Quick Bites: FLW Tour, Lake Martin, Day 2

Wal-Mart FLW Tour
Tour Stop #3
Lake Martin, Alexander City, Ala.
Day 2, Opening Round

Given a Hoot … Throughout tournament bass fishing, there are anglers with some very unique-sounding names. One of the most resonant handles belongs to opening-round Co-Angler Division leader W.D. “Hoot” Gibson of Bryant, Ark. Where did it originate? Back in 1955, Gibson was given the nickname “Hoot” while he was in the military, and it stuck. It came from a cowboy character named Hoot Gibson who was popular in the silent film era. Apparently, he was a very popular cowboy. “Hoot” Gibson of Bryant, Ark., says he has encountered a number of other “Hoot” Gibsons over the years on the tournament trail. “I fished a tournament once where there were three of us,” he said with a laugh. “But I didn’t care because they called my name first. I grabbed my check and I was out of there.”

Bass fishing bridges the gap … To see how far tournament bass fishing has come in terms of diversity, one has to look no further than today’s top-10 lists in both divisions. African-American co-angler Willie White of Powder Springs, Ga., had his best two tournament days ever and captured second place. Tenth-place co-angler Rodney Chmolack now resides in Phenix City, Ala., but he’s a native Hawaiian. From even further across the Pacific Ocean, Japanese exchange angler Seiji Kato landed a big sack and placed seventh in the Co-Angler Division while six-year FLW pro Takahiro Omori (ninth place) made his first semifinal-round cut since January of last year. Then there’s pro Aaron Martens, who proved today with a second-place showing that bass fishing really has found favor among foreigners. He’s (ahem) a Californian.

It’s the drop-shot, dude … Kidding aside, Martens, of Castaic, Calif., has brought more than his laid-back surfer-esque accent to Lake Martin, Ala., he brought his West-Coast fishing technique. He is relying mainly on the drop shot, and is reportedly the only semifinalist in either division using the unique method. With 25 pounds of bass under his belt during the first two days, there’s no denying that the drop shot seriously works.

On the spot … They said Lake Martin had spotted bass, and they weren’t lying. Day two saw some hefty versions of the largemouth bass’ smaller cousin cross the scale today, including one weighed in by pro Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn., at 4 pounds, 8 ounces. But the prize for biggest spotted bass of the day went to co-angler Jimmy Cox of Bono, Ark. – literally. Cox won the Co-Angler Division Big Bass award with a spotted bass that weighed an impressive 4 pounds, 15 ounces. Said FLW host Charlie Evans, “It’s one of the largest spots I’ve ever seen in a tournament.” It could be the largest. It outweighed a massive 4-pound, 13-ounce spotted bass caught last year by pro Mark Mauldin of Knoxville, Tenn., at the EverStart Eastern Division tourney on Lake Cumberland, Ky. – which many anglers said was as big as they come in tournament fishing. Third-place co-angler Chris Rand hails from strictly largemouth territory, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and said he is loving the Lake Martin fishery. “I enjoy it,” he said. “I don’t get to fish much for these beautiful spotted bass.”

It’s about time … Pro leader Eric Holt was due for a big tournament. A member of Team Timex, he shares sponsor team duties with some of the most successful pros on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. The five-member Team Timex includes Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., who won last month’s event on the Pascagoula River; Marty Stone of Linden, N.C, who has some 10 top-10 finishes to his name and also made the semifinals at Pascagoula; David Walker of Cannon, Ky., who was 1999 Angler of the Year; and Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., son of fishing legend Roland Martin and winner of FLW Pascagoula in 2000. The youngish Holt has just one top-10 finish to his name (second place at the 1999 FLW Championship on Fort Gibson Lake, Okla.), but has finally established a pattern of success this week. He said he could continue to do well if his fish hold up. “I hit them pretty hard today. I hope I didn’t burn them all out. I’m fishing a pattern and I still have a lot of areas (with fish),” he said.

Sound Bites

“At 3:30 this afternoon, I got a clue.”
– Pro Jerry Williams of Conway, Ark., who said yesterday that he didn’t have a clue how to fish Lake Martin after doing it for five days. On both days one and two, he weighed in 3 pounds, 15 ounces of fish.

“We fish all over the country. I’ve never seen a city go to the lengths to make the fishermen happy as I’ve seen here.”
– Pro Koby Kreiger of Osceola, Ind., remarking on the incredible hospitality displayed throughout Alexander City toward the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.

“Oooooh!”
– Co-angler Seiji Kato of Japan, using an expression that needed no translation after being told that he made the cut and would be competing tomorrow for $15,000.

Quick Links: Day 2

Holt captures overall lead after day two of FLW tourney
Results
Photos
Press release