Detroit area Wal-Mart stores to host Wal-Mart FLW Tour Pro Night

Pro anglers available for autographs Saturday, July 5

DETROIT – 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 Detroit area July 5, 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 $1.5 million Chevy Open on the Detroit River, Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair. Hosted by the Detroit Metro Sports Commission, the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Detroit’s Mayor’s Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the lucrative tournament will feature 400 anglers from 35 states, Australia, Mexico and Japan, with 200 of the world’s best bass pros fishing for a top award of $200,000 cash.

Among the anglers participating will be Coppertone pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Ariz., who won the season-opening FLW Tour event on Lake Toho in Kissimmee, Fla. Furthermore, Hite won $125,000 at the season-opening Wal-Mart FLW Series National Guard Western Division event on the California Delta.

Those back-to-back tour-level victories are a first in FLW Outdoors history. Hite will be speaking at the Wal-Mart store located at 7555 Telegraph Rd. in Taylor, Mich. Joining him will be Cheez-It pro Alvin Shaw, Snickers pro Greg Pugh, Land O’Lakes pro Karen Savik and Castrol pro Carl Svebek. The Taylor store will also be holding a live radio remote. For more store details, see the complete schedule below.

At pro night, Wal-Mart visitors can enter into a contest at each of the four stores for a chance to win an authentic FLW Tour angler jersey. In addition, store visitors enter into a contest for a chance to fish with an FLW Tour pro. One winner will emerge from each of the four stores, and each winner and a guest will receive a free guided fishing trip.

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.