BENTON, Ky. – It hasn’t stormed yet, but the top 10 pros and co-anglers who took off onto Kentucky and Barkley lakes for day three of Wal-Mart FLW Tour competition could face some formidable challenges. Not only is the weather going to make it demanding, but the anglers who made the cut, themselves, make up one tough, competitive field.
Lexington, North Carolina’s David Fritts – the FLW Tour’s all-time winningest pro – schooled the field with his crankbait over the first two days, but he’s being chased by some intimidating pros behind him. Shinichi Fukae of Osaka, Japan, Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., David Dudley of Lynchburg, Va., and Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., have all had varying success over their tour careers and are certainly no strangers to final-round competition. So nervousness likely won’t be much of a factor for most of the top 10, especially on a waterway as familiar to them as Kentucky Lake.
But the weather will be. Forecasters are saying the chance of rain has increased to about 80 percent for Friday, but it will be the gusting winds – which have already begun – that will be the biggest nuisance for some anglers. Fritts has said repeatedly that the wind has hampered his efforts in the opening round.
On the other hand, Dudley, who’s mainly fishing a top-water bait, welcomes the nasty weather. “Bring on the clouds, the wind, the rain – I don’t care,” he said. “That cloud cover is key for me.”
The final 10 pros competing today at Kentucky Lake will combine the day’s weight with their final catches tomorrow to determine the winner of the event. Co-angler competition concludes at Friday’s weigh-in when the $20,000 winner will be determined.
Friday’s weigh-in begins at 5 p.m. Central time at the Wal-Mart store located at 310 W. Fifth St. in Benton. The Family Fun Zone – featuring interactive displays, product samples and games for the entire family to enjoy – is also free and open to the public. It opens at 3 p.m. at Wal-Mart.
For bass-fishing fans unable to attend the festivities in person, you can catch all the weigh-in action live at FLWOutdoors.com with FLW Live. Show time starts at 5 p.m. Central.
Friday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 5:46 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 71 degrees
Expected high temperature: 75 degrees
Wind: from the southwest at 14 mph, gusting
Humidity: 83 percent
Day’s outlook: thunderstorms