Leave it to Beaver

Monsoor leads; Wendlandt seeks third Open title

ROGERS, Ark. – The top 10 pros took off onto Beaver Lake under a shroud of mist early Saturday morning for the second half of final-round action of the FLW Tour’s Wal-Mart Open, but the day should be a beauty. Not only does the weather look good, but the competition will be fierce as well.

Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., leads the charge with a weight of 12 pounds, 8 ounces, but Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, who has the best record at Beaver Lake of any FLW pro, is close behind with 11-8. If Wendlandt can pull off the comeback Saturday and win the title, it would mark his third Open title. He already has more wins here than anybody else with two.

But Wendlandt won’t be the only one pushing Monsoor. Eight of the finalists caught five-bass limits yesterday under similar conditions, and most of them still have a shot at victory. With the sun shining and the wind down, look for the jig bite to play a major role again today.

Saturday’s final weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. CST at the Wal-Mart store located at 2110 W. Walnut in Rogers. The FLW Tour’s Family Fun Zone – featuring product giveaways, interactive displays and games for fishing fans of all ages – opens in the Wal-Mart parking lot at 11 a.m.

For bass-fishing fans unable to attend the festivities in person, you can catch all the weigh-in action live at FLWOutdoors.com with FLW Live. Show time starts at 3 p.m. CST.

Saturday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 5:59 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 46 degrees

Expected high temperature: 67 degrees

Water temperature: 55 degrees

Wind: from the north at 14 mph

Maximum humidity: 43 percent

Day’s outlook: sunny