-place finishes and a third-place finish in 11 career Wal-Mart FLW Tour events. “It’s definitely my kind of fishing.”
With an abundant population of 3- to 5-pound largemouth and smallmouth bass, Lake Champlain ranks as one of the country’s premier fisheries.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if it takes 18 pounds per day to make the first two cuts and upwards of 20 pounds to win it,” said VanDam, predicting that most of the heavier limits will be caught from milfoil beds in water depths up to 10 feet. “The fish will be scattered, not ganged up like they will be during the fall. The keys will be covering lots of water and using baits that’ll get the bigger bites.”
Competition on Lake Champlain starts at 6 a.m. June 19 at Mooney Bay Marina in Plattsburgh. The marina will host each day’s takeoff plus the opening round weigh-ins June 19 and 20 at 3 p.m. On June 21, fishing fans are invited to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Family Fun Zone and semifinal round weigh-in at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 25 Consumer Square in Plattsburgh. The Fun Zone opens at 3 p.m. and runs until the weigh-in starts at 5 p.m. On June 22, the Fun Zone reopens at noon followed by the final weigh-in at 3 p.m. Admission to the Fun Zone and weigh-ins is free.
The Fun Zone offers fishing enthusiasts a chance to meet some of the nation’s top anglers, collect autographs and receive expert fishing advice. There are also plenty of children’s games, including the Fujifilm trout pond and Minn Kota inflatable slide, to entertain the family. Weigh-ins and a portion of the Fun Zone are housed inside a tent that can be heated or cooled in case of inclement weather.
Fishing fans can also meet their favorite Chevy Truck Pro Staff anglers June 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bill McBride Chevrolet in Plattsburgh. VanDam will be there along with Larry Nixon, Tommy Biffle, Kim Stricker, David Fritts, Tom Mann Jr., Jimmy Houston and Denny Brauer.
Twenty anglers in each division advance to the semifinals after two days of competition. Co-angler competition concludes after the semifinal round, and the top 10 pros advance to the final day. Anglers advancing to the semifinal and final rounds start from zero and fish for the heaviest five-bass limit each day. The tournament’s final weigh-in will be broadcast live on PAX TV to more than 84 million households as part of the FLW Outdoors television series airing Saturdays at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. PST.
Following the tournament, the top 48 professionals and co-anglers will advance to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship on Cross Lake in Shreveport, La., Sept. 11-14, where the winner earns $260,000 cash. This year’s FLW Tour Championship, presented by Castrol, will feature a new, bracket-style format and an $800,000 cash purse, the largest in professional bass fishing. More than $300,000 was added to the championship purse this season.
Added to the list of winners in 2002 is Lake Champlain itself thanks to a $5,000 donation from Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors and the FishAmerica Foundation. The donation will help fund habitat improvement projects. Each year, FLW Outdoors donations, in conjunction with matching funds, produce more than $100,000 for conservation projects that directly benefit tournament waters.
For more information on the FishAmerica Foundation, visit the American Sportfishing Association Web site at asafishing.org . For more information on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, browse this Web site.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart FLW Tour are Wal-Mart, Alpo Pet Foods, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Coleman, Conseco, Eagle Electronics, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, Fujifilm, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Act II, Berkley, David Sunflower Seeds, Eagle Claw, Hover-Lure, Laker, Maxwell House, Plano and Solar Bat.
The City of Plattsburgh is hosting the Forrest Wood Open on Lake Champlain.