Bridgeman’s fishing fantasy becomes reality

Alabama co-angler wins Walmart Open after learning about the FLW Tour via Fantasy Fishing

ROGERS, Ark. – Brent Bridgeman of Elkmont, Ala., proved that fishing fantasy can become a reality today by winning the Co-angler Division of the Walmart Open on Beaver Lake.

Bridgeman’s journey to the FLW Tour’s co-angler victory lane actually began last year when Bridgeman, a fantasy sports enthusiast, discovered the FLW Fantasy Fishing game online. After playing the game several times, he became so infatuated with it that he decided to fly from his then home of Redding, Calif., to the Chevy Open on the Detroit River to see the FLW Tour up close and personal.

After a few days of shaking his favorite pros’ hands personally at Detroit, he then decided he wanted more than just fantasy fishing: He wanted reality fishing, and he signed up for all of the 2009 FLW Tour events as a co-angler.

What’s more, he took all his savings, earned over 20 years as an airbrush artist in a body shop, and moved from Redding to Elkmont, Ala., so he could be closer to the FLW Tour venues.

But do not be fooled into thinking that Bridgeman just picked up a rod and reel for the first time last year – far from it.

Bridgeman has actually been fishing bass tournaments since he was 7 years old with his father, Lee, who was one of the original members of BASS in the early 1970s.

His discovery of FLW Outdoors and the amount of money the company pays out both in Fantasy Fishing and in reality fishing simply rekindled his desire to compete.

Now Bridgeman is an FLW Tour co-angler champion after weighing in five bass for 7 pounds, 5 ounces today to win $40,000 in the Walmart Open.

Bridgeman spent the week fishing with pros Bobby McMullin, Craig Powers and Glenn Browne.

All week he relied on just one lure: a 6-inch Yamamoto Swim Senko in green-pumpkin color with purple and green flake. He fished the Swim Senko on a 3/16-ounce shaky head tied to 8-pound-test Gamma fluorocarbon on the outsides of bushes.

“This is just incredible,” Bridgeman said. “To think that last year I was just playing the Fantasy Fishing game online, and now I’m here fishing for real. It’s just been a fantastic week. I have to thank all my pros; each one was an absolute gentleman, and I would not be standing here if it were not for them.”

As for his $40,000 win, Bridgeman said that he is going to pay off the bills he has incurred in the process of moving across the country to pursue his dream.

Cassill second

Zac Cassill of Fairfax, Iowa, finished runner-up at the Walmart Open, missing a win by a scant 2 ounces, with five bass for 7 pounds, 3 ounces worth $15,000.

Cassill fished with pro Mark Rose today and used a 1/8-ounce shaky head with a 5-inch Berkley Shaky Worm in green-pumpkin and a Storm Chug Bug topwater lure.

“I caught two of my better fish on the Chug Bug today,” Cassill said. “The bass were ultrafinicky about coming up on top, but I used a hand-tied chicken feather on the back hook as a teaser, and I fished the Chug Bug painfully slow. At times I would barely twitch it and then let it sit still for 10 seconds before they would hit it.”

Cassill is just 20 years old, and this is already his second top-10 of 2009 as a co-angler.

Lee third

Veteran co-angler Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala., finished third with three bass weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces to collect $7,500.

Lee waked a Cordell Redfin to catch his Beaver Lake slam today: a largemouth, a spotted bass and a smallmouth.

“I like that Redfin as a wakebait because it has a little bigger profile in the choppy water, plus it’s got three No. 4 treble hooks on it for better hook-ups,” Lee advised.

This is now Lee’s 15th top-10 finish in FLW Tour competition as a co-angler.

Fuller, Bae round out top five

T.R. Fuller of Auburn, Ala., finished fourth with four bass weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces worth $5,000.

This was Fuller’s 11th top-10 finish on the FLW Tour as a co-angler.

Moo Bae of West Friendship, Md., rounded out the top five in the Co-angler Division with two bass for 2 pounds, 10 ounces worth $4,000.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Walmart Open on Beaver Lake:

6th: Eddie Laster of Morton, Miss., two bass, 2-2, $3,500

7th: Dirk Davenport of Delaware, Ohio, one bass, 2-1, $3,000

8th: Shane Lehew of Charlotte, N.C., two bass, 2-0, $2,500

9th: Kevin Hawk of Ramona, Calif., one bass, 1-15, $2,000

10th: David Hudson of Jasper, Ala., one bass, 1-4, $1,750