Friedrich wins Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail event on Lake Amistad

DEL RIO, Texas – Pro Ricky Friedrich of Houston caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 51 pounds, 5 ounces to win $75,000 in cash and prizes, including a Ranger 519 VX powered by a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and EverStart batteries plus $10,000 cash as well as an additional $20,000 for being a registered Ranger boat owner and meeting the contingency guidelines, at the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia event on Lake Amistad. A field of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers competed in the event, which featured a $220,500 purse.

With bright bluebird skies and light winds, anglers enjoyed an amazing bass-catching extravaganza on Lake Amistad. Four hundred anglers caught 1,417 bass weighing an astounding 3,814 pounds, 7 ounces on opening day, ranking it among the top opening-day catches in FLW Outdoors history.

Friedrich caught his bass on a Lucky Craft jerkbait worked very slowly over grass in 14 to 18 feet of water on large flats on south banks in the midlake area.

Rounding out the top five pros are Dan Schoonveld of Hemphill, Texas (10 bass, 46 pounds, 12 ounces, $8,000); Brian Duplechain of Alba, Texas (10 bass, 45 pounds, 5 ounces, $6,000 plus $4,000 bonus); Marc Schilling of Richardson, Texas (10 bass, 44 pounds, 7 ounces, $4,300 plus $3,000 bonus); and Ray Hanselman of Del Rio, Texas (10 bass, 43 pounds, 11 ounces, $3,200).

Bonuses are awarded to registered Ranger boat owners. Pros must also fish out the eligible Ranger boat during the tournament to qualify for contingency awards. Friedrich’s winnings also included a $5,000 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Matt Rigby of San Antonio won the Co-angler Division title with 10 bass weighing 39 pounds, 10 ounces. He earned $44,000, which included a fully rigged Ranger 519VX and $4,000 cash. He threw Texas-rigged, watermelon-colored Senkos in grass 9 to 15 feet deep on midlake flats.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Patti Campbell of Waxahachie, Texas (10 bass, 36 pounds, 5 ounces, $3,000 plus $1,650 bonus); Ernie Kuehner of Austin, Texas (10 bass, 36 pounds, 4 ounces, $2,000 plus $1,200 bonus); Darrell Campbell of Trophy Club, Texas (10 bass, 36 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,000 plus $1,000 bonus); and Mike Power of Canyon Lake, Texas (10 bass, 36 pounds, $800 plus $900 bonus).

The next TTT event will be held March 11-12 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Jasper, Texas. The top 50 pros and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the $210,000 Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail Championship Nov. 11-12 on Lake Stillhouse near Killeen, Texas. The winning pro at the championship can earn as much as $75,000 in cash and prizes, including a Ranger boat.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, as well as the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $36.9 million through 241 events in 2006.

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 world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information on Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.