FLW Series pros set for head-to-head battle on Lake Amistad

Winners to advance to $2 million Forrest Wood Cup for shot at $1 million bass-fishing title

DEL RIO, Texas – The 2008 tournament season is in full swing, but there is still some unfinished business from 2007 for top-ranked Wal-Mart FLW Series pros from the National Guard Western Division and BP Eastern Division. Thirty pros from each division will face each other in head-to-head action on Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas, Feb. 7-9 to determine who will advance to the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by Castrol on Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 14-17, where qualifiers have a shot at winning $1 million – the sport’s biggest award.

In addition, with the launch of FLW Fantasy Fishing, anyone can become a virtual pro angler and compete for prizes including $1 million cash by signing up on FantasyFishing.com.

Leading the Western Division charge at Lake Amistad is No. 1 seed Randy McAbee Jr. of Bakersfield, Calif., who will face No. 30 Eastern Division seed Dion Hibdon of Stover, Mo., who fishes for Team Chevy.

“I might as well start against one of the all-time best,” McAbee said. “It is going to be an honor to compete against a legend like Dion for a chance to advance to the Forrest Wood Cup.”

Leading the Eastern Division contingent is No. 1 seed David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., who fishes for Team BP and will face No. 30 Western Division seed Bobby Barrack of Oakley, Calif.

“Fishing Amistad is going to be a real treat,” said Walker, who has earned a record 33 top-10 finishes in his FLW Outdoors career. “I’m really looking forward to catching some big fish. The weights out there are just phenomenal, and the plus side is, I only have one guy to beat.”

Walker may have other things on his mind during the event, however, as the birth of his second daughter, Olivia Grace, is expected Feb. 8. “The timing isn’t the greatest, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup,” Walker said. “It will make a good present.”

The No. 1 seeds from each division will face the No. 30 seeds, the No. 2 seeds with face the No. 29 seeds, etc. The winners of these head-to-head match-ups will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup along with the top 30 co-anglers based on accumulated weight at the Fish-Off. The pro with the heaviest overall weight will also earn $25,000, and the co-angler with the heaviest overall weight will earn $5,000.

Lake Amistad is known for producing big catches, particularly early in the year. In fact, with the right conditions, the clear-water lake, with its vast areas of grass and submerged trees, could produce record catches during the Fish-Off, as it is already home to the heaviest one-day catch (five bass weighing 37 pounds set in January 2007) and biggest bass (14 pounds, 8 ounces set in March 2007) in FLW Outdoors history.

“I’ve never been any place like it,” said Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, who has fished the lake for several years. “Any time is the right time to fish Amistad. It is really an amazing place, not just in the size of fish available but in the numbers, too. You are likely to see record catches anytime in the January to March timeframe.”

In addition to the possibility of record-setting catches, the FLW Series Fish-Off features several intriguing matchups, including Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., vs. Mike Folkestad of Yorba Linda, Calif. (one of the sport’s all-time greats against a Western Division legend); Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, vs. Michael Bennett of Roseville, Calif. (an established veteran against one of the sport’s rising stars); and Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., vs. Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz. (Team National Guard anglers from either side of the Mississippi). Additional matchups to watch include Brent Lyon of Reno, Nev., vs. George Cochran of Hot Springs, Ark. (a relative newcomer against a legend); Justin Kerr of Simi Valley, Calif., vs. David Dudley of Lynchburg, Va. (Delta and Havasu standout against FLW Outdoors’ all-time leading money winner); Tim Klinger of Boulder City, Nev., vs. Wendlandt (17 top-10s against 31 – No. 2 all-time); and Gabe Bolivar of Ramona, Calif., vs. David Fritts of Lexington, N.C. (former Rookie of the Year against the only angler in history to win three FLW Tour events in a single season).

Anglers will take off at 7 each morning from the East Diablo launch ramp at Lake Amistad Marina in Del Rio. Weigh-ins each day will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The entire field competes all three days with the winner of each head-to-head matchup in the Pro Division determined by the heaviest total weight from all three days. These 30 winners will then advance to the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. In the Co-angler Division, the top 30 competitors based on total weight will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup. With a total purse of $2 million, including as much as $1 million going to the winning pro, and a world-class outdoor show, the Forrest Wood Cup is bass-fishing’s crown jewel.

FLW Fantasy Fishing invites virtual anglers to compete

Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing, FLW Outdoors will be awarding the largest fantasy sports payout in history. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

FLW Outdoors historically maintains a 98-percent live release rate in all of its bass tournaments.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.