Quick Bites: FLW Tour, Red River, Day 3

Wal-Mart FLW Tour
Tour Stop #5
Red River, Shreveport-Bossier, La.
Day 3, Pro Semifinals, Co-Angler Finals

Yeah, it’s about time, old-timer … Co-Angler Division champion Brandon Ledford of Rome, Ga., who just turned 20 years old, is one of the youngest anglers to win an FLW event. That point was driven home when Evans teasingly asked him if his wife would get his $15,000 in cash prize (a common lament by many FLW winners). Brandon, who’s not married, said, “Wife? I’ve got a lot of bills to pay. I’ve got a boat, a truck, and some credit cards to pay off. Man, I’m just happy I finally won.” Kudos to the young gun.

Sun fishing … While it was overcast, windy and even threatening to rain this morning at takeoff on the Red River, the sun came out this afternoon and turned on the heat. Competitors welcomed the clouds this morning because that’s when they thought the fish would really start to bite. But some of the pros admitted afterwards that they initially thought wrong and perhaps came into today with overblown expectations. “I don’t understand these fish,” said Bernie Schultz of Gainesville, Fla., who unfortunately only managed three bass today for 5 pounds, 12 ounces and ninth place. “It seems like when it’s dead calm and sunny, that’s when they really eat the paint off those spinnerbaits.”

Just goin’ fishin’ … One pro, Bill Chapman of Salt Rock, W.Va., set his sights just about right today. He said he “just went fishing today” and came in with the leading five-fish weight of 14 pounds, 11 ounces. Chapman took his leisurely approach to the $100,000 tournament by utilizing the same productive fishing location that put Dan Morehead of Paducah, Ky., into first place yesterday and second place on day one. For Chapman, who’s fishing in his first-ever FLW final round tomorrow, a win would be especially sweet. “I’ve been close before and I’ve been disappointed,” he said.

Whew! … Maybe the pressure of retaining his lead in the points race and the urge to win his first FLW tournament got to Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Kevin VanDam today because he almost let one get away – literally. At weigh-in, as he reached to pull his third fish out of his sack, he turned to FLW host Charlie Evans and said, “I left one in my livewell.” Now, fishermen are not necessarily known to be the most straightforward of sportsmen sometimes, and everyone, including Evans, thought VanDam was kidding. But no, he was serious. He really did think – for what must have been an agonizing 10 seconds for VanDam – that he left one of his bass back in his boat behind the weigh-in tent. But when he looked into the black weigh-in sack again, a wave of relief passed over his face and he pulled out his remaining two fish. “I thought I counted them,” he said. “It’s hard to see in those bags.” Good thing he did, too. VanDam placed fourth with a weight of 12 pounds, 6 ounces and made the top-five cut.

Their three sons … Three of today’s qualifiers have quite a bass-fishing pedigree. Eighth-place pro finisher Keith Green of Arkadelphia, Ark., is the son of legendary Arkansas angler Ricky Green, a past FLW top-fiver and current pro competitor on the circuit. Fifth-place co-angler finisher David Cochran of Hot Springs, Ark., is the son of the mighty George Cochran, also a current pro angler on tour and past winner of the tournament. And fourth-place co-angler finisher John Bruce of Buford, Ga., is the son of Mickey Bruce, who’s also a past winner on the FLW Tour and who currently sits in fourth place in the 2001 pro standings.

Sound Bites

“The last time I made the top 10 I did the same thing, so I think I’m going to quit practicing and just fish the tournaments.”
– Keith Green, who didn’t practice on the Red River before this tournament because he was at the Wal-Mart BFL All-American last week.

“One of us is shaking. I don’t think it’s me.”
– Charlie Evans, to Brandon Ledford, who had a little bout of nerves as he watched the rest of the co-angler field weigh in after him.

Quick Links, Day 3: