The next generation
For the last several years, new bass-fishing names have been working their way up the FLW Outdoors ranks. In 2003, these anglers will be in a position to shine on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Here is a look at three.
Pat Fisher
Pat Fisher of Buford, Ga., worked his way into the FLW Tour from the Co-angler Division after winning an FLW Tour co-angler title on Lake Murray in 2000.
After finding his footing on the pro side of the tour in 2001, he ended his season with a sixth-place finish at the Forrest Wood Open on Lake St. Clair.
In 2002, Fisher nailed an EverStart Series victory on Lake Eufaula, an FLW Tour runner-up spot on Old Hickory Lake, and a fourth- place finish at the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship. He was the 2002 Eastern EverStart Series points leader and finished 12th in the FLW Tour’s Land O’Lakes Angler-of-the-Year points race.
Pat’s pick: Fisher is looking forward to Lake Okeechobee. “Lake Okeechobee is always a fun place to fish. And it is warm, always warm. Well, usually.”
Greg Hackney
Greg Hackney of Oak Ridge, La., may be a new name on the national circuits, but he has been fishing regional events for 10 years. He has two Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League wins and 16 FLW Outdoors top-10 finishes.
On the FLW Tour last season, Hackney finished 10th in Angler-of-the-Year points. He led the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship for two days but ended up 13th.
Greg’s pick: Hackney says he looks forward to Lake Okeechobee and the Atchafalaya Basin. “They both suit my style of fishing,” he says. “But I probably like my chances at the basin better because I have been there before, and it is an awesome place to fish.”
Chad Grigsby
Chad Grigsby, or the “Great Grigsby” as his friends call him, is from Colon, Mich. He was only able to fish three FLW events in 2002, but he made his presence known.
At Old Hickory, he was in third after two days before falling to 19th. At Champlain, he led the event after two days but fell to 20th.
Grigsby admits that he blasts out of the blocks like a rocket but crashes on day three. “The good news is that the FLW Tour is going back to a top-10 cut after two days,” Grigsby said. “That way, I’ll only fall to 10th instead of 20th.”
Chad’s pick: When asked about his favorite lake on the FLW Tour, Grigsby replied, “Whatever the next lake is.” We’ll mark him down for Lake Okeechobee just to be consistent.
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