Charlotte area Wal-Mart stores to host Wal-Mart FLW Tour pro night

Pro anglers available for autographs Saturday, April 19

Duracell pro Michael Bennett of Roseville, Calif., leads the Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Lewis Smith Lake after day three with five spotted bass weighing 14 pounds, 9 ounces. Photo by Rob Newell. Angler: Michael Bennett.

April 11, 2008 • MLF • Archives

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Fishing fans will have the opportunity to meet some of the most accomplished anglers in the world of competitive bass fishing at four Wal-Mart stores in the Charlotte area April 19, from 6-8 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 National Guard Open on Lake Norman April 24-27. Hosted by the Charlotte Sports Commission, Visit Lake Norman and Visit Charlotte, the lucrative tournament will feature 400 anglers from 37 states, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Australia and Japan with 200 of the worlds’ best bass pros fishing for a top award of $200,000 cash.

Among the anglers participating will be Duracell pro Michael Bennett of Roseville, Calif., who won the second FLW Tour qualifier on Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Ala. Heading into the National Guard Open, the 23-year-old pro is second in the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year race. Bennett will be speaking at the Wal-Mart store located at 169 Norman Station Blvd. in Mooresville. Joining him will be Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt, M&M’s pro John Sappington, National Guard pro Melinda Mize Hooper, Prilosec pro Craig Powers, and Pringles Select pro Vic Vatalaro. The Mooresville store will also be holding a live radio remote from WFNZ-AM “The Franchise,” Charlotte’s sports radio station. For more store details, see the complete schedule below.

At pro night, Wal-Mart visitors can enter into a drawing held at each of the four stores for a chance to win an authentic Wal-Mart FLW Tour angler jersey. In addition, store visitors can register for a chance to fish with an FLW Tour pro at the FLW Outdoors-Hendrick Motorsports 2008 Fishing Tournament, which takes place Wednesday, April 23 on Mountain Island Lake. One winner will be chosen from each of the four stores, and each winner will receive a free co-angler entry into the tournament, a T-shirt and breakfast/lunch.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.