DEL RIO, Texas – Rookie pro Craig Dowling of Many, La., caught an amazing five-bass limit weighing 31 pounds, 1 ounce to lead day one of the Stren Series Central Division event on Lake Amistad presented by Yamaha. The 200-boat field caught a total of 1,406 bass, including 190 limits, weighing 4,062 pounds – the largest one-day weight in Stren Series history. Twenty-nine anglers weighed catches of 20 pounds or more, including two limits weighing more than 30 pounds.
“Today was the most impressive weigh-in I’ve ever seen,” said Ron Lappin, Stren Series tournament director. “It was an amazing day. There were so many huge weights that the crowd didn’t even really clap for an 18- or 19-pound limit. And 8-pounders were so common, anglers weren’t even pulling them out to weigh for big bass.”
Pros are competing for as much as $64,500 and valuable points that could qualify them for a trip to the $1 million Stren Series Championship for a shot at $140,000. The highest-finishing pro from each division at the Stren Series Championship will also earn a spot in the new $2 million 2007 Forrest Wood Cup where they will compete for bass fishing’s first $1 million top award.
“I had a perfect day,” Dowling said. “I had 28 pounds in the boat and decided to go to one of my small-fish spots. I put my rod down and just let me co-angler fish. Then a buddy drove by, so I picked up a rod just so I wouldn’t look dumb out there. I made a cast and caught a 6 1/2-pounder.
“My fish are coming from 25 to 40 feet of water. Once you discover the pattern and what to look for, you can run around the lake and catch them everywhere.”
Dowling fished the Pro Division of the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail last year and finished eighth at Lake Amistad.
Rounding out the top five pros are Chris Slopak of Prairie Grove, Ark. (five bass, 27 pounds, 8 ounces); David Mauldin of Tomball, Texas (five bass, 26 pounds, 13 ounces); Charles Haralson of Laredo, Texas (five bass, 26 pounds, 12 ounces); and Ben Matsubu of Hemphill, Texas (five bass, 26 pounds, 12 ounces).
Kevin Lasyone of Dry Prong, La., caught a huge 11-pound, 8-ounce largemouth to earn $750 for the Snicker’s Big Bass award in the Pro Division.
Tim Achee of Hemphill displayed one of the most impressive co-angler performances in FLW Outdoors history. His day-one total of five bass weighed a remarkable 30 pounds, 10 ounces. Co-anglers are competing for a top award worth as much as $35,000, including a 519VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met.
“After the fog delay, we took off about 9:26 a.m.,” Achee said. “By 11 a.m. I had about 28 pounds and told my partner, a young pro named Dustin Grice, that I was just going to sit down until he caught a limit. At about 2 p.m., I noticed another co-angler looking at me. I didn’t want him to think I had caught a big limit from that spot, so I picked up my rod, made a cast and caught a 6-pounder.
“This is such an awesome lake. Today was a day you dream about. I practiced for a week, and this lake is full of fish.”
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ed Gold of Broken Arrow, Okla. (five bass, 26 pounds, 8 ounces); Brett Killingsworth of Rowlett, Texas (five bass, 25 pounds, 4 ounces); Shawn Denny of Roswell, N.M. (five bass, 24 pounds, 12 ounces); and Rodney Theesfield of Odessa, Texas (four bass, 24 pounds, 12 ounces).
Killingsworth earned $250 for the Snicker’s Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a monster 10-pound bass.
Takeoff will start at 7:30 a.m. Central time each morning and Thursday’s weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. at Lake Amistad Marina. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins begin at 4 p.m. and will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 2410 Dodson Street in Del Rio. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of three rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 20 pros and co-anglers – based on two-day accumulated weights – advance to day three. Anglers start at zero Thursday and compete for 10 spots in each division in the final round. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Stratos Owners Tournament Trail. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $36.7 million through 241 events in 2006.