Lee eyes $100,000 mark at Jacobs Cup

Alabama co-angler only repeat FLW Tour Championship titleholder

In the history of professional bass fishing, certain pros have developed an uncanny winning relationship with particular titles. For example, in the early days of BASS, Roland Martin dominated the BASS Angler of the Year title by winning it nine times.

Rick Clunn is virtually synonymous with the Bassmaster Classic, a title he has won four times. Larry Nixon put his stamp on the BASS Megabucks with four wins.

With the FLW Tour now in its eighth season, a few multiple title trends are beginning to emerge. Clark Wendlandt might as well be the mayor of Beaver Lake at the Wal-Mart Open, and Gary Klein won the Mississippi River event two years in a row.

But as for a multiple titleholder for the FLW Tour Championship, that distinction currently belongs only to a co-angler. Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala., has won two FLW Tour Championships (1996, 1998) and he finished second in 2002.

Lee’s six championship finishes alone have provided nearly two-thirds of his $92,324 in FLW Tour earnings. His uncanny tendency toward championship victories combined with his impressive earnings give Lee a realistic shot at being the first co-angler to break the $100,000 mark in FLW Tour earnings at the Jacobs Cup next week.

“I enjoy fishing every FLW event I enter, January through June,” Lee says. “But there is something about the FLW Championship that really excites me. I can’t say that I fish any harder or prepare differently for the championship; it’s just that there is something special about that event for me.”

One thing that gets Lee fired up about the championship is that he usually takes a summer sabbatical from tournament fishing after the last FLW event in June. When the championship rolls around in September, he is champing at the bit to catch a bass.

“I’ve hardly made a cast since Wheeler,” Lee says. “It’s been 10 long, fishless weeks. It’s like how we all look forward to Okeechobee in January – the Championship is the same way for me – I’m hungry to get back out on the water and fish.”

Lee admits that having no entry fee invested in the event and a guaranteed paycheck helps relieve the ubiquitous pressures of tournament fishing. He also says the prestige of making such an elite field adds to his excitement.

“I know it’s mostly about the pros and that’s who people want to see, but the FLW staff does such a good job of making co-anglers feel a part of it, too,” he says. “We get special championship jackets, and we get to attend the championship banquet with the pros. Even as a co-angler, you can’t help but to feel that your are part of a major event.”

In terms of his competition, Lee believes that the smaller number of co-anglers in the event increases his chances of doing well.

“It’s simply better odds,” he says. “When you fish against 48 other co-anglers as opposed to 175, your chances of doing well automatically go up.”

In addition, Lee says that’ in the championship’ he is almost guaranteed to be around fish, and that gives him a tremendous amount of confidence.

“We are talking about the cream of the crop – the top 48 pros on the FLW Tour. And with so much money at stake, they put in a tremendous amount of practice time at the championship. So I know I am going to be around some fish at some point in the day. My job is to find a way to catch them that’s different than what the pro is doing.”

Lee contends that just making the FLW Championship these days is harder than ever.

“The way I look at it, it’s just an honor to be there,” he notes. “It used to be easier to make the championship, but now it’s ultratough. There are a bunch of talented co-anglers that did not make it this year, and that’s indicative of how hard it is to make this thing.”

When Lee entertains the possibility of being the first $100,000 co-angler, he admits that it’s a mark he’s been quietly eyeing for a long time.

“I had a shot at it last year at the championship in Shreveport,” he says. “When I made the top 10, I knew I would break it only if I won. I ended up second and it’s been on my mind ever since. So, yes, being the first to break that barrier is something I’d like to do.”

Lee needs $8,000 to close the gap. If he finishes fourth or better in Richmond, he will break the $100,000 mark. But he’s got some hot competition for breaking the barrier. Local co-angler Darrell Stevens of Roseland, Va., with $93,375 in FLW Tour co-angler winnings, is also eyeing the mark, and he needs fifth place or better to break it.

Lee admits that he is at a disadvantage on the James when compared to Stevens.

“I’ve never fished the James River,” Lee says. “I know nothing about it except that it’s a shallow-water fishery, and I can leave my deep-diving crankbaits at home. I’ve been watching some old BASS tapes from the James River to see what it looks like, but, other than that, I’ve never laid eyes on the place. I don’t have any experience on tidal water, either.”

Lee is going to give himself a couple of extra practice days on the James to see if he can learn a few things before the competition begins. He realizes Stevens has a wealth of knowledge on the river.

“I’d like to be the first to break the $100,000 mark,” says Lee. “But if I can’t, I hope Darrell does. He’s a great guy and a talented fisherman.”