BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fishing fans will have the opportunity to meet some of the most talented anglers in the world of competitive bass fishing at 13 Wal-Mart stores in the Birmingham, Ala., area July 31 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The world-class anglers will be signing autographs, posing for photos and offering fishing tips to store visitors during the two-hour event, which precedes the $1.5 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship presented by Castrol on Logan Martin Lake Aug. 2-5.
Among the anglers participating will be Tyson pro Tracy Adams of Wilkesboro, N.C. After five career FLW Tour top-10s, Adams earned a hard-fought victory and $100,000 on Lake Champlain in the final FLW Tour qualifier of 2006. On day four, Adams rallied and caught five largemouth bass weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces. Adams will be at the Wal-Mart store located at 5335 Hwy 280 S. in Hoover, Ala., talking about his winning pattern.
Gain pro Vic Vatalaro of Kent, Ohio, is a renowned smallmouth bass angler. In a recent Stren Series Northeast Division event on Lake Erie, Vatalaro took first place by catching roughly 20 pounds of bass each day. The victory marked Vatalaro’s third Stren Series title on Lake Erie. Vatalaro will be among the anglers teaching techniques at the Wal-Mart store located at 2780 John Hawkins Parkway in Hoover, Ala.
Kellogg’s angler Kim Bain, now of Alabaster, Ala., but originally from Brisbane, Australia, will be among the anglers speaking at the Wal-Mart located at 690 Highway 78 in Sumiton, Ala. Bain has done well fishing the FLW Tour, as well as the Wal-Mart FLW Series and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series, and is quickly becoming one of the most recognized figures in the sport.
A complete list of participating stores and pro anglers is included below.
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 presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners’ 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 Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com
Wal-Mart #562
8551 Whitfield Ave
Leeds, AL 35094
(205) 699-0701
Chad Grigsby BF Goodrich
JT Kenney A & W Root Beer
Mike Surman Castrol
Wal-Mart #762
9248 Parkway East
Birmingham, AL 35206
(205) 833-7676
Kevin Vida Banana Boat
Chris Baumgardner Snickers
Jason Kilpatrick Lawry’s
Wal-Mart #763
7100 Aaron Aronov Drive
Fairfield, AL 35064
(205) 786-8228
Kevin Long BF Goodrich
Laura Long Wal-Mart
Chris McCall A & W Root Beer
Wal-Mart #764
750 Academy Drive
Bessemer, AL 35022
(205) 424-5890
Wes Thomas Fuji
Pat Fisher Snickers
Pam Wood Tyson
Wal-Mart #1168
2473 Hackworth Road
Birmingham, AL 35214
(205) 798-9721
Roger Crafton Fuji
James Davis Land O’ Lakes
David Lauer Snickers
Ken Wick Bounty
Wal-Mart #1201
890 Odum Road
Gardendale, AL 35071
(205) 631-8110
John Sappington Snickers
Craig Powers Bounty
Koby Kreiger Gain
Wal-Mart #1229
2780 John Hawkins Pkwy
Hoover, AL 35244
(205) 733-0303
Alfred Williams Tyson
Rich Lowitzki Folgers
Vic Vatalaro Gain
Wal-Mart #1711
5401 Beacon Drive
Irondale, AL 35210
(205) 956-0416
David Cooke Hamburger Helper
Keith Williams Land O’ Lakes
Greg Pugh Pedigree
Wal-Mart #2111
5335 Hwy 280 South
Hoover, AL 35242
(205) 980-5156
Bobby Curtis Castrol
Tracy Adams Tyson
Scott Suggs Folgers
Wal-Mart #2713
5919 Trussville Crossings Pkwy
Birmingham, AL 35235
(205) 661-1957
Joel Richardson Fuji
Sam Newby Kellogg’s
Harmon Davis Ozark Trail
Wal-Mart #2723
690 Highway 78
Sumiton, AL 35148
(205) 648-4100
Kim Bain Kellogg’s
Shad Schenck A & W Root Beer
Carl Svebek Castrol
Jeffrey Thomas Pedigree
Wal-Mart #5262
2181 Pelham Parkway
Pelham, AL 35124
(205) 987-0108
Karen Savik Land O’ Lakes
Jimmy Millsaps Gain
Sean Minderman Tylenol Severe Allergy
Wal-Mart #1481
209 Lakeshore Parkway
Homewood, AL 35209
(205) 945-8692
Jim Tutt Kellogg’s
Jack Gadlage Immodium Advanced
Robert Pearson A & W Root Beer