HENDERSON, N.C. (June 14, 2006) – Pro Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, N.C., caught a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces to lead day one of the Stren Series Northeast Division season-opening event on Kerr Lake. Pros are competing for as much as $64,500 and valuable points that could qualify them for a trip to the $1 million Stren Series Championship for a shot at $140,000. The highest-finishing pro from each division at the Stren Series Championship will also earn a spot in the new $2 million 2007 Forrest Wood Cup where they will compete against top pros from the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Ranger owners’ tournaments and The Bass Federation for bass fishing’s first $1 million top award.
With heavy rains left from tropical storm Alberto hovering over North Carolina, the event got off to a wet start with heavy rain continuing into the afternoon. Despite the unfavorable wet and cool conditions, the anglers caught plenty of fish. With clearing weather in the forecast, this should be a great event.
“I was drowned by the end of the day,” Montgomery said about the persistent rainfall. “I felt like I needed some sun to catch my fish. I caught two keepers on long, deep points swimming a jig early then went shallow to finish my limit. I had my limit by 8:30 a.m. and by 9:30, I was practicing for tomorrow.
“I probably caught 10 to 12 keepers all day,” Montgomery said. “If the weather clears a little bit and I get some sun tomorrow I will fish shallow and I think I can catch them.”
Rounding out the top five pros are Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C. (five bass, 16 pounds, 11 ounces); Chris Baumgardner of Gastonia, N.C., tied with Tim McDonald of Hagerhill, Ky., (five bass, 16 pounds, 4 ounces); and Tracy Watkins of Williamstown, S.C. (five bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces).
Baldwin also took Boater Division big bass honors with a 5-pound, 13-ounce largemouth to earn him $725.
Phillip Eakes of Bahama N.C., leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award worth as much as $35,000, including a 519VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met. He caught five bass weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Daniel Peterman of Hollidaysburg, Pa. (five bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces); Andy Bailey of Beckley, W.Va. (five bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces); Christopher Foley of Philipsburg, Pa. (five bass, 11 pounds, 8 ounces); and Chet Beam of Apex, N.C., (four bass, 11 pounds, 1 ounce).
Frank Pempek of Bridgeport, Ohio, earned $245 as winner of the big-bass award in the Co-angler Division, thanks to a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.
All in all, 1,048 bass weighing 2,382 pounds, 10 ounces were caught on day one.
Anglers take off each morning from Satterwhite Point Marina in Henderson each morning at 6 a.m. Thursday’s weigh-in will also be held at the marina beginning at 2:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 200 North Cooper Road in Henderson. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of three rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 20 pros and co-anglers – based on two-day accumulated weights – advance to day three. Anglers start at zero Thursday and compete for 10 spots in each division in the final round. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.
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 presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
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.