FLW Postpones Events Through April 5
Kathy Fennel issues an open letter regarding COVID-19
Editor's note: The following letter was recently shared with FLW members regarding upcoming FLW tournaments and efforts being made to help combat the spread of COVID-19. It is being shared here with the public.
As an open-air sport that disperses competitors on thousands of acres of water, tournament fishing allows for social distancing as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Pretournament meetings can be modified, check-in times can be staggered, and additional precautions can be taken during weigh-ins to maintain social distancing guidelines.
Out of an abundance of caution and the uncertainty of venue availability amid rapidly evolving restrictions, however, FLW will reschedule all tournaments through April 5, except for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event on Lake Martin in Alexander City, Alabama, for which practice has already begun and extra precautions have been instituted.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit tournament originally scheduled for April 2-5 on Cherokee Lake will be held June 11-14 on Cherokee.
In addition to tournaments through April 5, the May 7-9 Toyota Series tournament on Neely Henry Lake will also be rescheduled to allow for cohesive scheduling in the circuit’s Southeastern Division given the need to reschedule the division’s March 26-28 tournament on Wheeler Lake.
Rescheduled dates for all affected tournaments during this period will be announced as soon as possible. These tournaments include:
– Abu Garcia College Fishing Open – Kentucky Lake – March 17-18
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Kentucky Lake – March 21
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Grand Lake – March 21
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Lake Ouachita – March 21
– Toyota Series – Lake of the Ozarks – March 26-28
– Toyota Series – Wheeler Lake March – 26-28
– Abu Garcia College Fishing – Fort Gibson Lake – March 27
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Harris Chain of Lakes – March 28
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Lake Oconee – March 28
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Santee Cooper – March 28
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – South Holston – March 28
– FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing – Fort Gibson Lake – March 28
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Columbus Pool – April 4
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Lake O' the Pines – April 4
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Lake Hartwell – April 4
– Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine – Lake Wylie – April 4
– Toyota Series – Neely Henry Lake – May 7-9
Entries will be rolled over to the rescheduled events unless instructed otherwise.
The safety of everyone involved in our tournaments, including anglers, volunteers and staff, is our primary concern. We will continue to monitor CDC, federal, state and local guidelines and adjust tournament operations or reschedule beyond April 5 as necessary. We also encourage our anglers to follow CDC guidelines to help prevent infection. These include, but are not limited to:
– Stay home when sick or living with a sick person.
– Cover the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing.
– Wash hands often with soap and water.
– Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
– Limit face-to-face contact.
– Consult a healthcare provider as needed.
We appreciate our passionate FLW anglers and look forward to continuing our tradition of providing the best bass tournaments available anywhere as the COVID-19 crisis subsides. Please watch FLWFishing.com, the FLW Facebook page and your inbox for ongoing updates.
Sincerely,
Kathy Fennel
Executive Vice President & General Manager, FLW