Top 11 Photos from Hartwell
The best shots we got – from weigh-in to the water
The FLW coverage crew takes thousands of photos a day during a Walmart FLW Tour event. At Lake Hartwell, there was plenty of great material to go ’round. There was so much that we couldn’t settle on a top 10. We opted to show off 11 stellar images instead.
What follows is a selection of the best photos from a perfect week in South Carolina.
01
Freelance photographer Andy Hagedon shot John Cox when Cox clinched the win on Hartwell, and the photo shows a moment of pure euphoria for the happy-go-lucky pro. The win on Hartwell was the second Tour triumph for Cox, and it looks like it might have been even better than the first time around.
02
Lookin’ like he’s in a staged photo shoot for a magazine, John Cox calmly works a keeper into the net on day three at Hartwell in front of FLW VP of Marketing Patterson Leeth’s waiting camera.
03
When Clark Wendlandt took the lead on day three, freelance writer Sean Ostruszka captured some beauties that were more than a little reluctant to get in the boat with the wily Texan.
04
Ostruszka struck again on day one as the anglers streaked across Hartwell to their starting spots. There ain’t nothing like the first run from takeoff, and all the reasons why are visible in this shot.
05
FLW Senior Editor Kyle Wood tracked Bryan Thrift all day on the final day to see if the North Carolina pro could muster any magic for a comeback. He certainly pulled out all the stops, and a casting shot with a big ol’ swimbait is solid proof.
06
Bald eagles somehow always make it into OTW galleries and the like. While freelance photographer Charles Waldorf was watching the fishing he also had the chance to take one of the coolest eagles photos we’ve seen in a good while.
07
Cory Johnston was doing it all on the final day. Not only can the Canadian catch the fire out of them, it turns out he’s a ninja with the net. Moments later, he swung the Frabill on down and scooped himself a keeper. FLW Social Media and Communications Specialist Chris Burgan was there and ready with the camera.
08
Takeoff on day one was a pretty festive affair: perfect weather, a beauty of a sunrise, a drone in the sky, a fire truck with a flag and the national anthem playing. Can’t beat that.
09
Freelance writer Rob Newell tracked Larry “The General” Nixon for a while on day three to see if the veteran pro’s prespawn spotted bass could carry the day. This one would help, but unfortunately the pattern faded too quickly for Nixon to maintain.
10
Darrel Robertson was gunning for the leaders on day four, and this fish would have helped. Unfortunately, the 4-pounder led him on a merry chase all around the boat. At one point it was stuck under the Power-Poles by the motor, and eventually the fish broke off boat-side just before the veteran could put him in the net. Waldorf captured the glory and agony of it all.
Bonus
Bonus time! Day one of the tournament was St. Patrick’s Day, and the celebration brought out some colorful characters. Naturally, it was too much to expect Luke Dunkin and Wesley Strader to focus solely on the fishing at weigh-in. Lucky for us, Hagedon was handy with the camera.