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| David Walker of Sevierville, TN picture holding a 7 pound 7 ounce Table Rock Bass that won him the Folgers Big Bass of the Day prize and was part of the 26 pound 11 ounce total that placed him in first place for Day 1 . |
In terms of weather the statement, “You should have been in Branson last week” would have been appropriate for those wanting warmer weather. But, the cold front that just moved through Branson earlier in the week and the threatened snow on the first day of the FLW-Mart Tour Bass Tournament on Table Rock Lake March 12 – 15, didn’t seem to hold the competitors back much.
The tournament has a total of 156 professional and 156 co-anglers competing for prizes ranging from $100,000 to $10,000 on the professional side and $20,000 to $800 on the co-angler side. The professional angler pays more to enter the tournament than the co-angler, controls the boat, determines where to fish, and fishes from the front of the boat. The co-angler pays less to enter the tournament, fishes where the professional chooses, and fishes from the back or the boat. The professional and co anglers are paired up for each tournament randomly by computer.
The field of 156 competitors in each division will be narrowed down to 10 finalists after the second day of competition, Friday March 13. The ten professional finalists will be competing for prizes from $100,000 for first place to $15,000 for tenth place. The co-angler finalists will be competing for prizes ranging from $20,000 for first place to $1,500 for tenth place. In this tournament prizes will be awarded at back at least 40 additional places and will range from $12,500 to $10,000 on the professional side and $1,300 to $800 on the co-angler side.
At the end of the first day of the tournament, David Walker of Sevierville, TN, from the BP, Team had caught a five fish limit of the 26 pounds 11 ounces including a 7 pound 7 ounce Table Rock bass that won him the Folgers Big Bass of the Day prize of $750.00. Amazingly, Walker’s BP Team mate, Sinichi Fukae from Mineola, TX was in second place with a five fish limit of 22 pounds 5 ounces. The professionals caught 94 five bass limits of which six were 20 pounds or greater and another 39 were 15 pounds or greater.
On the co-angler side Zac Cassill of Fairfax, IA is in first place with 17 pounds 6 ounces and David Laur from South Bend, IN is in second with 16 pounds four ounces.
The Take-Off for each morning of the Tournament is at the State Park Marina off of State Highway 165 at 7:00 a.m. The weigh-in will be at the marina on Friday March 13 at 3:00 p.m. and at the Branson Convention Center on March 14 and 15 at 4:00 p.m.
Click on the appropriate catagory for a full list of Professional and Co-Angler Results.
