Meet the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup contenders IV

Seventy-eight of nation’s top bass pros vie for $500,000 payday, place in history

With the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup slated for Aug. 5-8 on Lake Lanier in Atlanta, the clock continues to tick toward the start of one of the most prestigious and exciting bass-fishing championships in the nation. In an effort to provide bass-fishing fans with a little more perspective and background on the competition, FLWOutdoors.com is launching a five-part series/overview of each of the 78 qualifying pros – one of whom will walk away with the title of Forrest Wood Cup champion.

With a guaranteed first-place prize of $500,000 on the line (as well as another $100,000 if the winning pro is Ranger Cup qualified), there is clearly plenty at stake in Atlanta. So without further ado, let’s meet the contenders.

(Editor’s note: Forrest Wood Cup competitors will be featured in alphabetical order. This is the fourth in a five-part series.)

2010 Forrest Wood Cup contenders

Andy Montgomery – Blacksburg, S.C. Montgomery’s highest finish during the 2010 FLW Tour season came during the second event of the year at Lake Norman where he finished third. Montgomery rode that momentum to a 24th-place finish at the next event on Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes and finished the year ranked 42nd overall in the FLW Tour standings. The 2006 FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year has now qualified for four Forrest Wood Cups in the last five years. Montgomery, who finished in second place overall as a co-angler during the 2006 Forrest Wood Cup, owns 16 top-10 finishes in FLW Outdoors competition. Montgomery qualified for this year’s Cup via the FLW Tour.

Andy Morgan – Dayton, Tenn. Morgan capped off yet another stellar performance this season by finishing second-place overall in the 2010 FLW Tour Angler of the Year race. Morgan has now finished in the top-10 in the points standings five times in FLW Tour competition and twice in FLW Series competition. Morgan recorded three top-10 finishes during 2010 FLW Tour season and has recorded a career total of six wins. Incredibly, Morgan also boasts 46 top-10 finishes and has earned more than $1,158,000 in FLW Outdoors competition. The 2010 Forrest Wood Cup marks Morgan’s 13th appearance, an astounding feat by any metric. Morgan qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Tour.

Troy Morrow – Toccoa, Ga.. Morrow qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup by winning the 2010 BFL All-American on Lake Degray in Arkadelphia, Ark. Morrow is a nine-year veteran of the BFL’s Shenandoah Division and has competed in a handful of FLW Series and FLW American Fishing Series events over the course of his career. Morrow will be making his first-ever Forrest Wood Cup appearance.

Jim Moynagh – Carver, Minn. Moynagh enjoyed his highest finish of the 2010 FLW Tour season, a 10th-place effort, at the season-ending Lake Guntersville event. The FLW Tour veteran has posted three wins and 17 top-10 finishes in FLW Tour competition and is quickly closing in on the $1 million mark in total earnings. His only FLW Tour win came in 1997 at Lake Minnetonka. Moynagh, who qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup via the FLW Tour, will be making his seventh Cup appearance.

Jonathan Newton – Rogersville, Ala. In 2010, National Guard pro Newton qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup for the first time in his seven-year professional career. Newton’s highest finish in 2010 came at Lake Norman where he placed 16th. His next best showing was at Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes where he came in 19th. Newton has two victories and 14 top 10- finishes in his FLW Outdoors career and has earned more than $450,000. Newton, who will be making his first-ever Cup appearance, qualified for this year’s championship through the American Fishing Series.

Larry Nixon – Bee Branch, Ark. Nixon qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW Series Eastern Division. The legendary Chevy pro is making his 12th Forrest Wood Cup appearance and has missed only one championship event in his 13-year career with FLW Outdoors. In 2010 Nixon had an uncharacteristically difficult year, finishing the season in 88th place in the FLW Tour points race. “The General,” as he’s affectionately known, has won more than $1.2 million in his career with FLW Outdoors and is third on the all-time career winnings list with more than $2.8 million.

Keith Pace – Monticello, Ark. Pace qualified for his first Forrest Wood Cup as a professional through the FLW American Fishing Series. He has three previous Cup appearances as a co-angler and won the Cup as a co-angler in 2002 on Cross Lake. Pace has compiled one win and eight top-10 finishes in FLW Outdoors competition over the course of his career. As a co-angler, Pace has recorded five top-10 FLW Tour finishes, including his only victory which came in 2002.

Cliff Pirch – Payson, Ariz. Pirch is making his third appearance at the Forrest Wood Cup. The National Guard pro qualified through the FLW Series National Guard Western Division by finishing 15th in the 2009 points race. Pirch got his first FLW Outdoors win last year in FLW Series competition at Clear Lake where he brought in a sack that weighted 37 pounds, 8 ounces on the final day of competition. Pirch also boasts 12 top-10 finishes over the course of his career in FLW Outdoors-related events.

Jacob Powroznik – Prince George, Va. Powroznik is making his fifth Forrest Wood Cup appearance in six years of fishing as a professional. He has posted two victories, 25 top-10 finishes and has won almost $600,000 during his career. Powroznik had one top 10 finish on the FLW Tour this season, a sixth-place finish at Lake Ouachita. He cashed two additional checks this year in Tour competition at Lake Norman and Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes. Powroznik qualified for this year’s Cup via the FLW Tour.

Greg Pugh – Cullman, Ala. Pugh is making his sixth Forrest Wood Cup appearance in nine years of competitive fishing. He finished the 2010 FLW Tour season ranked 20th in the points standings, notching a fifth-place finish at Table Rock Lake and a 12th-place finish at Lake Norman along the way. He has career winnings of more than $675,000. Pugh’s highest finish in Cup competition came in 2007 on Lake Ouachita with a sixth-place effort. Pugh qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW Tour.

Jason Reyes – Huffman, Texas Reyes will be fishing in his first-ever Forrest Wood Cup. He had one top-10 finish in FLW Tour competition this season, an eighth-place effort at Lake Guntersville. Reyes ranked 44th in the FLW Tour points standings during the 2010 season, his highest finish to date. Reyes qualified for this year’s Cup through the FLW Tour.

Mike Reynolds – Modesto, Calif. Reynolds qualified for his first Forrest Wood Cup through the 2009 FLW Series National Guard Western Division. During his 15-year FLW Outdoors career, Reynolds has won two tournaments and boasts 20 top-10 finishes. His highest FLW Outdoors tournament finish came in 2009 at Clear Lake, where he ended the competition in 14th place overall.

Robert Robinson – Mobile, Ala. Robinson qualified for his first Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW American Fishing Series. He has earned one victory and 17 top-10 finishes over the course of his FLW Outdoors career. His highest finish in 2010 came at Sam Rayburn Reservoir where he came in 18th place in AFS competition.

Mark Rose – Marion, Ark. Rose is coming off his best FLW Tour season in his 11-year career, finishing third overall in the Angler of the Year race. Rose also capped the season off with his sixth Forrest Wood Cup appearance. Rose also posted two top-10 finishes during 2010 – including a second-place finish at Lake Guntersville and a seventh-place showing at Table Rock Lake. Rose has tallied more than $1 million in winnings throughout his career. Rose technically qualified for the 2010 Cup through the FLW Series, but also earned enough points to qualify for the year’s biggest event through the FLW American Fishing Series and FLW Tour.

Rusty Salewske – Alpine, Calif. The momentum from Salewske’s fifth-place finish at last year’s Forrest Wood Cup carried over to the 2010 FLW Tour season where he finished 14th overall in the Angler of the Year race. Salewske’s highest finish in 2010 was a second-place effort at Lake Norman. Salewske’s consistency throughout the year paid big dividends, allowing him to cash a check at every event except Lake Guntersville. He has more than $425,000 in career winnings during his four-year professional career and is making his third Forrest Wood Cup appearance. Salewske qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW Tour.

Ray Scheide – Dover, Ark. Scheide qualified for his fifth Forrest Wood Cup through the FLW Series Eastern Division. Scheide boasts 20 top-10 finishes and four victories, including two FLW Tour wins (Lake Okeechobee in 2004 and Beaver Lake in 2009). Scheide, who has won more than $700,000 in career earnings, also celebrated a second-place finish at the Cup in 2006 on Logan Martin Lake.

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