NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series presented by BP will stop at New London City Pier in New London, Conn., June 16 for a $85,000 catch-and-release striped bass tournament that will award the winning team $10,000 cash, guaranteed, and as much as $30,000 cash based on boat and engine bonuses from Hydra-Sports, Scarab, Seaswirl, Triumph, Wellcraft, Evinrude and Yamaha.
It’s not too late to get in on the action, either. Openings are still available in the tournament, which has an early entry fee of $450 per team and an on-site entry fee of $500 per team. Teams ranging in size from two to four anglers may register online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. Entries will also be accepted during on-site registration from 4 to 6 p.m. at New London City Pier located at 27 Water St. in New London.
In FLW Striper Series competition, each team may weigh in two striped bass ranging in size from 28 to 34 inches (unless local regulations dictate otherwise). The fish must be kept alive in new keep-alive boxes developed by FLW Outdoors that will be available for purchase or rent during registration. The innovative boxes, based on proven live-release techniques, will allow all FLW Outdoors striper tournaments to be catch-and-release events – thus helping to protect the nation’s striped bass population and ensure a vibrant fishery for generations to come. Teams are charged a 2-pound penalty for any fish that is not weighed in alive.
Teams fishing the tournament hosted by Downtown New London Association will take off from New London City Pier at 6 a.m. Saturday, June 16. The scales open at 2 p.m. at the marina. The morning start and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
Following the New London event, FLW Striper Series tournaments will be held at Bass River Marina at West Dennis, Mass., Sept. 22 and Lynnhaven Marine in Virginia Beach, Va., Dec. 8.
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, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, 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 of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.
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 Walmart.com.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.