VENICE, La. – The Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division will make its second $170,000 regular-season stop June 12-14 in Venice, La. The lucrative tournament will feature as many as 125 redfish teams casting for a top award of $50,000.
“You’re going to have to work and work and work to get your fish,” said pro Chad Billiot of Raceland, La., who teamed with Scott Ritter of Dauphin Island, Ala., to win the 2008 Redfish Series Western Division tournament in Port Lavaca, Texas. “You won’t have it handed to you-you’re going to have to earn it. It should take about 16 pounds to win.”
With high water making it difficult to locate fish, Billiot said he was keying on a lot of ponds away from the river and looking for sight-fishing waters.
“If we get enough wind, it will force the water out of there and into the Gulf, where it’s away from us,” Billiot said. “That will give us back our normal tidal situation. I’m finding a lot of dirty water in what would normally be clear water.”
Anglers will take off at 6 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings from Venice Marina located at 237 Sports Marina Road in Venice. Weigh-ins will also be held at Venice Marina beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1501 Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free, and the community is invited to attend the festivities.
The Venice FLW Redfish Series event is hosted by the Venice Marina.
The top award of $50,000 includes $20,000 cash plus a $15,000 cash bonus from Ranger Boats and a $15,000 cash bonus from Yamaha or Evinrude if contingency guidelines are met.
The top 50 teams in each division of the 2008 FLW Redfish Series, based on Land O’Lakes Team of the Year points standings at the end of the season, will advance to the $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Biloxi, Miss. The winning team at the championship will earn as much as $100,000.
Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing, FLW Outdoors offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. 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.
In FLW Redfish Series competition, 125 points are awarded to the winner, 124 for second, 123 for third, and so on. All teams that receive weight credit will receive points that determine Land O’Lakes Team of the Year standings. All FLW Redfish Series events are three-day tournaments (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). The full field competes during the first two days, and the top five teams based on accumulated weight advance to day three. Final standings are determined by the total weight from all three days.
Coverage of the FLW Redfish Series stop in Venice will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing Aug. 3. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.
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.
Awards are based on a full field of 125 boats in every tournament.