‘FLW Outdoors’ to air Wal-Mart FLW Series debut

April 16 program on FSN to highlight Wal-Mart FLW Series’ premiere on Lake Lanier

MINNEAPOLIS – Tune in Sunday, April 16, to “FLW Outdoors” on FSN to see the new $6.5 million Wal-Mart FLW Series premiere on Georgia’s Lake Lanier. Watch as the first-ever FLW Series pro champion is awarded $100,000 at the conclusion of the $900,000 tournament, which kicks off a five-event inaugural season. The one-hour show also presents several short features with prominent pros discussing topics like Lake Lanier’s history, tourney tactics and life on the road.

Viewers are treated to some history and local flavor in an introductory segment with local pro Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., who gives a brief overview of Lake Lanier, talks about the introduction of blueback herring to the lake and discusses its status as a world-class spotted bass fishery.

Offering insight into how pros quickly break down water and establish productive patterns is Mike Auten. The Benton, Ky., pro gives viewers a look at techniques that can be applied to any man-made reservoir.

Several pros get specific about Lanier strategy, offering up their presentation tactics for the locations they are targeting. This star-studded segment features competitors including Jay Yelas and Wesley Strader as well as top finishers Tim Farley and Terry Baksay.

The April 16 program also takes a behind-the-scenes look at what makes “Team Fukae” – comprising Mineola, Texas, pro Shinichi Fukae and his wife, Miyuki – so successful. Fukae, an impressive finisher at Lanier, was crowned the 2004 Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year in his rookie season along the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. FSN’s cameras capture life on the road with the couple, who recently relocated to the United States from Japan.

FSN is the industry leader in providing the most up-to-date technology in TV production. FSN puts viewers in the boats with the pros, shadowing them from sunrise until the final weigh-in using innovative camera work that gives fishing fans the most intimate viewing experience available.

FSN broadcasts “FLW Outdoors” Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon Eastern time. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area. FLWOutdoors.com also provides an online show guide listing what events are coming up on “FLW Outdoors.”

During each tournament show, “FLW Outdoors” hosts go on location to provide on-the-water coverage. “FLW Outdoors” is tape-delayed to bring audiences nationwide the best tournament footage possible throughout the season.

FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. Established in 1996, FSN is the only cable network that supplies national, regional and local sports programming. FSN serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces over 4,500 live events each year. FSN has an extensive catalog of original national programs, including “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and “Beyond the Glory” documentary series, along with national packages of collegiate sports. Based in Los Angeles, FSN is part of the vast FOX Sports television family. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com.

“FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast internationally to more than 350 million households in such countries as Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 service men and women stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $36.9 million through 241 events in 2006. FLW Outdoors also recently announced the addition of a striped bass circuit, which will debut in May.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.