PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Day three of the Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on Lake Champlain has been canceled due to inclement weather. After consulting with the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Weather Service, FLW Outdoors officials deemed conditions unsafe for competition. Forecasts for Friday called for winds out of the south at 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
“It’s never an easy decision to make,” tournament director Chris Jones said. “When you think of the points race and the purse at stake here, it’s a tough decision to make. But it’s all about priorities. And the health and safety of our competitors is our first priority.”
The top 10 pro anglers after the first two days of competition will advance to the final day of competition Saturday.
Pro Danny Correia of Marlborough, Mass., will lead the finalists with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37-7. Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla., caught 10 bass weighing 37-4 to advance to the final day of competition in second place. He is followed by David Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C. (10 bass, 37-1); team Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas (10 bass, 36-5) and first-day leader team BP pro Guido Hibdon of Gravois Mills, Mo. (10 bass, 35-12).
Also clearing the top 10 cut weight of 33 pounds, 3 ounces in the Pro Division are team M&M pro Pat Fisher of Buckhead, Ga.; Joe Lucarelli of New Hampton, N.H.; Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala.; Bill Spence of St. Albans, Vt.; and Brian Bylotas of Olyphant, Penn.
Pros are competing this week for a top award of $125,000 plus valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the BP East-National Guard West Fishoff and a shot at advancing to the $2 million, 2008 Forrest Wood Cup in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 14-17, where the winning pro will earn as much as $1 million – the sport’s biggest award. The top 30 pros from both FLW Series divisions after four qualifying events will advance to the East-West Fishoff, which will be held Jan. 17-19, 2008. The location for the fishoff has not yet been announced. Thirty winners from the fishoff will advance to the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup.
With the cancellation of day three, Charles Dubroc of Hessmer, La., won the Co-angler Division and $25,000 with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 6 ounces followed by Lynn Baciuska of Afton, N.Y., in second place with 10 bass weighing 29-2 worth $9,665.
Dubroc caught five bass weighing 14-13 while fishing with team Folgers pro Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, S.C., Wednesday and five bass weighing 17-9 while fishing with pro Gaspare Costabile of Niagra Falls, Ontario, Thursday.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jason Perry of Plattsburgh, N.Y. (10 bass, 29-1, $8,698); Dana Perrotte of Winooski, Vt. (10 bass, 28-1, $7,732) and Mark Phillips of Fayetteville, Ark. (10 bass, 27-9, $6,765).
The 10 remaining pros will take off at 6:30 Saturday morning from Dock Street Landing located at 2 Dock St. in Plattsburgh. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 25 Consumer Square in Plattsburgh, beginning at 4 p.m. Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday’s weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Wal-Mart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include the Fujifilm trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.
FLW Outdoors historically maintains a 98 percent live release rate in all of its bass tournaments.
Coverage of the Lake Champlain FLW Series tournament will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing Nov. 4. “FLW Outdoors” airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 servicemembers stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.
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, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, 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 of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.
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 Walmart.com.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.