Quick Bites: FLW Lake Toho, Day 4
Wal-Mart FLW Tour
Lake Toho, Kissimmee, Fla.
Final round, Saturday
A tale of two bridesmaids … In eight EverStart Series Western Division tournaments, Art Berry has finished second three times. He was also the runner-up in 2004 Western Division points standings. His most threatening opponent Saturday, Tom Mann Jr., knew just as well how it felt to play second fiddle, having finished second in two FLW Tour events. As Mann stood at the scale with 16 pounds, 2 ounces, the tension was high while he waited to see what Berry had left in the tank. In the end, Berry had no fish left to weigh and was left a bridesmaid once again. … Ever the consummate pro, Berry took the defeat in stride, telling the crowd he wanted the honor of shaking Mann’s hand as the tournament champion. “The sport of bass fishing really brings out the best in you when you’re catching some good ones,” Berry said. “I grew up watching guys like Dion and Guido (Hibdon), and it’s a dream come true to be here.”
There’s no limit … Although temperatures warmed up considerably in the Kissimmee area Saturday, the bass were still reluctant to bite for most competitors. Although Tom Mann Jr. and Art Berry managed to catch some decent-sized bass, no one caught a limit. In fact, no one caught more than three, with two pros catching no bass at all.
Close, but no cigar … Although a Florida win this season by J.T. Kenney seemed imminent, it never happened despite some outstanding performances by the Maryland resident. After breaking two EverStart Series weight records on Lake Okeechobee in January, Kenney finished the tournament in second place. Two weeks later, he finished 14th at the FLW Tour event on the Big O. He then turned his flipping rod toward Toho for this week’s event and took the lead on day one and two and brought in a two-day total weight exceeding 40 pounds. Nevertheless, it was still not Kenney’s time, as he finished fourth this week with a two-day weight of 11 pounds, 11 ounces. … “I was really looking forward to this tournament,” said Kenney, who won his first-ever FLW Tour event in 2002 on – where else? – Lake Okeechobee. “I found a lot of fish in practice. Talk about a heartache.”
Crowd pleaser … Although Tom Mann Jr. went home with the winning trophy, it was clear who was the winner in the hearts of local fans – Lakeland, Fla., pro Bobby Lane. Lane was greeted with ecstatic cheers from the Kissimmee crowd but came up short, finishing third. This was Lane’s second consecutive top-10 performance in as many events on the FLW Tour, but he admits that being the hometown boy isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. “Being from here doesn’t give you all the advantage,” he said.
Old guard vs. young guns … Lake Toho’s list of top-10 pros was a balance of seasoned veterans and relative newbies. Four of the top 10 have fished the tour for two seasons or less, including rookies Bobby Lane and Warren Wyman. Three of the 10 have fished the FLW Tour since its inception in 1996 – Tom Mann Jr., Dan Morehead and Dion Hibdon.
Quick numbers
5: Difference, in ounces, of J.T. Kenney’s two-day opening-round catch and Saturday’s total catch for all competitors. Kenney hauled in 40 pounds, 15 ounces of bass over two days, while the top 10 anglers combined only caught 40 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday.
10: Number of top-10 finishes that former Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year Dan Morehead has accumulated in 10 years on tour.
392: Number of points – out of a possible 400 – that Bobby Lane has earned this season on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. He is currently No. 1 in the points standings.
3: Number of bass that Greg Pugh lost in 10 minutes of competition. Pugh didn’t weigh in a bass Saturday.
19: Art Berry’s age when he began his bass-fishing career.
Sound bites
“I fought and kicked and clawed, and that’s what I came up with. I needed it; I’ve been stinking up the joint in Florida.” – Dion Hibdon on his final-day catch of one bass that weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces. He finished the tournament in ninth place.
“If you get beat by him, that’s all right.” – No. 5 angler Toby Hartsell, on finishing second to fellow top-10 pro Dan Morehead in the 2004 EverStart Series Central Division points standings.
“Winning is a decision-making process. You live and learn.” – Dan Morehead, lamenting some bad decisions that could have cost him his third FLW Tour victory. He finished the tournament in seventh place.
“I’m going to have some payback for those (Louisiana) fish. These fish here (at Toho) have hurt me, so I’m going to hurt them.” – No. 8 pro Greg Pugh, planning his revenge at next month’s event on Louisiana’s Ouachita River.
“You know how fishing is. When you get some confidence, you’re hard to beat.” – J.T. Kenney, discussing his shot for an Angler of the Year title. Kenney is currently fourth in AOY points.
“I’ve stood on this stage a lot of times, and I’ve finished second a lot of times. I’m sick of it.” Eventual tournament winner Tom Mann Jr., moments before learning he would not finish second yet again.