MINNEAPOLIS – This week on “FLW Outdoors” television, watch as 48 of the world’s best anglers compete for a record $500,000 first prize at the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship presented by Castrol. The bass-fishing championship – having concluded Sept. 13 – takes place on the James River in Richmond, Va. Pro anglers square off head-to-head in this bracket-style competition, and the exciting final round comes down to two anglers who are only ounces apart in their quest for the biggest championship payoff in fishing history.
There are upsets and remarkable comebacks in the first two rounds as some of the biggest names in fishing – Chevy pros Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., and Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., along with the FLW Tour’s tournament winner from the Atchafalaya Basin, Paul Elias of Pachuta, Miss. – advance to the finals. Taking home the title and becoming one of the all-time leading money winners in bass-fishing history is Castrol pro David Dudley of Manteo, N.C., who narrowly edges out Harmon Davis of Marlow, Okla., by 3 ounces with more than 8,000 spectators looking on as they weigh in their fish. Dudley adds the half-million dollar win to his $700,000 take from the 2002 Ranger M1 tournament.
The championship’s first two rounds feature head-to-head pairings as the field is cut from 48 to 24 anglers after day two and then to 12 finalists after day three. The dozen who survive the first three days of competition fish the final day for the big paycheck. The James River proves a formidable challenge, with high water and unpredictable tides forcing competitors to frequently modify their fishing patterns. The show features the game plans anglers used to attack the James River on their mission to take home a record payday.
Hosted by Carlton Wing, Taylor Carr and Charlie Evans, “FLW Outdoors” coverage of the FLW Tour Championship weigh-in airs Saturday from 7 to 8 p.m. and again Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern time on the Outdoor Life Network. A preview of the FLW Tour Championship featuring special guest host Hank Parker aired Sept. 13 and 14, and a post tournament wrap-up featuring special guest host Larry Nixon will air Sept. 27 and 28. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area. An “FLW Outdoors” TV schedule is available online.