ROGERS, Ark. – Pro angler Mark Pack of Mineola, Texas, hooked an early lead Wednesday at the FLW Tour’s $1 million Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces. At stake in the event, which signals the midpoint of the tour’s $4.45 million 2001 season, is a top award of $200,000 in the Pro Division and $40,000 in the Co-Angler Division.
“I’m keying on deeper beds that most other people aren’t looking for,” said Pack, who caught three largemouths and two spotted bass while sight fishing with a baby ring fry. “The fish I’m catching are in 5 or 6 feet of water that isn’t real clear. You can barely see them.”
Spotted bass and relatively small largemouth dominated the weigh-in as 125 of the 175 pros competing checked in five-bass limits. The majority of these bass where caught by anglers who were sight fishing with finesse baits thanks to sunny skies and 75 degree temperatures that brought many of the lake’s bass into clear shallow water.
The competition is extraordinarily tight heading into the final day of the opening round as less than 2 pounds separate the top 10 anglers in each division. Anglers in both divisions must place in the top 10 Thursday to advance to the semifinal round of competition Friday. Weights from opening day count toward making the first cut, but weights are cleared for the semifinal round as anglers fish for the heaviest one-day weight. Only the top five pros will advance to the final round Saturday. Co-angler competition ends Friday.
Cody Bird of Granbury, Texas (five bass, 12-1); Randy Howell of Trussville, Ala. (five bass, 11-14); and Koby Kreiger of Osceola, Ind. (five bass, 11-13); rounded out the top four anglers in the Pro Division. Paul Elias of Pachuta, Miss.; Dan Morehead of Paducah, Ky.; and reining Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, finished in a three-way tie for fifth with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 11 ounces.
Big bass honors and $1,250 in the Pro Division went to Howell, who landed a 3-pound, 12-ounce bass.
David Hudson of Jasper, Ala., took the opening-day lead in the 175-person Co-Angler Division with five bass weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces followed by Al Little of Greensboro, N.C., (five bass, 7-14) and David Gee of Plymouth, Ind. (five bass, 7-10).
Brantley Peoples of Raleigh, N.C., took big bass honors and $750 in the Co-Angler Division with a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Overall, 1,171 bass were caught Wednesday including 152 limits. More than 99 percent of the bass were returned to Beaver Lake in good health. If Operation Bass maintains at least a 98 percent live release rate throughout the 2001 season, Energizer will donate $25,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network.
The tournament presented by Wal-Mart continues at 6:30 a.m. Thursday at Prairie Creek Park in Rogers followed by a 3 p.m. weigh-in at the same location. Friday’s takeoff starts at 8 a.m. at Prairie Creek Park. Friday’s weigh-in begins at 5 p.m. at the Rogers Wal-Mart located at 2110 West Walnut. Immediately following the weigh-in country sensation Kenny Chesney will perform a free concert live from the Wal-Mart parking lot. The concert will be broadcast nationwide over the Wal-Mart Television network starting at 7:30 EST. Saturday’s final takeoff from Prairie Creek Park starts at 6:30 a.m. followed by a 3:30 p.m. weigh-in at Wal-Mart.
A Family Fun Zone featuring fishing seminars, free product samples, interactive displays and children’s games will open in the Wal-Mart parking lot starting at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.