Final showdown
FLW anglers prepare to battle it out for tournament title on Atchafalaya
MORGAN CITY, La. – It all comes down to one final day of fishing. With 165 of the nation’s best professional anglers already eliminated after three grueling days of competition, the top 10 pro finalists are all that remain of the once crowded field. However, capturing that elusive FLW title at the Atchafalaya Basin won’t be easy.
With nearly 595,000 acres of open water to navigate, finalists will not only have to outlast some of the toughest competitors on the tour, but also deal with a variety of threatening weather conditions that appear to be brewing as well.
As the finalists made their way past Belle River Boat Launch shortly after a 7 a.m. takeoff under densely cloudy skies, the National Weather Service was calling for severe thunderstorms throughout the day. Almost certainly, anglers will be in for a very wet and stormy day over the next seven hours of competition.
However, with a top prize of $100,000 awaiting the eventual winner as well as a total purse of $231,000 up for grabs in today’s competition alone, anglers should have little trouble staying motivated throughout the day.
Currently, Paul Elias of Pachuta, Miss., leads all pros with 17 pounds, 5 ounces. Per tournament rules, yesterday’s weights will be combined with today’s weights to determine the overall champion at today’s weigh-in.
FLW action continues at today’s final weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, located at 973 Highway 90 E. in Bayou Vista, La.
Vital statistics:
Sunrise: 6:44 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 65 degrees
Expected high temperature: 72 degrees
Water temperature: 58 degrees
Wind: from the southeast at 6 mph
Relative humidity: 88 percent
Day’s outlook: cloudy with chance of thunderstorms throughout the day
Chance of precipitation: 70 percent
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