BEAUFORT, S.C. – The $1.7 million Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour – the most lucrative kingfish tournament trail in the world – is headed to Beaufort, S.C., for the circuit’s third regular-season stop presented by Yamaha Aug. 17-19. As many as 100 teams will be competing in the tournament, which features a $300,000 cash purse.
Teams of two to five anglers each will fish for a top award of as much as $100,000 cash. The teams will also be vying for valuable points that could earn them a berth into the no-entry-fee $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Championship in Biloxi, Miss., Nov. 2-4 for a shot at as much as $150,000.
“This should be a good event. I always like fishing the Beaufort area,” said Bryan Edwards of Little River, S.C., captain of Team Kellogg’s. “I think the bait will be moving up the beach, and a lot of big kings should be following them. This should make for a short run, maybe 25 to 30 miles north and no more than 12 miles offshore. Some people might run down to Florida and fish the Greys Reef area, but that is a 140-mile run, one way. Most people will likely stick to the beaches and hope to find a good one.”
Edwards added that the winner will most likely be trolling pogies or ribbonfish, looking to catch about 70 to 75 pounds in aggregate weight to win the event.
“Beaufort is a beautiful place and an excellent place to host an event. There should be a lot of quality fish caught,” Edwards said. “I think it will be a great event.”
Teams will take off from Downtown Marina of Beaufort located at 1006 Bay St. in Beaufort, S.C., at 6:30 each morning. Scales open at 3 p.m., and all teams must check in by 5 p.m. The morning starts and afternoon weigh-ins are free and open to the public. Sunday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located 350 Robert Smalls Parkway in Beaufort beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The full field will compete Friday and Saturday then be cut to the top five teams for Sunday. Winners are determined based upon the heaviest kingfish from Friday or Saturday plus the heaviest kingfish from Sunday.
The winning team earns $40,000 cash. If the team captain is the original owner of a Hydra-Sports, Scarab, Seaswirl or Wellcraft boat that is used during the tournament, the team also receives a $30,000 bonus. Additionally, if the winning captain is the original owner of a qualifying Yamaha or Evinrude outboard that is used during the tournament, the team will receive another $30,000 bonus for a total award of $100,000.
Every team that receives weight credit in a tournament earns points that determine final standings. Two hundred points are awarded to the winner, 199 points for second, 198 points for third, and so on. The top 50 teams at the end of the regular season will advance to the championship.
Coverage of the Beaufort tournament hosted by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States Oct. 14 as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast internationally to more than 429 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 servicemembers stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.
A limited number of openings are still available in the Beaufort tournament, which has a $1,500 entry fee. Teams may register online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. Entries will also be accepted during on-site registration Aug. 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club located at 30 Yacht Club Drive in Beaufort, S.C.
The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour will stop in Atlantic Beach, N.C., Sept. 28-30 for its fourth and final regular-season event, presented by Raymarine.
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.