200K race under way

Wal-Mart Open begins under leaden skies

ROGERS, Ark. – The bass are on bed, but Wal-Mart FLW Tour pros prowling the shallows of Beaver Lake will find it a little harder to see them Wednesday thanks to overcast conditions.

A total of 200 boats took off from Prairie Creek Marina at 7 a.m. in the hunt for this week’s $200,000 top pro prize. The co-anglers are fishing for a $40,000 winner’s check. Also, Tyson Foods has added new wrinkle this year by tagging six bass, called “Power Bass,” and releasing them into the lake. One of them is worth an additional $200,000 to any pro or co-angler who catches it, and the other five are worth $5,000.

With all the cash on the line in the first of two $1.25 million FLW tournaments of the year, expect big things out of competitors this week, especially as the sight-fishing heats up. The weather forecast is calling for warmer, sunnier weather as the week wears on, which will only improve the anglers’ vision in the shallows. A safe estimate is that anywhere from 10 to 15 pounds a day will be enough for the pros to make the cut.

Wednesday’s weigh-in takes place at 3 p.m. Central time at Prairie Creek Marina in Rogers.

For bass-fishing fans unable to attend the festivities in person, you can catch all the weigh-in action live at FLWOutdoors.com with FLW Live. Show time starts at 3 p.m. Central.

Wednesday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:03 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 45 degrees

Expected high temperature: 60 degrees

Water temperature: 56-60 degrees

Wind: NNW 11 mph

Maximum humidity: 68 percent

Day’s outlook: mostly cloudy