For the bass fishing uninformed, the Stren Series Championship is taking place this week on beautiful Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo. The Stren Championship includes the top 40 pros and 40 co-anglers (based on year-long points) from the five Stren divisions.
While the first-place pro purse is a considerable $140,000, fantasy players will want to take note of something else. By Saturday, the first five 2009 Forrest Wood Cup qualifiers will be determined. Each of the five Stren divisions (Central, Texas, Western, Southeast, Northern) will send one pro and one co-angler to Pittsburgh – that one being the highest finisher. For example, if Western pro Jimmy Reese takes 16th place overall but finishes the highest of any Western pro, he will be headed to the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup. Likewise if Texas pro Stephen Johnston takes third overall, but fellow Texas pro David Curtis takes second – only Curtis gets the Cup berth.
One name in particular fantasy players will want to keep an eye on is Michael Iaconelli. One of the most popular BASS pros, Ike won the Stren Series Northern Division points race and now has a rare chance to qualify for FLW Outdoors’ premier event without even competing on the FLW Tour. If Ike bests the other 39 Northern Division pros, watch out. At the 2005 Bassmaster Classic held on the three rivers in Pittsburgh, Ike finished fifth and was clearly disappointed with his performance. He loves rivers, he loves urban fisheries and he loves tough bites. Simply put, if Ike qualifies for the Cup, he will be one of the favorites.
Additionally, fantasy players will want to keep an eye on Table Rock itself. Not only is Table Rock the host fishery of the Stren Championship, but stop No. 2 on the 2009 FLW Tour schedule is slated for the Ozark impoundment as well.