2006 Stren Series Championship
Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.
Opening round, Wednesday
Wedding bells … When most people think of Decatur, Ala., they think “good bass fishing” – not usually “exotic wedding location.” But co-angler A.C. Campbell and his new bride, Lisa, are trying to change that. The Pennsylvania couple married this past weekend in Decatur in a surprise wedding to kick off championship week. “Yeah, we eloped!” said Lisa, obviously still on a post-wedding high. “I was planning to come to the championship, but I didn’t realize he was going to ask me to marry him.” Indeed, A.C. proposed only three weeks ago, and he had the Decatur nuptials planned to the hilt. “He had it all arranged – I couldn’t say no!” Lisa said. A.C. says he planned it secretly with lots of cell phone calls to keep Lisa unsuspecting. The two were married at the Japanese Garden in Decatur with members of their “tournament family,” including fellow anglers as well as FLW staff, in attendance. Congratulations, Campbells!
Williams update … As many readers are aware, co-angler Leon Williams recently suffered injuries as a result of a boating accident at the Wal-Mart FLW Series event on Lake of the Ozarks. Had it not been for the accident, Leon would have almost certainly been in Decatur this week to cheer on his son, Tommy Williams, who currently sits in 58th place on the pro side. Thanks to FLW Live technology, Leon knew when it was Tommy’s turn to take the stage, and with perfect timing, he gave Tommy a call. “I want you to know you’re here with me the whole time,” Tommy told his dad via cell phone in front of the weigh-in crowd. On Leon’s behalf, Tommy thanked the FLW fans and staff for the hundreds of letters and phone calls he has received since the accident. And though he may not physically be in Alabama this week, he certainly is in spirit, as he has been keeping up with the conditions via the Weather Channel. “I bet he’s drier than I am,” Tommy quipped before heading back out into the Decatur rain.
Cup berth at stake … Initial qualifying for one of the most prestigious bass tournaments in the history of the sport begins right here this week at the Stren Series Championship. Next year, the top anglers from every FLW Outdoors bass-fishing trail will compete in the exclusive Forrest Wood Cup, and five competitors from this week’s event will qualify for that event through this tournament. The Stren Series Championship features 40 pros and 40 co-anglers from each of five nationwide divisions, and the highest finisher from each division in this championship will earn entry into the Forrest Wood Cup. For example, if the best of the 40 pros representing the Central Division finishes 50th, he will still advance to the Cup because he is the highest-finishing competitor out of the Central Division. Therefore, there is a lot more on the line this week than a championship title and a solid check – there is the chance to make history.
Gas pains … Note to Chris McCall’s wife: If you’re still mad at your husband, you might not want to read this. The Texas pro ended day one in a dismal 151st place, due in large part to a simple oversight. When he approached the stage, McCall took a little ribbing from tournament director Chris Jones before finally confessing his sin: He simply forgot to buy gas. “If my wife’s listening, she’s going to be bitter,” said a chastened McCall. It seems last night, McCall had his boat serviced and had intended to fill up his rig with gas in preparation for day one of competition. “Between leaving the service trailer and going to the hotel, I forgot to put gas in my boat,” McCall said. “I had half a tank, and I ran out of gas at 11:30.” McCall tried two different on-the-water stations, but both were dry. “It’s been a bad day,” he said. … Nevertheless, McCall did manage to catch a pair of bass before he was taken out of contention. That’s two more than 10 pros caught all day, so that ought to be some consolation to him – and his wife.
Teen beat … Proving that fishing is a sport for all ages, this week’s championship features a field of competitors whose ages run a wide spectrum. Three anglers in particular give new meaning to the term “youth movement” – 16-year-olds John Billheimer Jr. and Mark Condron are making their first Stren Series Championship appearance, and TBF National Guard Junior World Champion Joshua Wagy also strengthens the 18-and-under contingency. … However, it was a tough day for the teenage trio, as all three ended day one ranked lower than 100, with Wagy best in 107th. Billheimer, though, is the only pro of the bunch, and he ended the day in 127th on the professional side.
Points champs drag their feet … For the most part, it was a dreary day indeed for the five divisional points champions with one very obvious exception – Northeast Division points winner Dave Lefebre, who ended day one in the No. 3 spot. His closest rival is Western points champ Jimmy Reese in 48th. The rest of the bunch – Southeast’s Timothy Little, Central’s McCall and Midwest’s Chad Morgenthaler – all finished below 100.
Central, Southeast going strong … All five Stren Series divisions are represented on day one in the top-10 pro or co-angler lists, though the Western Division is missing from the top-10 pro tally. All total, the Central and Southeast divisions seem to be the strongest, as each have six competitors in the top 10. The Central Division seems particularly strong in the Co-angler Division, as four of the top 10 – including the top three – advanced through the Centrals.
Family ties … Fishing is considered a family-friendly sport, and though it has its challenges, competitive fishing is no exception. Several sets of moms and kids can be seen at any given tournament, cheering on their husbands and dads. But bringing the family along the tournament trails can be tough on everyone involved, and as such, the family of Ocala, Fla., pro Rick Couch decided to stay home this season while Dad fished the Stren Series Southeast Division. Along with that decision came the promise that if Couch made the championship, the kids could come and watch. Couch slipped into the field in the next-to-last position, and his wife and four sons got a little Alabama vacation. “They’ve waited all year for the championship,” Couch said of his brood, who joined him onstage. “We decided Mom would stay home with the boys this year. I was 39th (in points) – I cut it close.”
Quick numbers:
57: Number of anglers in this week’s championship from the state of California.
7: Weight, in pounds, of the day’s heaviest bass, caught by pro David Cioppa.
3: Pounds separating pro leader Sam Bass from No. 2 Bobby Lane.
6: Ounces separating co-angler leader Thomas Szwankowski from No. 2 Bill Gift, himself the co-angler of the year in the Central Division.
Sound bites:
“If you look in the bag, I’ve got Big Mama in there. I shooed her sister off.” – The ever-zany Bud Strader, who indeed had Big Mama in his bag – a 5-pound, 5-ouncer that earned him day-one big-bass honors on the co-angler side. No word what became of her sister.
“He could still win that boat.” – Southeast Division co-angler points champion Matt Hults, on a potential consolation prize for his brother, Alan, who ended the season right behind him in the No. 2 spot. Matt could be on to something – Alan is currently ninth on the co-angler side.
“I mean, I’m not mad about 16 pounds, but I should have had a lot more.” – No. 2 Lane, hinting that perhaps the 3-pound gap between him and No. 1 Bass isn’t quite as large as it looks.
Tomorrow’s takeoff is scheduled to take place at 7 a.m. CST at Ingalls Harbor, located off Highway 20 in Decatur.