Motal and Motal lead Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship in Orange Beach

The father-son team of Pat Motal (left) and Chad Motal, both of Kyle, Texas, lead after day two of the FLW Redfish Series Championship with 25 pounds, 9 ounces. Photo by Rob Newell. Angler: Pat Motal.

October 28, 2005 • MLF • Archives

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Pat Motal and Chad Motal, both from Kyle, Texas, caught a two-day total of four redfish weighing 25 pounds, 9 ounces to lead round one of the $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship in Orange Beach, Ala. The Motal’s hefty day-two weight of 13 pounds, 1 ounce was the fourth-largest one-day weight in the first round. The top 10 teams advance to fish Saturday, and the three-day accumulated weight determines the winning team, which will earn up to $100,000 in cash – the largest award in the history of professional redfishing.

Teams continued to fish all over the central Gulf Coast Friday, running up to 130 miles one way. Although skies were clear and temperatures were slightly warmer, stiff north winds made the long runs tough, especially for teams traveling through Mobile and Pensacola bays. As a result, the total catch was down slightly from day one. Nevertheless, impressive limits were caught, including a 14-pound limit – the largest one-day weight of the first round – caught by the ninth-place team of Danny Coppin and John Guerra, both from Belton, Texas.

“We’re fishing some `bad’ structure,” Pat Motal said. “We are using 65-pound Power Pro braid to get these fish in the boat. We usually only use 30-pound line, but we needed the heavier stuff today. We were throwing a 1/4-ounce saltwater spinnerbait today.”

“We stayed close,” Chad Motal said. “We’re only running 30 miles one way to the west. That’s close compared to where a lot of other teams are going.”

The father-and-son team caught a total of three fish Friday. They quickly caught two keepers on their primary spot and immediately left.

Rounding out the top 10 teams are Peter Young and Matthew Morel, both from New Orleans (four redfish, 25 pounds, 2 ounces); Todd Adams from Rockport, Texas and Tommy Ramzinsky from Fulton, Texas (four redfish, 25 pounds); Troy Mell of Islamorada, Fla., and Jason Swensson of Key Largo, Fla. (four redfish, 24 pounds, 1 ounce); Steven Auld Jr. of Baytown, Texas, and Jeff Larson of Friendswood, Texas (four redfish, 23 pounds, 14 ounces); Chris Chapman of Winter Park, Fla., and Dan McGatlin of Lake Mary, Fla. (four redfish, 23 pounds, 12 ounces); Scott Ritter of Dauphin Island, Ala., and Robert Abruscato of Mobile, Ala. (four redfish, 23 pounds, 10 ounces); Sean Middleton and Brandon Buckner, both from Fort Meyers, Fla. (four redfish, 23 pounds, 9 ounces); Danny Coppin and John Guerra, both from Belton, Texas (four redfish, 23 pounds, 6 ounces); and David Nesloney Sr. and David Nesloney Jr., both from Rockport, Texas (four redfish, 23 pounds, 1 ounce).

Interestingly, five of the top 10 teams are from Texas, and seven of the top 10 teams qualified through the Western Division.

A total of 108 redfish were brought to the scale Friday weighing 516 pounds, 3 ounces.

Saturday’s takeoff is at 7 a.m. at Zeke’s Landing in Orange Beach. Weigh-in Saturday will take place at the Wal-Mart in Gulf Shores, Ala., starting at 3 p.m.

The FLW Redfish Series Championship is a three-day event. The entire field competes Thursday and Friday, and the two-day accumulated weights determine the top 10 teams that advance to Saturday. The winning team is determined Saturday based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weight.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and seven other national tournament circuits offering a combined $30 million in awards through 214 events in 2005. The 27-year-old organization is the purveyor of America’s largest and most prestigious fishing tournaments, including the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series.

For more information on FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as title sponsor of the FLW Tour in 1997 and today is the title sponsor of all FLW Outdoors events. For more information on Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.