Pros’ Picks: FLW Championship - Major League Fishing

Pros’ Picks: FLW Championship

September 4, 2003 • MLF • Archives

FLW Tour pros present their picks for the James River FLW Outdoors Fishing Challenge

FLW Wheeler scores

Pros: 2,727
Pundits: 2,708

Yearly totals

Pundits: 17,508
Pros: 16,900

I am probably more excited about this tournament than any tournament I have ever fished. A half-million dollars seems ridiculous, but it’s what’s at stake. Last place goes home with $12,200. We have come a long way in this sport in just a few short years.

At the last tournament I went with safe picks and came up with an easy victory. Even though I am leading the overall point total for the year, I will not shy away from the tougher brackets. It’s put-up-or-shut-up time. Here are your Pros’ Picks.

– Clark
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Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship
James River, Richmond, Va.
Sept. 10-13

Clark WendlandtClark Wendlandt
FLW pro, Cedar Park, Texas
Previous tournament score (Wheeler Lake): 765
Yearly total: 4,486

1) Greg Hackney. Greg will face Tommy Biffle in the second round and I expect that to be very close, but if he gets by Biffle he will be very tough to beat. He is used to tidal fisheries, and flipping and fishing wood are his strong suits.
2) Clark Wendlandt. I am coming out of the toughest bracket from top to bottom, but I have fished the James before and I like it. David Walker is one of the top 15 fishermen in the world in my opinion, and this is his type of water. If Kevin gets by Terry Bolton in the first round and I get by David, then I will be facing the best fisherman in the world. Sounds tough, but for some reason I really like my chances.
3) Rick Clunn. Rick will not have an easy time getting to the final round. The guys in his bracket may not be well-known, but they can all fish very well. This is Rick’s kind of deal, though. He loves small crankbaits and he won the Bassmaster Classic here several years ago. The largest prize in tournament fishing is up for grabs, and I would not bet against Clunn.
4) Andy Morgan. Andy has got more confidence than probably anyone else in the field. He has had a great year and I look for it to continue at the James.
5) Dave Lefebre. Dave is in another very tough bracket. He has Scott Martin in the first round and, if he gets by that, then he could possibly face the tour Angler of the Year, Dan Morehead, in the second round. Dave is a great flipper, and I think he can make the adjustments to do well at the James.

Gerald SwindleGerald Swindle
FLW pro, Warrior, Ala.
Previous tournament score: 687
Yearly total: 4,096

1) Andy Morgan. It’s going to be a junk-fishing tournament.
2) Clark Wendlandt. Good old Wind `em Up Wendlandt. He’ll probably be practicing about 98 days up there, so he should know it by heart by then.
3) David Walker. Sheer talent.
4) Kevin VanDam.
5) Rick Clunn. For the cranking bite.

Koby Kreiger
Koby Kreiger
FLW pro, Okeechobee, Fla.
Previous tournament score: 672
Yearly total: 4,343

1) Kevin VanDam.
2) David Dudley.
3) Wesley Strader.
4) Rick Clunn.
5) Dion Hibdon.

Pro Randy BlaukatRandy Blaukat
FLW pro, Lamar, Mo.
Previous tournament score: 603
Yearly total: 3,975

1) Tommy Biffle. Biffle has been fishing well all year and is due for a big win. He has a history of doing well in year-end championships, and the James River leads into his strong suits. I think the angler who wins the Jacobs Cup will catch at least a portion of his creel by flipping, and Biffle will spend all his time with this technique.
2) David Dudley. Dudley has won here before, and the James River is exactly the type of water he likes and excels at. He is coming off a good season and, like all the competitors, if he doesn’t get knocked off in the first round, I think he will do well here.
3) Randy Blaukat. Like all my picks, the James River is filled with the type of water I like to fish. I have worked really hard to understand tidewater fishing the past few years because in the past I had a tough time when we went to tidal fisheries. This is the one we all envision ourselves winning.
4) Toshinari Namiki. He’s spent a tremendous amount of time practicing at the James River, and he has a great understanding of tidal fisheries.
5) Rick Lilligard. Lilligard has a history of doing well on tidewater, and I think this will be an important factor at this event. He has spent a lot of time on the eastern tidal fisheries and is good at shallow water.

Check out the pundits as they weigh in with their picks for the FLW Championship.

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