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Forrest Wood Cup Set For Return to Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (July 26, 2018) – The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing, will return to Lake Ouachita, Aug. 10-12, to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2018. Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, the tournament will feature 56 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.
The Forrest Wood Cup has been held at Lake Ouachita three times in the 23-year history of the FLW Tour – 2007, 2011 and 2014. In the three Forrest Wood Cups that have been held on Lake Ouachita, both shallow and deep patterns were applied by top-10 competitors. Tennessee pro Brad Knight, who won the 2015 Cup, surprised many people by camping in one area in the back of a creek for four days and catching the winning fish shallow. The prior two Cups at Lake Ouachita – won by Scott Martin in 2011 and Scott Suggs in 2007 – were won out deep around standing timber, brush piles and other areas where balls of shad had congregated.
Lake Ouachita will still offer up its usual mix of deep and shallow patterns, but no matter what patterns emerge, the weights are always close at Lake Ouachita in August. Expect several anglers to average 12 to 14 pounds a day and to be in the hunt for the win on Championship Sunday.
“Ouachita is a really good fishery and is a perfect venue to host the Forrest Wood Cup,” said Justin Atkins, the reigning Forrest Wood Cup champion who won last year on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. “I’ve been there twice and caught quite a few big fish. This event should be a little tougher, but it’s during the dog-days of summer. Fishing is tough right now all over the country. I love a good slugfest, but I really enjoy the tough tournaments for our championship event.”
Atkins won the FLW Cup in his rookie season on Tour and is now looking to become the first angler in history to ever win the Cup twice.
“The most exciting thing for me about the 2018 Cup is the unknown – I know what happens when you win and it truly is a life-changing tournament. The possibility that it could happen to me again is just so exciting,” Atkins said. “I’m still learning my way through this sport, but winning the Cup last year gave me the financial support, the sponsor support, and the self-confidence that I do belong here and I can make my way in this sport.”
Atkins went on to predict that the winner this year would need to average about 14 pounds a day to be in contention for the win, and the winner would have right around 42 pounds after the three-day competition.
“The key is going to be your ability to think on the fly and ability to change patterns each day as the fish and conditions change.”
Anglers will take off from Brady Mountain Resort & Marina, located at 4120 Brady Mountain Road in Royal, Arkansas, at 7 a.m. CDT each morning. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Bank OZK Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, each day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston, and Larry Nixon. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Saturday and Sunday the first 250 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod-and-reel combo after the evening’s weigh-in from Shakespeare rods. Also on Sunday, one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z521L bass boat with a 250-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.
Also on Saturday and Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. FLW has partnered with local BBQ vendors to feature award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup Expo. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Arkansas charities.
Country music superstar Justin Moore will perform a free concert on the weigh-in stage at the Bank OZK Arena on Sunday, Aug. 12, starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. The concert is presented by Realtree and KSSN 96. Moore will be performing songs from his latest album, Kinda Don’t Care, to fishing fans in Arkansas as well as live-streamed to fans around the globe at FLWFishing.com.
The Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
Television coverage of the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Alabama’s Clent Davis Wins Professional Bass Fishing’s 2018 Forrest Wood Cup
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 12, 2018) – FLW Tour pro Clent Davis of Montevallo, Alabama, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Sunday weighing 17 pounds, 13 ounces – the heaviest limit weighed in the three-day event – to earn the win at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita. Over three days, Davis amassed 15 fish totaling 36 pounds, 13 ounces to edge out second-place angler Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, by 7 pounds, 4 ounces and win the $300,000 top cash prize. The tournament featured 56 of the top bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for professional bass-fishing’s world championship.
“I don’t believe that I just won this,” said Davis, a former FLW College Fishing standout for the University of Montevallo. “I almost walked away from professional bass fishing last year. I was burned out on fishing. I sold all of my gear – my boat, all of my rods, my reels, every piece of equipment that I had. It wasn’t from failure, it was because I was burned out.
“(FLW Tour Senior Tournament Director) Bill Taylor called me in November and asked me if I was interested in rejoining the Tour,” Davis continued. “I decided to pay my deposits, but I was still on the fence. I decided that if I wasn’t fired up to go fishing by the time the season started, I would forfeit my deposits and go to work at the power company. But, I started getting the itch back around Christmas time and I decided I was going to get back out and just have fun, again. That’s what fishing is all about, it’s supposed to be fun.”
Davis’ decision to rejoin the Tour was definitely the correct one, as the Montevallo-native went on to finish the season ranked No. 25 in the Angler of the Year race – his best finish on Tour since his rookie season. He cashed checks totaling more than $62,000 in seven events and qualified for his third Forrest Wood Cup appearance.
“I knew that the only way that I was going to win this week was fishing brush piles,” Davis said. “There are so many ways to catch fish on this lake, but if it was going to happen for me it was going to be offshore, fishing out of the brush.
“My key bait that I caught all of my big ones on was a 12-inch, plum-colored Mister Twister Mag Buzz Worm. I was fishing anywhere from 22 to 30 feet deep throughout the week. The best anglers in the world were in this tournament and I knew that my only shot was fishing my strengths.
“I fished awful all week, losing fish, but I caught enough to squeak into the top-10 by 1 ounce,” Davis said. “I’m not supposed to win coming out in 10th place, so I went out today and just had fun. I had an incredible day on the water today and finally got lucky, catching my 5-pound kicker. I guess it was just my time.”
The top 10 pros at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita finished:
1st: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 15 bass, 36-13, $300,000
2nd: Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, 14 bass, 29-9, $60,000
3rd: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 28-12, $50,000
4th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 12 bass, 28-6, $37,500
5th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 15 bass, 27-15, $30,000
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 26-13, $24,000
7th: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., 11 bass, 25-9, $23,000
8th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 13 bass, 24-7, $22,000
9th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 12 bass, 23-1, $21,000
10th: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., nine bass, 20-8, $20,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 36 bass weighing 67 pounds, 9 ounces caught by pros Sunday. Five of the final 10 anglers weighed in five-bass limits.
The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, was hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs. Total attendance for the three-day event was 66,293 fishing fans. The Bank OZK Arena was at 100-percent capacity, Sunday, and an overflow of fans watched the Justin Moore concert and final weigh-ins on a big screen at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
FLW, in conjunction with Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, announced Saturday that for the first time in the 24-year history of the FLW Tour, Lake Ouachita and Hot Springs, Arkansas, will also be hosting the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of bass fishing – Aug. 11-13, 2019 – for the second consecutive year. This event will mark the fifth time that the FLW Cup, the sport’s richest prize, has visited Lake Ouachita.
Television coverage of the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Rookie Logan Takes Lead on Day Two of Professional Bass Fishing’s Forrest Wood Cup
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 11, 2018) – Fifty-six of the best professional bass anglers in the world continued their three-day competition for a top cash award of $300,000 at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas on Saturday.
After the last fish had been brought to the scale, FLW Tour rookie Wes Logan of Springville, Alabama, grabbed the lead by weighing in a five-bass limit totaling 12 pounds, 4 ounces – the heaviest limit of the day. Logan’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23-13 give him a 1-pound, 2-ounce lead heading into the third and final day, with the 2018 BFL All-American Champion Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana, right behind him in second place with eight bass weighing 22-11.
“I hit probably 50 spots today running around, and I burned a lot of gas,” said Logan, whose previous best finish on the FLW Tour was a 12th-place showing on Lake St. Clair this past June. “I’ve got two places that I caught multiple fish off of, but I’m just hitting a bunch of stuff and covering water. I got one good bite yesterday – a 4¼-pounder – that gave me most of my weight yesterday, but today I had one 3-pounder and the rest were just solid fish. I’ve caught around 10 keepers both days.”
Although he declined to divulge his baits of choice, Logan did mention that he was catching fish on four different baits. He joked that he is fishing very similarly to how he did at Lake St. Clair, saying that he is using the exact same rod and reel setup.
“I thought that the brush piles would be more in play due to the weather, but it’s not really playing out like I thought it would,” Logan said. “The fish are setting up more in like drops and hard ledges – the kind of off-the-wall places that get overlooked.
“I’m extremely excited to be leading this thing, but obviously you want to be leading after the third day and not Day Two. I’m going to just go fish tomorrow and pretend like I’m in 10th place and try really hard not to think about it. After takeoff tomorrow I’m going to run north and whatever I run by first that says stop, I’m going to fish it. Hopefully I’ll have a premonition or something. That’s how I’ve been fishing all week – listening to my gut.”
The top 10 pros that advanced to the final day of competition on Lake Ouachita are:
1st: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 23-13
2nd: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., eight bass, 22-11
3rd: Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, nine bass, 20-14
4th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 20-6
5th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-3
6th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., nine bass, 19-14
7th: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., eight bass, 19-5
8th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 10 bass, 19-2
9th: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 19-0
10th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 10 bass, 19-0
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Anglers will take off from Brady Mountain Resort & Marina, located at 4120 Brady Mountain Road in Royal, Arkansas, at 7 a.m. CDT each morning. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Bank OZK Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the final weigh-in. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston, and Larry Nixon. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Sunday the first 250 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod-and-reel combo after the evening’s weigh-in from Shakespeare rods. Also on Sunday, one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z521L bass boat with a 250-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.
Also on Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. FLW has partnered with local BBQ vendors to feature award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup Expo. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Arkansas charities.
Country music superstar Justin Moore will perform a free concert on the weigh-in stage at the Bank OZK Arena on Sunday, Aug. 12, starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. The concert is presented by Realtree and KSSN 96. Moore will be performing songs from his latest album, Kinda Don’t Care, to fishing fans in Arkansas as well as live-streamed to fans around the globe at FLWFishing.com.
The Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
Television coverage of the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSNvand the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Alabama’s Davis Grabs Lead on Day One of Professional Bass Fishing’s Forrest Wood Cup
BFL All-American Champion LeBrun just 5 Ounces Behind in Second Place
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 10, 2018) – The world’s best bass anglers launched on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Friday to kick off the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The three-day event, which awards a $300,000 top prize to the winner, featured a full field of 56 anglers competing today and Saturday before being cut to the final 10 on Championship Sunday.
Six-year FLW Tour veteran Alex Davis of Albertville, Alabama, who is fishing in his first career Forrest Wood Cup Championship, jumped out to the early lead after weighing in a five-bass limit totaling 13 pounds, 10 ounces. Davis’ limit was enough to narrowly edge the 2018 BFL All-American Champion Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana (13-5), and pretournament pundit favorite Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma (13-1) for the early lead.
“Today was one of, if not the, most challenging day mentally that I’ve ever had in my career,” said Davis, who has four previous top-10 finishes in FLW Tour competition. “At noon today I had one fish in the livewell that weighed 1 pound. I had missed seven blowups on my topwater bait and I lost three bites fishing a worm. My best place that I thought I had I only caught one fish. Luckily, things turned around for me this afternoon.
“I moved out of my ‘best’ area and fished some new water and managed to catch three, which put me at four fish. On the way back to check in I decided to stop at the one brush pile that I knew of that was close to the ramp. I literally pulled up, made one cast, hooked my last keeper, got him in the boat and said ‘let’s go’. It was either my biggest or second-biggest fish of the day.”
Davis said he caught his fish Friday on three different baits, specifically mentioning a drop-shot rig and a Zara Spook, but declining to mention his third bait that he said was ‘different’.
“I thought I had 11 pounds, so when Chris Jones said I was the new leader I was blown away,” Davis said. “This lake is not a specific spot or specific cast kind of deal. It’s about being in the right place at the right time and hoping the stars line up.
“I was nervous this morning due to the Cup atmosphere, but I settled down once I got out fishing,” Davis went on to say. “I’m going to try my best to not think about being in the lead. I know it’s crazy to say, but if I think about it I’ll drive myself crazy. Tomorrow I’m going fishing, just like I did today. If I can catch one or two good ones, it will really go a long way.”
The top 20 pros after Day One on Lake Ouachita are:
1st: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 13-10
2nd: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., five bass, 13-5
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 13-1
4th: Power-Pole pro Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 12-8
5th: Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, five bass, 12-2
6th: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., five bass, 11-9
7th: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., three bass, 11-6
8th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 11-3
9th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., five bass, 10-0
10th: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., five bass, 9-14
11th: Sheldon Collings, Grove, Okla., five bass, 9-10
12th: Austin Wilson, Citrus Heights, Calif., five bass, 9-8
12th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., five bass, 9-8
14th: Polaris pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 9-3
15th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 9-0
16th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 8-12
17th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 8-7
17th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 8-7
19th: Cody Hahner, Wausau, Wis., two bass, 8-4
20th: Chad Foster, Pequot Lakes, Minn., five bass, 8-2
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Anglers will take off from Brady Mountain Resort & Marina, located at 4120 Brady Mountain Road in Royal, Arkansas, at 7 a.m. CDT each morning. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Bank OZK Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, each day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston, and Larry Nixon. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Saturday and Sunday the first 250 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod-and-reel combo after the evening’s weigh-in from Shakespeare rods. Also on Sunday, one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z521L bass boat with a 250-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.
Also on Saturday and Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. FLW has partnered with local BBQ vendors to feature award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup Expo. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Arkansas charities.
Country music superstar Justin Moore will perform a free concert on the weigh-in stage at the Bank OZK Arena on Sunday, Aug. 12, starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. The concert is presented by Realtree and KSSN 96. Moore will be performing songs from his latest album, Kinda Don’t Care, to fishing fans in Arkansas as well as live-streamed to fans around the globe at FLWFishing.com.
The Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
Television coverage of the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Labelle Edges Cippoletti By Ounces To Claim Bassmaster Open Victory On Champlain
Bryan Labelle of Hinesburg, Vt., won the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open No. 3 held on Lake Champlain with a three-day total weight of 58 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Bryan Labelle of Hinesburg, Vt., began today’s final round of competition at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open No. 3 at Lake Champlain with the firm belief that he could catch 18 to 19 pounds.
He felt that’s what he needed to hold off second-place Bobby Lane. Turns out the fishing was tough across the board today, and Labelle caught just 15-8, which was the sixth heaviest limit among the final Top 12 anglers. Still, it was enough to best second-place Buddy Cippoletti of Wading River, N.Y., by 3 ounces and deliver Labelle the first significant win of his career.
Cipoletti weighed a 17-10 limit, while Lakeland, Fla., pro Bobby Lane, who began the day in second place, weighed just 14-2 and finished third. Only half of the final 12 pros bested the 15-pound mark.
“I’m super excited, obviously — I didn’t think I had it,” Labelle said. “It was my worst day ever on Champlain. I thought I had 12 1/2 or maybe 12 3/4 pounds. I didn’t realize I had 15.
“This is my first big win. I was real nervous in line. Bobby (Lane) made it pretty hard on me. He was going through the weights back and forth — what we needed. For me, I think the most important thing was sticking to my game plan. I made a big mistake today, trying to target smallmouth to start. I was second-guessing myself all day, but once I changed to largemouth, I stuck with that all day.”
Labelle noted he has thousands of waypoints on the lake. He runned and gunned, stopping and dropping for about 10 minutes at each spot in search of largemouth. He weighed four largemouth and one smallmouth today.
Labelle’s key bait was a 1/2-ounce Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Flipping Jig, tipped with a Zoom Flippin’ Blue trailer. He was flipping and pitching grass areas in Mississquoi Bay, at the north end of the lake.
Cippoletti spent his tournament fishing largemouth on rock bottoms in Ticonderoga. He said he had an area to himself that was “loaded with fish.”
“I started this morning on what I thought was my ‘A’ stuff, but it didn’t pan out, so I made some adjustments and quickly caught 40 bass before 8:30. I worked through numbers to get a good, foundational limit, then culled throughout the day to improve it.
“I hate to say I’m disappointed, but I am disappointed,” Cippoletti added. “I had the goal of catching at least 19 at a place I call home (Champlain). I thought I did that today, but they weighed a little less than I thought. But just to be in a position where I can chase down the leader when I’m 4 or 5 pounds back was a thrill. My adrenaline’s pumping. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Cippoletti had been throwing a 3/4-ounce Bassman Spinnerbait and a 3/4-ounce Z-Man Original Chatterbait, but today he switched to an Outkast 5/8-ounce Stealth Feider jig in Magic Craw, tipped with a Missile Baits D Bomb in Wicked Craw, which he trimmed down in his hotel room last night to match the size of the bluegill he saw. He noted that the bluegill had a small blue dot on their tails, which matched the D Bomb.
Lane said of his finish: “It’s as frustrating as it gets. I needed 16-9 and I had 14-2. I lost a lot of key fish this week, but the way I was fishing, that happens and it just wasn’t meant to be. Champlain is phenomenal though. You can target any species you want. What a great week it was.”
Lane primarily flipped a Berkley MaxScent The General in black/blue and a Bobby Lane Signature Series jig.
Austin Bonjour of Templeton, Calif., won the co-angler division with a three-day total of 32-7.
The Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament was awarded to Carl Jocumsen for a 6-5 largemouth on the pro side worth $750. In the co-angler division, Jason Betourney won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass worth $250 with a 5-10 bass.
Lane won the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $500 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.
The Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau and the City of Plattsburgh hosted the event.
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, T-H Marine, Carhartt
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open Lake Champlain 8/2-8/4
Lake Champlain, Plattsburg NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bryan Labelle Hinesburg, VT 15 58-10 200 $51,825.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 15-08
2. Buddy Cipoletti Wading River, NY 15 56-07 199 $17,063.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 17-10
3. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 15 56-03 198 $13,175.00
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 20-04 Day 3: 5 14-02
4. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 55-11 197 $11,700.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 18-11 Day 3: 5 18-05
5. Greg Dipalma Millville, NJ 15 54-12 196 $10,238.00
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 15-13
6. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 15 54-00 195 $8,775.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 18-15 Day 3: 5 16-03
7. Rich Howes Oviedo, FL 15 53-14 194 $7,313.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 19-09 Day 3: 5 14-09
8. Dakota Ebare Bluff Dale, TX 15 53-13 193 $5,363.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 18-01 Day 3: 5 16-11
9. Hunter Eubanks Inman, SC 15 52-06 192 $4,388.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 20-04 Day 3: 5 13-13
10. Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 15 50-15 191 $3,900.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 18-03 Day 3: 5 13-02
11. John Cox Debary, FL 15 49-09 190 $3,413.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day 3: 5 11-02
12. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TX AUSTRALIA 15 49-00 189 $3,968.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 21-11 Day 3: 5 11-13
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Carl Jocumsen Queensland TX AUSTRALIA06-05 $750.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 172 926 2675-04
2 168 897 2645-14
3 12 60 178-11
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352 1883 5499-13
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open Lake Champlain 8/2-8/4
Lake Champlain, Plattsburg NY.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Austin Bonjour Templeton, CA 9 32-07 200 $30,000.00
Day 1: 3 11-11 Day 2: 3 10-08 Day 3: 3 10-04
2. Gary Haraguchi San Jose, CA 9 31-05 199 $5,460.00
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 3 12-11 Day 3: 3 10-04
3. Donnie Hannah Blacklick, OH 9 30-03 198 $4,144.00
Day 1: 3 10-00 Day 2: 3 10-01 Day 3: 3 10-02
4. Gary Walker Amesbury, MA 9 29-06 197 $2,730.00
Day 1: 3 11-05 Day 2: 3 09-01 Day 3: 3 09-00
5. Skyler Anderson Harlem, GA 9 29-00 196 $2,535.00
Day 1: 3 09-11 Day 2: 3 10-05 Day 3: 3 09-00
6. Benjie Seaborn Guin, AL 9 28-14 195 $2,438.00
Day 1: 3 11-07 Day 2: 3 09-05 Day 3: 3 08-02
7. Jay West Canton, GA 9 28-06 194 $2,340.00
Day 1: 3 10-06 Day 2: 3 09-05 Day 3: 3 08-11
8. Josh Cotier Clinton, MA 9 28-03 193 $2,242.00
Day 1: 3 11-10 Day 2: 3 08-06 Day 3: 3 08-03
9. Alec Morrison Peru, NY 9 27-11 192 $2,145.00
Day 1: 3 09-09 Day 2: 3 10-13 Day 3: 3 07-05
10. Kent Mittelstaedt New Hope, MN 8 26-03 191 $1,950.00
Day 1: 3 12-06 Day 2: 3 10-03 Day 3: 2 03-10
11. Scott Gregory West Richland, WA 7 26-02 190 $1,706.00
Day 1: 3 13-13 Day 2: 3 11-02 Day 3: 1 01-03
12. Greg Mauldin Archdale, NC 8 25-06 189 $1,560.00
Day 1: 3 10-10 Day 2: 3 10-11 Day 3: 2 04-01
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT 05-10 $250.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 149 510 1315-04
2 149 496 1337-12
3 9 32 89-13
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307 1038 2742-13