With the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup slated for Aug. 11-14 on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark., the clock continues to tick toward the start of one of the most prestigious and exciting bass-fishing championships in the nation. In an effort to provide bass-fishing fans with a little more perspective and background on the competition, FLWOutdoors.com is launching a six-part series/overview of each of the 58 qualifying pros – one of whom will walk away with the title of Forrest Wood Cup champion.
With a guaranteed first-place prize of $500,000 on the line (as well as another $100,000 if the winning pro is Ranger Cup qualified), there is clearly plenty at stake at this year’s Cup. So without further ado, let’s meet the contenders.
(Editor’s note: Forrest Wood Cup competitors will be featured in alphabetical order. This is the first in a six-part series.)
Chad Aaron – Signing up for the 2010 EverStart Series Invitational on Wheeler Lake proved to be one of the best decisions of Chad Aaron’s life. The Ethridge, Tenn., native had just completed a lackluster season in the EverStart Southeast Division. Rather than lick his wounds, the auto shot spray booth operator refocused and not only won the Invitational, but dominated it by nearly 15 pounds, which qualified him for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup.
Matt Arey – Arey qualified for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup as an angler ranked among the top 30 in the FLW Tour Majors. Though he has fished in the Cup from the back of the boat three times before, winning the co-angler Cup title on Logan Martin Lake in 2006, this year will mark his debut as a pro. The Shelby, N.C., resident has amassed nearly $214,000 in earnings and 13 top-10 finishes in FLW Outdoors competition.
Todd Auten – Making his fourth Cup appearance in 2011, Auten qualified for this year’s championship via the FLW Tour Majors with a top-30 finish in the points standings. The Lake Wylie, S.C., pro has earned over $307,000 and nine top-10 finishes with FLW Outdoors, including a BFL win on his home lake in 2001. He began fishing with FLW Outdoors in 1995.
Cody Bird – Bird has been flying high on Tour since 1999 and qualified for his third Forrest Wood Cup in 2011 by finishing among the top 30 pros. With nearly $522,000 in earnings and an incredible 21 top-10 finishes with FLW Outdoors to his credit (including an EverStart win on the Arkansas River in 1998), this pro from Granbury, Texas, will be one to watch this year.
Stetson Blaylock – Stetson Blaylock was one of the Tour’s most accomplished co-anglers before turning pro in 2009, and his brother Keeton is following in his footsteps, finishing runner-up in the 2011 Co-angler of the Year race. Stetson – who calls Benton, Ark., home – has notched wins as a pro as well, including a 2009 Tour win on Lake Norman in addition to a 2005 BFL victory on Lake Hamilton. The young competitor has an amazing 24 top-10 finishes (including five wins) and over $516,000 in earnings to his credit with FLW Outdoors and will make his sixth Cup appearance this year (second as a pro).
Terry Bolton – A true veteran of the FLW Tour, Bolton is an accomplished pro from Jonesboro, Ark., who will make his 10th Cup appearance this year after ranking among the Tour’s top 30. He has amassed nearly $791,000 in earnings and a staggering 40 top-10 finishes with FLW Outdoors, including two wins on Kentucky Lake (EverStart 2005, BFL 2000). Three of his top-10 finishes came from the Cup.
Allen Boyd – Salem, Indiana’s Boyd will have competed in three FLW Outdoors championship events in 2011: the BFL’s All-American, the TBF National Championship and the Cup. It was his TBF Championship win on Nickajack Lake that led to his first Cup appearance, where he will aim for a second championship trophy. Boyd also has over $102,000 in FLW career earnings, as well as a BFL top-10 finish, to his credit.
Scott Canterbury – Canterbury qualified for this year’s Cup by finishing in the top 10 of the 2010 FLW Series Eastern Division points standings race. With over $446,000 in winnings and 24 top-10 finishes (including five on the FLW Tour) since the start of his FLW Outdoors career in 2003, Canterbury is making his third trip to the Forrest Wood Cup. The Alabama native has one win under his belt to date, an EverStart Series victory at Lake Eufaula in 2011.
Bill Chapman – Chapman qualified for this year’s Cup by winning the 2010 EverStart Series Northern Division points championship. This year represents the sixth Forrest Wood Cup qualification for the West Virginia native. With over $380,000 in career earnings and 17 top-10 finishes to his credit, Chapman currently boasts two tournament titles – an EverStart win at West Point Lake in 1999 and a BFL win at 1000 Islands in 2011. Chapman began his fishing career with FLW Outdoors in 1995.
Glenn Chappelear – Chappelear will make his second Cup appearance in 2011 after finishing among the top 30 pros in the FLW Tour Major circuit. The pro from Acworth, Ga., has earned over $176,000 competing in FLW tournaments and led the opening day of the FLW Tour Major this year on Kentucky Lake. Chappelear began fishing FLW Outdoors events in 1997.