MT. IDA, Ark. – Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers will visit a new stop on the $5.1 million 2002 tour March 13-16 when they compete on scenic Lake Ouachita for a share of $550,000.
With its crystal-clear water and an abundance of deep grass, Lake Ouachita promises to be one of the most productive lakes on tour. The 45,000-acre lake located at the base of the Ouachita Mountain Range near Hot Springs National Park may also be one of the most beautiful tour stops, according to Team Coleman pro Mike Wurm.
Wurm is one of the 175 pro anglers who will be fishing the tournament presented by Alpo Pet Foods. Other top pros looking to cash in on the event’s $110,000 first-place award are Team Castrol pro David Dudley, who made fishing history Saturday with a $700,000 win in the Ranger M1; Chevy Pro Staff angler and two-time Wal-Mart FLW Tour champion Larry Nixon; Team Alpo pro and Wal-Mart FLW Tour champion Dwayne Horton; and Team Kellogg’s angler and current Angler-of-the-Year points leader Clark Wendlandt.
One hundred and seventy-five co-anglers will also fish the event, bringing the total tournament roster to 350 anglers representing 30 states and Japan. Each co-angler fishes from the back of a pro’s boat for a top award of $15,000 cash.
Lake Ouachita contains both largemouth and spotted bass. Wurm believes that the top 10 patterns will center exclusively on largemouth, though. “My favorite pattern for this time of year is slow-rolling a big 3/4-ounce or 1-ounce Strike King spinner bait off the ends of the deep grass points,” he says.
The tournament’s final weigh-in will be broadcast live on PAX TV to more than 84 million households as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television series airing Saturdays at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. PST.
“Live coverage of competitive fishing is a pioneering project that will benefit the sport by attracting a new audience of outdoor enthusiasts,” said Charlie Hoover, FLW Outdoors president. “Our goal is to find the right mix that appeals to both diehard tournament anglers and the nation’s fishing fans.”
Competition on Lake Ouachita is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. March 13 at Mountain Harbor Resort. The resort, located off Highway 270 East, will host each day’s takeoff plus the opening round weigh-ins March 13 and 14 at 3 p.m. On March 15, fishing fans are invited to join Wendlandt, Dudley, Wurm and other Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers in the Family Fun Zone at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1601 Albert Pike Boulevard in Hot Springs, Ark., from 3 p.m. until the semifinal round weigh-in starts at 5 p.m. The Fun Zone reopens at 11 a.m. March 16 followed by the final weigh-in at 2 p.m.
The Fun Zone offers fishing enthusiasts a chance to meet the nation’s top anglers, collect autographs and receive expert fishing advice. There are also plenty of children’s games, including the Fujifilm trout pond and Minn Kota inflatable slide, to entertain the family. Admission to the Fun Zone and weigh-ins is free. Only anglers who do not qualify for the semifinal and final rounds will be available in the Fun Zone. Weigh-ins and a portion of the Fun Zone are housed inside a heated or air conditioned tent in case of inclement weather.
Fishing fans can also meet their favorite Chevy Truck Pro Staff anglers March 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Allen Tillery Chevrolet in Hot Springs. Reigning Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam will be there along with Nixon, Tommy Biffle, Kim Stricker, David Fritts, Tom Mann Jr., Jimmy Houston and Denny Brauer.
Twenty anglers in each division advance to the semifinals after two days of competition. The top 10 pros from the semifinal round advance to the final day. Co-angler competition concludes after the semifinal round. Anglers advancing to the semifinal and final rounds start from zero and fish for the heaviest five-bass limit each day.
At the end of the season, the top 48 professionals and co-anglers advance to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship. This year’s FLW Tour Championship will feature a new, bracketed style format and an $800,000 cash purse – the largest in professional bass fishing. More than $300,000 was added to the championship purse for 2002. The winning pro receives $260,000 – the largest cash award of any competitive bass fishing series.
Added to the list of winners in 2002 is Lake Ouachita itself thanks to a $5,000 donation from Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors and the FishAmerica Foundation that will help fund a stocking barge used to release tournament-caught bass at various locations around the lake. Each year, FLW Outdoors donations, in conjunction with matching funds, produce more than $100,000 for conservation projects that directly benefit tournament waters.
For more information on the FishAmerica Foundation, visit the American Sportfishing Association Web site at asafishing.org. For more information on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour call (270) 362-4880.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart FLW Tour are 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.
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