CLEWISTON, Fla. – J.T. Kenney, Frostburg, Mo. (5 bass, 21 pounds, 10 ounces) leads the final 10 bass professionals into the final day of competition on the first Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop. He was flipping a Blue Shadow Gambler crawdad with a 3/16th-ounce weight into grass and bullrushes. “They didn’t start biting until about 3 p.m., then it really got interesting,” Kenney said. “I have been fishing the same spot for the past several days and plan to go back tomorrow. Hopefully, the fish will stay.”
Not only did Kenney have a great day, but his co-angler, Greg Lineberry, Galax, Va. (5 bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces) won the first-place check for his division Friday. “This is unbelievable,” Lineberry said. “I was flippin’ a Shad Assassin into about three feet of water right next to the reeds.” And what to do with his $15,000 first place check? Lineberry is going to start a college fund for his son. This is not only Lineberry’s first FLW co-angler win, but also his first FLW Tour event.
Joe Don Setina, Pittsburg, Texas (5 bass, 19 pounds, 14 ounces); Jimmi Leuthner, Vernon, Vt. (5 bass, 15 pounds, 5 ounces); Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas (5 bass, 13 pounds, 3 ounces); and Jay Yelas, Tyler, Texas (5 bass, 13 pounds) represent the top five professional finalists fishing Saturday.
John Bruce, Buford, Ga. (5 bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces); Jason Knapp, Uniontown, Pa. (5 bass, 8 pounds, 7 ounces); Mike Mcadoo, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (5 bass, 7 pounds, 8 ounces); Richard Lowitzki, St. Charles, Ill. (2 bass, 6 pounds, 12 ounces) round out the top five final standings for the Co-angler Division.
Okeechobee has been the Wal-Mart FLW Tour opener for six of the last seven years. In 1999 and 2000, the clear water areas needed to harbor bass were scarce. In 2001, the lake was at record low levels and hardly any green vegetation existed. Fishermen said they were impressed with the water’s clarity and amount of vegetation this season and do believe it has affected their strategies.
Anglers will appear on PAX TV Saturday, when the final weigh-in is broadcast live nationally on the FLW Outdoors television show airing at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. PST.
Wal-Mart FLW Tour professional anglers are competing for $110,000. Co-angler Greg Lineberry, Galax, Va., won the $15,000 first-place prize for his division. Twenty pro and co-anglers advanced to Friday’s semifinal after two days of competition. The top 10 pros from the semifinal round will advance to Saturday’s final round, when weights will again start from zero.
The 2002 Wal-Mart FLW Tour sponsors include Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Coleman, Conseco, Eagle Electronics, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, Fujifilm, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Maxwell House, Minn Kota, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Act II, Berkley, David Sunflower Seeds, Eagle Claw, Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.
Competition on Lake Okeechobee begins Saturday morning, 7 a.m., at Roland Martin’s Marina. The marina, located at 920 East Del Monte Avenue in Clewiston, hosted each day’s takeoff. The final weigh-in Saturday will begin at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston.