Victory in sight

Final 10 Beaver Lake pros hope to sight-fish to a $200,000 Wal-Mart Open victory

ROGERS, Ark. – For most of the final 10 pros at the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake, victory is literally in sight.

Most, if not all, of the pros will be using a sight-fishing bite to find their fish on the final day. Because that technique can require an angler to spend large amounts of precious time concentrating on one single bass, some pros, like Cody Bird, plan on boating a limit first.

“I’m going to catch my limit, then find a big one and sit on it for a while,” Bird said.

Darrel Robertson currently leads the pack, but not by much – his 14-pound, 6-ounce catch Thursday edged out Andre Moore by only 6 ounces, and Moore already has a victory here under his belt.

Looking for his first FLW Tour win is Waco, Texas, pro Alton Jones, currently in third place with 11-4. He, too, will be sight-fishing but hopes to keep his mind sharp and uncluttered by the pressure of the day.

“I’m really looking at today as another practice day,” he said. “I’m trying not to think about where I’m going to finish and how much money I’m going to win. Those things will distract you.”

Indeed, a lot of money is on the line in this week’s event, even more than usual because it is an Open tournament. Today’s winning pro will take home $200,000 cash, with the usual award of $100,000 going to the runner-up finisher.

Anglers will weigh in their last-day catches today at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 2110 W. Walnut in Rogers.

Saturday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:41 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 50 degrees

Expected high temperature: 74 degrees

Wind: from the south at 7 mph

Maximum humidity: 50 percent

Day’s outlook: mostly sunny