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FLW Tour: Lake Toho, FL

Tour Event # 2 of 6

Preview: FLW Tour Headed to Lake Toho

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The $7.6 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour will make its second stop Feb. 9-12 with a $900,000 event presented by Snickers on Lake Toho near Kissimmee, Fla. Hosted by the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau, the tournament features 400 anglers from the United States, Japan and Australia, with 200 of the world’s best bass pros fishing for a top award of $100,000 cash. Two hundred co-anglers will also compete for a top award of $20,000 cash.
The nation’s most lucrative bass-fishing circuit is celebrating its 10th anniversary this season with a return to Lake Toho after a seven-year hiatus. And anglers who fished both events will find a much different fishery when they arrive. Along with the effects of multiple hurricanes last summer, the lake underwent a $9 million restoration project in 2004 that included a drawn down and the removal of several feet of muck and unwanted weed growth from shorelines to help improve spawning habitat. Anglers should find plenty of bass in all three stages of the spawn roaming the newly-refined shallows.
“The renovation project ended in June last year, and the hurricanes hit around July,” said pro Terry Seagraves of Kissimmee. “I think the hurricanes were actually a blessing in this case.” According to Seagraves, after renovation and weed removal projects, lakes usually take several months to return to normal pool. During that time, unwanted grasses and weeds will usually sprout in shallow areas. However, with all the rain from the hurricanes, the lake filled quickly before unwanted grasses could be established in newly cleared shorelines.
“The hurricanes changed the grass lines quite a bit, but I like what I’m seeing,” Seagraves said. “The grass looks real good right now.” Seagraves feels that recent cool weather will postpone significant spawning activity until the first of February, presenting the tournament field with all the makings for a wide-open shootout.
Anglers will take off each morning at 7 from Kissimmee Lakefront Park. Wednesday and Thursday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the park at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1471 E. Osceola Pkwy in Kissimmee beginning at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.
The community is invited to attend the free Family Fun Zone Friday and Saturday outside the weigh-in tent in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The Family Fun Zone, which opens at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday, features interactive displays, product samples and games for the entire family to enjoy.
The full field competes in the two-day opening round for one of 10 slots in Friday’s competition based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are cleared for day three, and co-angler competition concludes following Friday’s weigh-in. The top 10 pros continue competition Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest two-day weight.
In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers.
The Lake Toho event marks the second stop of the most lucrative professional bass-fishing trail in the world, as the popular tournament series features a $7.6 million purse in 2005, including four $900,000 events and two $1.25 million open events during the regular season. Each event leads up to the $1.5 million Forrest L. Wood Championship and Outdoor Show, which will be held July 13-16 on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs, Ark. The prestigious championship features 48 pros, 48 co-anglers and bass fishing’s largest guaranteed cash award – a $500,000 first-place prize for the winning pro. Held in conjunction with the tournament is a world-class outdoor show featuring 140 booths and displays for everything from crankbaits to bass boats.
Coverage of the Lake Toho tournament will be broadcast to 82 million Fox Sports Net (FSN) subscribers as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time on Fox Sports Net (FSN).
The third regular-season FLW Tour stop will be held March 9-12 on the Ouachita River near Monroe, La., followed by the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake near Rogers, Ark., April 13-16. Wheeler Lake near Florence, Ala., will host the fifth tour stop May 11-14 followed by the Potomac River Open in Charles County, Md., June 22-25.

Day 1: Kenney Leads Tour Stop on Lake Toho

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – After weeks of cool weather that kept catch weights low in recent tournaments, 7 UP pro JT Kenney of Frostburg, Md., made the most of Wednesday’s warm, sunny conditions at Lake Toho by landing five bass weighing 23 pounds, 10 ounces to take an early lead in the $900,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop presented by Snickers.

The catch, which ranks as the second heaviest one-day total this season behind the 25-pound, 15-ounce limit caught by Pedigree pro Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., on day two of last month’s Lake Okeechobee tournament, gives Kenney a 1-ounce advantage over his closest competitor in the quest for a $100,000 victory Saturday.

“I’m fishing the heaviest grass that I can find close to a spawning area,” said Kenney, whose season is off to a phenomenal start after finishing second and 14th, respectively, at the EverStart Series and FLW Tour season openers on Lake Okeechobee. “These are definitely fish that are staging to spawn.”

Kenney’s bait of choice is a black and blue Reaction Innovations Beaver creature bait that he his flipping to grass and matted vegetation in both Lake Toho and Lake Kissimmee. His biggest bass, a 9-pounder, was caught in Kissimmee. “After I caught that one, I came back through the lock and just fooled around (in Toho),” Kenney said. “I’d rather be in 10th than first tomorrow, because that means I didn’t burn up all my fish.”

Warren Wyman of Calera, Ala., caught five bass weighing 23 pounds, 9 ounces using a combination of topwaters and soft plastics in shallow water to end the day in the runner-up position followed by BFGoodrich Tires pro Chad Grigsby of Colon, Mich., who caught five bass weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces using a black and blue Venom Craw and 1 1/2-ounce tungsten weight to punch through matted vegetation. Both men fished Lake Kissimmee.

Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla. (five bass, 21 pounds, 14 ounces) and Chevy pro Dion Hibdon of Stover, Mo. (five bass, 20 pounds, 1 ounce) rounded out the top five pros.

Interestingly, both Kenney and Grigsby practiced with Lane, who has fished Lake Toho and its connecting lakes for more than 25 years. Grigsby and Kenney are even fishing the same area of Lake Kissimmee.

“These fish are moving in to spawn, and I’m basically cutting them off at the pass,” Grigsby said. “I didn’t get started until about 9 o’clock and I had a limit by quarter after 10. The stuff I’m fishing is so thick that I lost two big ones that I couldn’t pull through the grass, and one straightened by hook.”

Kellogg’s pro Sam Newby of Pocola, Okla., earned the day’s Snickers Big Bass award of $750 in the Pro Division with a 10-pound, 4-ounce largemouth that he caught on a watermelon Reaction Innovations tube flipped to mats in Lake Toho.

In the Co-angler Division, Quint Bourgeois of Knoxville, Tenn., leads the tournament thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces. He caught the impressive limit, including a 7-pounder, on buzzbaits and Senkos while fishing with pro Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz., who caught five bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces and is currently in 65th place.

“Getting a big one really means a lot in these tournaments,” said Bourgeois, who has earned nine FLW Tour top 10 finishes since 1997, including a win on Kentucky Lake. “Having that kicker fish gives you a certain level of comfort, so I’m feeling pretty good.”

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Rob Newell of Tallahassee, Fla. (five bass, 14 pounds, 13 ounces); Land O’Lakes angler Judy Israel of Clewiston, Fla. (five bass, 13 pounds, 4 ounces); Merle Wells Jr. of Hammond, N.Y. (three bass, 12 pounds, 3 ounces); and Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich. (three bass, 11 pounds, 14 ounces).

Jancasz claimed the Snickers Big Bass award and $375 in the Co-angler Division with a 9-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a green pumpkin Senko while fishing with pro Rick Marsh of High Point, N.C., who is currently in 168th with two bass weighing 3 pounds, 7 ounces.

Seemingly undaunted by last year’s hurricanes and scraping to remove muck and excess vegetation, Lake Toho yielded a remarkable catch of 1,121 bass weighing 2,209 pounds, 5 ounces to 192 pros and 149 co-anglers compared to a catch of 741 bass weighing 1,690 pounds, 8 ounces given up to 246 anglers on opening day of the tour’s last visit to Toho in 1998. One hundred and sixteen of the 400 anglers competing this season from the United States, Japan and Australia caught five-bass limits, and only 59 failed to land a single keeper on a remarkable opening day.

Fishing conditions could change for the final round, however, as a cold front is forecast to pass through Kissimmee Thursday, dropping overnight temperatures into the upper 30s. The cooler weather may delay spawning activity, and give the lake’s finicky Florida-strain bass a case of lockjaw. Whoever can best adapt the changing conditions will likely prevail.

Anglers will take off from Kissimmee Lakefront Park at 7 each morning. Thursday’s weigh-in will also be held at the park beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1471 E. Osceola Pkwy in Kissimmee beginning at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

The community is invited to join the worlds’ top bass anglers as they celebrate the FLW Tour’s 10th anniversary in the Family Fun Zone Friday and Saturday outside the weigh-in tent in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The free Family Fun Zone, which opens at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday, features interactive displays, product samples and games for the entire family to enjoy.

Following Thursday’s competition, the field will be narrowed from 200 competitors per division to 10, and weights will be cleared. Co-angler competition concludes Friday based on the heaviest one-day weight, and pros continue competition Saturday with the winner determined by the heaviest two-day weight. The winning co-angler earns $20,000 while the winning pro earns $100,000.

Anglers are also competing this week for valuable points that determine Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year standings and the field for the 2005 Forrest L. Wood Championship, set for July 13-16 in Hot Springs, Ark., on Lake Hamilton. The $1.5 million championship presented by Castrol awards the winning pro $500,000 cash, the sport’s largest payout, and features a world-class outdoor show.

Complete coverage of the FLW Tour’s stop on Lake Toho will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) March 6 and March 13 as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” airs every Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern time on FSN.

Rank Name Hometown Bass Weight
1 J T KENNEY FROSTBURG, MD 5 23 10
2 WARREN WYMAN CALERA, AL 5 23 9
3 CHAD GRIGSBY COLON, MI 5 22 6
4 BOBBY LANE LAKELAND, FL 5 21 14
5 DION HIBDON STOVER, MO 5 20 1
6 TOBY HARTSELL LIVINGSTON, TX 5 19 9
7 TOM MANN JR BUFORD, GA 5 18 2
8 DALE TEANEY WILLIAMSBURG, OH 5 16 13
9 MARCUS CLOUSE LAS VEGAS, NV 5 15 15
10 GREG PUGH CULLMAN, AL 5 15 8
11 BOBBY LANHAM SCOTTSDALE, AZ 5 15 6
12 JOHN MURRAY PHOENIX, AZ 5 14 9
13 TOMMY BIFFLE WAGONER, OK 5 14 3
14 MIKE WURM HOT SPRINGS, AR 5 14 2
15 LEE SKIPPER LANCASTER, SC 5 14 1
16 LLOYD T PICKETT JR BARTLETT, TN 5 13 15
17 DAVID GIVENS HERNANDO, FL 5 13 14
17 LUKE CLAUSEN SPOKANE, WA 5 13 14
19 ROGER A BOLER SLIDELL, LA 5 13 11
20 TERRY TUCKER GADSDEN, AL 5 13 9
21 JEREMIAH KINDY BENTON, AR 5 13 7
22 RICKY SHUMPERT LEXINGTON, SC 5 13 1
23 JOHN SAPPINGTON WILLARD, MO 5 12 13
23 CHIP HARRISON BREMEN, IN 5 12 13
25 MATT W HERREN TRUSSVILLE, AL 5 12 8
26 DAN MOREHEAD PADUCAH, KY 5 12 7
27 DEAN ROJAS GRAND SALINE, TX 5 12 6
27 AL GAGLIARDUCCI AGAWAM, MA 5 12 6
29 SAM NEWBY POCOLA, OK 2 12 5
30 KELLY JORDON MINEOLA, TX 5 12 2
30 RAMIE COLSON JR CADIZ, KY 5 12 2
32 ALTON JONES WACO, TX 5 12 1
32 BRENT CHAPMAN LAKE QUIVIRA, KS 5 12 1
34 ROBERT H PEARSON HERNDON, VA 5 12 0
35 GLENN CHAPPELEAR ACWORTH, GA 5 11 15
36 BERNIE SCHULTZ GAINESVILLE, FL 5 11 13
37 JACOB POWROZNIK PRINCE GEORGE, VA 5 11 11
38 ANTHONY GAGLIARDI PROSPERITY, SC 5 11 9
39 STEVE DANIEL CLEWISTON, FL 3 11 8
39 ART BERRY HEMET, CA 5 11 8
41 GREG HACKNEY GONZALES, LA 5 11 6
41 WALT STARLING LIVE OAK, FL 5 11 6
43 DAVID WALKER SEVIERVILLE, TN 5 11 4
44 DANNY CORREIA MARLBOROUGH, MA 5 11 2
45 SEAN MINDERMAN SPOKANE, WA 5 11 1
45 WESLEY STRADER SPRING CITY, TN 5 11 1
47 MARK ROSE MARION, AR 5 10 15
48 STEVE KENNEDY AUBURN, AL 5 10 11
49 KEN WICK STAR, ID 5 10 10
50 CARL SVEBEK III SILOAM SPRINGS, AR 5 10 9
51 JASON ABRAM CHUCKEY, TN 5 10 8
52 JERRY GREEN JUSTICEBURG, TX 5 10 6
53 PAT FISHER DANIELSVILLE, GA 5 10 4
54 CHAD MORGENTHALER COULTERVILLE, IL 5 10 2
55 AARON MARTENS LEEDS, AL 5 9 15
56 DAVE LEFEBRE ERIE, PA 5 9 14
57 MIKE SURMAN BOCA RATON, FL 5 9 13
57 CRAIG POWERS ROCKWOOD, TN 5 9 13
57 ROB KILBY HOT SPRINGS, AR 5 9 13
60 CHUCK ECONOMOU REDINGTON SHORES, FL 5 9 12
60 ROBERT KARBAS JR WAKE FOREST, NC 5 9 12
60 CODY BIRD GRANBURY, TX 5 9 12
63 ISHAMA MONROE HUGHSON, CA 5 9 10
64 GARY Y YAMAMOTO MINEOLA, TX 5 9 9
65 MARK PACK MINEOLA, TX 5 9 8
65 ANDY MORGAN DAYTON, TN 4 9 8
65 BRENNAN BOSLEY BENTON, AR 5 9 8
65 CLIFFORD PIRCH PAYSON, AZ 5 9 8
65 TODD ARY BIRMINGHAM, AL 3 9 8
70 DAVID P DUDLEY LYNCHBURG, VA 5 9 7
71 SIMON MORROW ALEXANDER CITY, AL 5 9 6
72 MIKE HAWKES SABINAL, TX 5 9 5
73 SCOTT SUGGS BRYANT, AR 5 9 2
74 KOBY KREIGER OKEECHOBEE, FL 5 9 1
75 SCOTT DOBSON CLARKSTON, MI 5 8 15
75 LENDELL MARTIN JR NACOGDOCHES, TX 5 8 15
77 BILLY BOWEN JR OCALA, FL 4 8 12
78 TAKAHIRO OMORI EMORY, TX 5 8 11
78 JIM MOYNAGH CARVER, MN 5 8 11
78 JONATHAN NEWTON ROGERSVILLE, AL 5 8 11
81 TOM MONSOOR LA CROSSE, WI 3 8 10
81 DALE EVANS RIDGEVILLE, SC 5 8 10
81 ELTON LUCE JR BROOKELAND, TX 5 8 10
81 JIM TUTT LONGVIEW, TX 5 8 10
85 TODD FAIRCLOTH JASPER, TX 5 8 9
85 JIM NOLAN BULL SHOALS, AR 5 8 9
87 RANDY BLAUKAT LAMAR, MO 4 8 5
88 KEITH PACE MONTICELLO, AR 5 8 4
89 CHARLIE INGRAM SANTA FE, TN 5 8 3
90 RANDY ALEXANDER LONDON, KY 5 8 2
91 GEORGE E COCHRAN HOT SPRINGS NP, AR 5 8 1
92 RUSS MORAN MURFREESBORO, TN 5 7 15
92 CLARK WENDLANDT CEDAR PARK, TX 5 7 15
92 CHRIS MCCALL JASPER, TX 5 7 15
95 SCOTT R MARTIN CLEWISTON, FL 5 7 14
96 ALFRED WILLIAMS JACKSON, MS 5 7 13
97 TERRY SEGRAVES KISSIMMEE, FL 4 7 12
98 SHINICHI FUKAE OSAKA JAPAN 566-0072, 5 7 8
99 TRACY ADAMS WILKESBORO, NC 5 7 7
100 ANDRE MOORE SCOTTSDALE, AZ 5 7 6
100 CHARLIE HARTLEY GROVE CITY, OH 4 7 6
102 DAVID LAUER SOUTH BEND, IN 5 7 5
103 ASA GODSEY CLEWISTON, FL 5 7 3
103 CHRIS ELLIOTT GLOUCESTER, NC 3 7 3
103 DAVID COOKE MOORESVILLE, NC 2 7 3
103 ALVIN SHAW STATE ROAD, NC 5 7 3
107 JIMMY MILLSAPS CANTON, GA 5 7 2
107 BILL MCDONALD INDIANAPOLIS, IN 4 7 2
109 TERRY BAKSAY MONROE, CT 3 7 0
110 NICK GREBB ROSEVILLE, CA 5 6 15
111 CHARLES KING SHREVEPORT, LA 4 6 14
112 DAN MANSKY YOUNGSTOWN, OH 5 6 13
113 KAREN SAVIK ST. LOUIS PARK, MN 4 6 12
113 DWAYNE HORTON KNOXVILLE, TN 5 6 12
115 SANDY MELVIN BOCA GRANDE, FL 3 6 10
116 BRENT EHRLER REDLANDS, CA 5 6 9
117 DAVID J WRIGHT LEXINGTON, NC 3 6 8
118 TOSHINARI NAMIKI TOKYO, JP 4 6 6
118 RICHARD BENNETT ROSEVILLE, CA 5 6 6
120 MASAKI SHIMONO SHIGA-PREF JAPAN, 4 6 5
120 MARCEL VEENSTRA BRIGHTON, MI 5 6 5
120 JACKIE DAVIS WILLARD, MO 4 6 5
123 TONY COUCH BUCKHEAD, GA 5 6 4
124 LEWIS DENNEY INDIAN MOUND, TN 3 6 3
125 STEVE NAAS INVERNESS, FL 4 6 2
125 RICK CLUNN AVA, MO 3 6 2
125 DENNIS MAGOTO WAYNESVILLE, OH 3 6 2
128 KENNETH STRICKLAND GREENSBORO, NC 3 6 1
129 TIM SHMIGAL AKRON, OH 3 5 14
129 RICK LILLEGARD PICKTON, TX 2 5 14
131 DAVID SMITH DEL CITY, OK 4 5 13
131 JASON KILPATRICK SATSUMA, AL 4 5 13
133 RAY SCHEIDE RUSSELLVILLE, AR 4 5 11
133 RUSTY SALEWSKE ALPINE, CA 4 5 11
133 VIC VATALARO KENT, OH 3 5 11
136 RICH TAUBER CAMARILLO, CA 4 5 10
137 JACK D BELL KANE, PA 4 5 9
138 ROBERT SHERRY SAINT CHARLES, IL 3 5 8
139 STEPHEN L TOSH JR MODESTO, CA 2 5 6
139 PETE THLIVEROS JACKSONVILLE, FL 2 5 6
141 ART FERGUSON III ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI 4 5 5
142 GREG GULLEDGE MONTICELLO, AR 3 5 4
142 SAM SWETT COVINGTON, LA 3 5 4
144 WILLIAM M DAVIS RUSSELLVILLE, AL 2 5 3
145 EMILY H SHAFFER MOUNT JULIET, TN 3 5 1
146 HARMON DAVIS MARLOW, OK 4 4 14
147 LARRY NIXON BEE BRANCH, AR 2 4 13
147 JOE SMALL MARION, AR 3 4 13
149 GUIDO HIBDON GRAVOIS MILLS, MO 3 4 12
150 JOEL RICHARDSON KERNERSVILLE, NC 2 4 11
150 CHARLIE WEYER WEST HILLS, CA 3 4 11
150 TONY DEFILIPPO LAKE ANN, MI 3 4 11
153 JIM CARNELL MUSKOGEE, OK 2 4 10
153 JOHN (ZELL) ROWLAND MONTGOMERY, TX 3 4 10
155 JIMMY HOUSTON COOKSON, OK 3 4 9
156 KEITH WILLIAMS CONWAY, AR 3 4 8
157 SHAD SCHENCK WAYNETOWN, IN 3 4 5
158 MICHAEL BENNETT ROSEVILLE, CA 3 4 4
158 BOBBY CURTIS SILOAM SPRINGS, AR 3 4 4
160 GARY RIFFLE PARIS, TX 3 4 2
161 GLENN E MILLER NEWBORN, GA 3 4 0
161 CHRIS BAUMGARDNER GASTONIA, NC 3 4 0
161 KIM STRICKER HOWELL, MI 2 4 0
164 WES THOMAS HANOVER, IN 3 3 13
165 MICHAEL JOHNSON TALKING ROCK, GA 3 3 12
166 JERRY WILLIAMS CONWAY, AR 3 3 11
167 SCOTT DAVID GOODRICH, TX 2 3 8
168 DARREL ROBERTSON JAY, OK 3 3 7
168 RICK MARSH HIGH POINT, NC 2 3 7
170 JOHN W CREWS SALEM, VA 2 3 6
170 MARY T DIVINCENTI CLINTON, LA 2 3 6
172 TERRY BOLTON PADUCAH, KY 2 3 4
173 LEE BAILEY JR AMSTON, CT 2 3 1
173 KATSUTOSHI FURUSAWA TOKYO JAPAN 1920153, 2 3 1
175 JAMES QUILLMAN PLANO, TX 2 2 15
176 MICKEY BRUCE BUFORD, GA 2 2 14
176 PAUL ELIAS LAUREL, MS 3 2 14
178 MARK HARDIN CANTON, GA 2 2 8
179 CHIC AYDELETTE THOMASVILLE, NC 1 2 2
180 GLENN BROWNE OCALA, FL 1 2 1
180 KEVIN VIDA CLARE, MI 1 2 1
182 TERRY BOYD CINCINNATI, OH 1 1 15
182 STEPHEN H WILSON MISSION HILLS, CA 1 1 15
184 DAVID TRUAX BEAUMONT, TX 1 1 13
185 PAUL A WHITMAN JR DALLAS, TX 1 1 12
186 MORIZO SHIMIZU SUITA, OSAKA JAPAN 81, 1 1 11
187 JOHN TANNER QUITMAN, TX 1 1 10
187 JAMES A PARKER FAYETTEVILLE, NC 1 1 10
189 SEAN HOERNKE MAGNOLIA, TX 1 1 9
190 NICK GAINEY CHARLESTON, SC 1 1 8
190 MICHAEL T BROWN ROCKY FACE, GA 1 1 8
192 MARK GOINES SHADY POINT, OK 1 1 4

Day 2: Kenney Retains Lead on Toho

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – 7 UP pro JT Kenney of Frostburg, Md., retained his lead Thursday in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop on Lake Toho with a solid five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces. His two-day total of 10 bass weighing 40 pounds, 15 ounces places him atop an all-star field, which includes two former FLW Tour champions, as the top 10 pros head into the final two days of competition in the $900,000 tournament presented by Snickers.

“I have one rod I’m using,” Kenney said. “I’m living and dying by the flipping stick.”

For now, it seems like Kenney is living pretty well, finishing second and 14th, respectively, at the EverStart Series and FLW Tour season openers on Lake Okeechobee last month. In fact, Kenney has been quietly making a name for himself in Florida in recent years by earning five top 10 finishes in the state, including a victory in his very first FLW Tour event three years ago. At the 2005 EverStart Series season opener, he even set a new one-day weight record of 32 pounds, 12 ounces and a new two-day weight record of 48 pounds, 14 ounces.

“I’m fishing fewer tournaments this year, so I don’t feel rushed,” Kenney said. “I guess I’m thinking clearer and everything is just coming together. The only thing that could hurt my fish is if they go to spawn, and with the cold front coming through, they are not going to do that. They may be harder to catch, but they are not going anywhere.”

Kenney says that he has as many as seven spots picked out in lakes Toho and Kissimmee for a “milk run” Friday, but no one area is loaded with fish. His bait of choice this week has been a black and blue Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver creature bait that he is flipping to grass and matted vegetation.
While anglers launched on Lake Toho, the vast majority of the field – 157 boats on day one and more than 100 boats on day two – locked through to Lake Kissimmee, 16 boats at a time.

Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., added five bass weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces to his day one catch to finish the opening round in second with 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 5 ounces.

Chevy pro and former Forrest L. Wood Championship winner Dion Hibdon of Stover, Mo., caught five bass weighing 14 pounds, 11 ounces to claim the No. 3 qualifying spot with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 12 ounces.

Toby Hartsell of Livingston, Texas (10 bass, 33 pounds, 13 ounces) and Pedigree pro Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala. (10 bass, 30 pounds, 1 ounce) rounded out the top five pros.

EverStart Series Western Division standout Art Berry of Hemet, Calif., earned the Energizer Keeps on Going Award for the biggest comeback in the Pro Division by jumping from 39th place to ninth with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 27 pounds, 5 ounces. And former Wal-Mart Open champion Dan Morehead of Paducah, Ky., grabbed the final qualifying spot with 10 bass weighing 27 pounds, 1 ounce.
Lewis Denney of Indian Mound, Tenn., earned the day’s Snickers Big Bass award of $750 in the Pro Division with a 10-pound largemouth, but the day’s biggest bass belonged to co-angler Richard Lowitzki of St. Charles, Ill.

Lowitzki earned the Snickers Big Bass award of $375 in the Co-angler Division, plus another $1,000 for catching the heaviest bass in either division during the opening round, with a huge 11-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that ranks as the second heaviest bass in FLW Tour history. The behemoth bass surpasses the 11-pounder caught by Bobby Curtis on Lake Okeechobee last month and the 11-pounder caught by Ray Beck on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 1998. Only the 11-pound, 14-ounce bass caught by Jim Nolan on the Santee Cooper Lakes in 1996 is heavier.

Lowitzki caught the fish on a 1/2-ounce Hildebrandt spinnerbait with gold No. 6 willow leaf blades. He also caught a 7-pounder on a topwater frog while fishing south of Bird Island in Lake Kissimmee with pro Bobby Lanham of Scottsdale, Ariz.

“After catching the 7-pounder and two smaller fish, I figured I needed another 2 pounds to make the cut. Then the big one hit,” said Lowitzki, who zeroed on day one then grabbed the lead on day two with a four-bass catch weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces. “I thought I was hung up then it blew up on the surface and jumped about 2 feet out of the water.”

Lowitzki’s catch was the heaviest in either division Thursday.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ken Chapman of Woodlawn, Tenn. (10 bass, 22 pounds, 4 ounces); Rob Newell of Tallahassee, Fla. (10 bass, 22 pounds); Land O’Lakes angler Judy Israel of Clewiston, Fla. (10 bass, 21 pounds, 10 ounces); and Bill Rogers of Jasper, Texas (10 bass, 20 pounds, 12 ounces).

Israel, a former teacher from the Bronx, N.Y., made fishing history last year by winning the FLW Tour stop on the Atchafalaya Basin. She is the first woman to win an FLW Tour event, and this is her 11th top 10 finish in FLW Outdoors competition.

“I’m ecstatic,” Israel said. “No matter what happens, I’m just so proud to make the top 10.”

So far Lake Toho is fishing better than during the tour’s 1998 visit when anglers caught 1,433 bass weighing 3,186 pounds, 5 ounces in the opening round. Five-bass limits were caught by 164 of the 400 anglers competing Thursday, and the overall total catch climbed to 2,433 bass weighing 5,004 pounds, 4 ounces.

Anglers will take off from Kissimmee Lakefront Park at 7 each morning. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1471 E. Osceola Pkwy. in Kissimmee beginning at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

The community is invited to join the worlds’ top bass anglers as they celebrate the FLW Tour’s 10th anniversary in the Family Fun Zone Friday and Saturday outside the weigh-in tent in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The free Family Fun Zone, which opens at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday, features interactive displays, product samples and games for the entire family to enjoy.

Following Thursday’s competition, the field was narrowed from 200 competitors per division to 10, and weights were cleared. The pro with the heaviest two-day cumulative weight will earn $100,000 Saturday while the co-angler title, and a $20,000 cash, will be awarded at the conclusion of Friday’s competition.

In addition to a top award of $100,000 and cash awards of at least $10,000 through 50th place in the Pro Division, anglers are also competing for valuable points that determine Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year standings and the field for the 2005 Forrest L. Wood Championship, set for July 13-16 in Hot Springs, Ark., on Lake Hamilton. The $1.5 million championship presented by Castrol awards the winning pro $500,000 cash, the sport’s largest payout, and features a world-class outdoor show.
Complete coverage of the FLW Tour’s stop on Lake Toho will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) March 6 and March 13 as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” airs every Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern time on FSN.

Rank Name Hometown Day 1 weight Day 2 weight Total weight Winnings
1 J T KENNEY FROSTBURG, MD 23 10 17 5 40 15
2 TOM MANN JR BUFORD, GA 18 2 19 3 37 5
3 DION HIBDON STOVER, MO 20 1 14 11 34 12
4 TOBY HARTSELL LIVINGSTON, TX 19 9 14 4 33 13
5 GREG PUGH CULLMAN, AL 15 8 14 9 30 1
6 BOBBY LANE LAKELAND, FL 21 14 7 3 29 1
7 WARREN WYMAN CALERA, AL 23 9 4 7 28 0
8 RICKY SHUMPERT LEXINGTON, SC 13 1 14 5 27 6
9 ART BERRY HEMET, CA 11 8 15 13 27 5
10 DAN MOREHEAD PADUCAH, KY 12 7 14 10 27 1
11 KEN WICK STAR, ID 10 10 16 3 26 13 11500.00
12 JIM MOYNAGH CARVER, MN 8 11 17 15 26 10 11500.00
13 KELLY JORDON MINEOLA, TX 12 2 14 5 26 7 11500.00
14 CHAD GRIGSBY COLON, MI 22 6 3 13 26 3 11500.00
15 JACOB POWROZNIK PRINCE GEORGE, VA 11 11 14 4 25 15 11500.00
16 GARY Y YAMAMOTO MINEOLA, TX 9 9 16 5 25 14 11000.00
17 RAMIE COLSON JR CADIZ, KY 12 2 13 9 25 11 11000.00
18 DALE TEANEY WILLIAMSBURG, OH 16 13 7 14 24 11 11000.00
19 MIKE WURM HOT SPRINGS, AR 14 2 10 8 24 10 11000.00
20 BRENT CHAPMAN LAKE QUIVIRA, KS 12 1 12 7 24 8 11000.00
21 MATT W HERREN TRUSSVILLE, AL 12 8 11 14 24 6 10750.00
22 WESLEY STRADER SPRING CITY, TN 11 1 12 15 24 0 10750.00
23 STEVE DANIEL CLEWISTON, FL 11 8 12 6 23 14 10750.00
24 BRENNAN BOSLEY BENTON, AR 9 8 14 1 23 9 10750.00
25 DEAN ROJAS GRAND SALINE, TX 12 6 11 2 23 8 10750.00
26 LENDELL MARTIN JR NACOGDOCHES, TX 8 15 14 7 23 6 10500.00
27 DAVE LEFEBRE ERIE, PA 9 14 13 8 23 6 10500.00
28 CHAD MORGENTHALER COULTERVILLE, IL 10 2 13 1 23 3 10500.00
29 DAVID J WRIGHT LEXINGTON, NC 6 8 16 10 23 2 10500.00
30 TAKAHIRO OMORI EMORY, TX 8 11 14 4 22 15 10500.00
31 TODD ARY BIRMINGHAM, AL 9 8 13 7 22 15 10250.00
32 JOHN MURRAY PHOENIX, AZ 14 9 8 5 22 14 10250.00
33 SAM SWETT COVINGTON, LA 5 4 17 9 22 13 10250.00
34 MIKE HAWKES SABINAL, TX 9 5 13 7 22 12 10250.00
35 TOM MONSOOR LA CROSSE, WI 8 10 14 1 22 11 10250.00
36 LLOYD T PICKETT JR BARTLETT, TN 13 15 8 11 22 10 10250.00
37 SCOTT R MARTIN CLEWISTON, FL 7 14 14 11 22 9 10250.00
38 SANDY MELVIN BOCA GRANDE, FL 6 10 15 14 22 8 10250.00
39 GREG HACKNEY GONZALES, LA 11 6 11 1 22 7 10250.00
40 GLENN CHAPPELEAR ACWORTH, GA 11 15 10 5 22 4 10250.00
41 DAVID WALKER SEVIERVILLE, TN 11 4 10 13 22 1 10000.00
42 SIMON MORROW ALEXANDER CITY, AL 9 6 12 10 22 0 10000.00
43 ISHAMA MONROE HUGHSON, CA 9 10 12 3 21 13 10000.00
44 TERRY TUCKER GADSDEN, AL 13 9 8 3 21 12 10000.00
45 MARCUS CLOUSE LAS VEGAS, NV 15 15 5 10 21 9 10000.00
46 ROGER A BOLER SLIDELL, LA 13 11 7 14 21 9 10000.00
47 CHIP HARRISON BREMEN, IN 12 13 8 10 21 7 10000.00
48 LEE SKIPPER LANCASTER, SC 14 1 7 2 21 3 10000.00
49 JEREMIAH KINDY BENTON, AR 13 7 7 12 21 3 10000.00
50 CHRIS ELLIOTT GLOUCESTER, NC 7 3 13 15 21 2 10000.00
51 CRAIG POWERS ROCKWOOD, TN 9 13 11 5 21 2 2750.00
52 JIMMY HOUSTON COOKSON, OK 4 9 16 5 20 14 2750.00
53 BRENT EHRLER REDLANDS, CA 6 9 14 5 20 14 2750.00
54 ALTON JONES WACO, TX 12 1 8 12 20 13 2750.00
55 DAVID P DUDLEY LYNCHBURG, VA 9 7 11 6 20 13 2750.00
56 TRACY ADAMS WILKESBORO, NC 7 7 13 3 20 10 2750.00
57 ROB KILBY HOT SPRINGS, AR 9 13 10 12 20 9 2750.00
58 LEWIS DENNEY INDIAN MOUND, TN 6 3 14 5 20 8 2750.00
59 ANTHONY GAGLIARDI PROSPERITY, SC 11 9 8 15 20 8 2750.00
60 TODD FAIRCLOTH JASPER, TX 8 9 11 14 20 7 2750.00
61 TOMMY BIFFLE WAGONER, OK 14 3 5 15 20 2 2750.00
62 ELTON LUCE JR BROOKELAND, TX 8 10 11 7 20 1 2750.00
63 MIKE SURMAN BOCA RATON, FL 9 13 10 3 20 0 2750.00
64 BOBBY LANHAM SCOTTSDALE, AZ 15 6 4 8 19 14 2750.00
65 MARK PACK MINEOLA, TX 9 8 10 6 19 14 2750.00
66 KOBY KREIGER OKEECHOBEE, FL 9 1 10 12 19 13 2750.00
67 SAM NEWBY POCOLA, OK 12 5 7 7 19 12 2750.00
68 LUKE CLAUSEN SPOKANE, WA 13 14 5 10 19 8 2750.00
69 CARL SVEBEK III SILOAM SPRINGS, AR 10 9 8 15 19 8 2750.00
70 ROBERT KARBAS JR WAKE FOREST, NC 9 12 9 10 19 6 2750.00
71 GUIDO HIBDON GRAVOIS MILLS, MO 4 12 14 7 19 3 2750.00
72 BERNIE SCHULTZ GAINESVILLE, FL 11 13 7 5 19 2 2750.00
73 JOHN TANNER QUITMAN, TX 1 10 17 7 19 1 2750.00
74 PAT FISHER DANIELSVILLE, GA 10 4 8 13 19 1 2750.00
75 JONATHAN NEWTON ROGERSVILLE, AL 8 11 10 4 18 15 2750.00
76 RICHARD BENNETT ROSEVILLE, CA 6 6 12 8 18 14
77 ROBERT H PEARSON HERNDON, VA 12 0 6 14 18 14
78 WILLIAM M DAVIS RUSSELLVILLE, AL 5 3 13 8 18 11
79 JIMMY MILLSAPS CANTON, GA 7 2 11 9 18 11
80 TIM SHMIGAL AKRON, OH 5 14 12 11 18 9
81 NICK GREBB ROSEVILLE, CA 6 15 11 10 18 9
82 JOHN (ZELL) ROWLAND MONTGOMERY, TX 4 10 13 14 18 8
83 TONY COUCH BUCKHEAD, GA 6 4 12 3 18 7
84 WALT STARLING LIVE OAK, FL 11 6 6 15 18 5
85 MARY T DIVINCENTI CLINTON, LA 3 6 14 14 18 4
86 JOHN SAPPINGTON WILLARD, MO 12 13 5 6 18 3
87 STEVE NAAS INVERNESS, FL 6 2 12 1 18 3
88 SEAN MINDERMAN SPOKANE, WA 11 1 6 15 18 0
89 BILL MCDONALD INDIANAPOLIS, IN 7 2 10 14 18 0
90 JERRY GREEN JUSTICEBURG, TX 10 6 7 10 18 0
91 JIM TUTT LONGVIEW, TX 8 10 9 5 17 15
92 RICK MARSH HIGH POINT, NC 3 7 14 6 17 13
93 CODY BIRD GRANBURY, TX 9 12 8 1 17 13
94 DAN MANSKY YOUNGSTOWN, OH 6 13 10 15 17 12
95 AARON MARTENS LEEDS, AL 9 15 7 12 17 11
96 KEVIN VIDA CLARE, MI 2 1 15 7 17 8
97 DAVID GIVENS HERNANDO, FL 13 14 3 9 17 7
98 MICKEY BRUCE BUFORD, GA 2 14 14 7 17 5
99 JACKIE DAVIS WILLARD, MO 6 5 11 0 17 5
100 MARK ROSE MARION, AR 10 15 6 6 17 5
101 CLIFFORD PIRCH PAYSON, AZ 9 8 7 13 17 5
102 CHARLIE HARTLEY GROVE CITY, OH 7 6 9 11 17 1
103 RANDY ALEXANDER LONDON, KY 8 2 8 14 17 0
104 TOSHINARI NAMIKI TOKYO, JP 6 6 10 9 16 15
105 KAREN SAVIK ST. LOUIS PARK, MN 6 12 10 2 16 14
106 JASON KILPATRICK SATSUMA, AL 5 13 10 15 16 12
107 DAVID LAUER SOUTH BEND, IN 7 5 9 6 16 11
108 SCOTT SUGGS BRYANT, AR 9 2 7 9 16 11
109 CLARK WENDLANDT CEDAR PARK, TX 7 15 8 12 16 11
110 GEORGE E COCHRAN HOT SPRINGS NP, AR 8 1 8 10 16 11
111 TERRY BOLTON PADUCAH, KY 3 4 13 6 16 10
112 JIM CARNELL MUSKOGEE, OK 4 10 12 0 16 10
113 DALE EVANS RIDGEVILLE, SC 8 10 8 0 16 10
114 JOHN W CREWS SALEM, VA 3 6 13 2 16 8
115 PETE THLIVEROS JACKSONVILLE, FL 5 6 11 2 16 8
116 JASON ABRAM CHUCKEY, TN 10 8 6 0 16 8
117 CHUCK ECONOMOU REDINGTON SHORES, FL 9 12 6 11 16 7
118 DWAYNE HORTON KNOXVILLE, TN 6 12 9 7 16 3
119 TERRY SEGRAVES KISSIMMEE, FL 7 12 8 7 16 3
120 AL GAGLIARDUCCI AGAWAM, MA 12 6 3 12 16 2
121 CHRIS MCCALL JASPER, TX 7 15 8 3 16 2
122 JACK D BELL KANE, PA 5 9 10 5 15 14
123 MASAKI SHIMONO SHIGA-PREF JAPAN, 6 5 9 8 15 13
124 RICH TAUBER CAMARILLO, CA 5 10 10 2 15 12
125 KEITH PACE MONTICELLO, AR 8 4 7 6 15 10
126 SHAD SCHENCK WAYNETOWN, IN 4 5 11 4 15 9
127 RICK CLUNN AVA, MO 6 2 9 6 15 8
128 STEVE KENNEDY AUBURN, AL 10 11 4 12 15 7
129 ART FERGUSON III ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI 5 5 9 15 15 4
130 MARCEL VEENSTRA BRIGHTON, MI 6 5 8 15 15 4
131 VIC VATALARO KENT, OH 5 11 9 8 15 3
132 JIM NOLAN BULL SHOALS, AR 8 9 6 10 15 3
133 RANDY BLAUKAT LAMAR, MO 8 5 6 14 15 3
134 RICK LILLEGARD PICKTON, TX 5 14 9 1 14 15
135 JERRY WILLIAMS CONWAY, AR 3 11 11 2 14 13
136 SHINICHI FUKAE OSAKA JAPAN 566-0072, 7 8 7 3 14 11
137 RUSS MORAN MURFREESBORO, TN 7 15 6 11 14 10
138 LARRY NIXON BEE BRANCH, AR 4 13 9 10 14 7
139 DAVID COOKE MOORESVILLE, NC 7 3 7 0 14 3
140 SCOTT DOBSON CLARKSTON, MI 8 15 5 3 14 2
141 ANDRE MOORE SCOTTSDALE, AZ 7 6 6 11 14 1
142 TONY DEFILIPPO LAKE ANN, MI 4 11 9 4 13 15
143 ANDY MORGAN DAYTON, TN 9 8 4 2 13 10
144 RUSTY SALEWSKE ALPINE, CA 5 11 7 15 13 10
145 ALFRED WILLIAMS JACKSON, MS 7 13 5 12 13 9
146 ALVIN SHAW STATE ROAD, NC 7 3 6 6 13 9
147 GLENN BROWNE OCALA, FL 2 1 11 7 13 8
148 CHRIS BAUMGARDNER GASTONIA, NC 4 0 9 8 13 8
149 GARY RIFFLE PARIS, TX 4 2 9 6 13 8
150 HARMON DAVIS MARLOW, OK 4 14 8 8 13 6
151 CHARLIE WEYER WEST HILLS, CA 4 11 8 9 13 4
152 GREG GULLEDGE MONTICELLO, AR 5 4 7 15 13 3
153 DENNIS MAGOTO WAYNESVILLE, OH 6 2 7 1 13 3
154 TERRY BAKSAY MONROE, CT 7 0 6 3 13 3
155 DEREK YAMAMOTO TEMPE, AZ 0 0 13 2 13 2
156 DANNY CORREIA MARLBOROUGH, MA 11 2 1 14 13 0
157 BILLY BOWEN JR OCALA, FL 8 12 4 2 12 14
158 MICHAEL BENNETT ROSEVILLE, CA 4 4 8 10 12 14
159 RAY SCHEIDE RUSSELLVILLE, AR 5 11 7 3 12 14
160 SCOTT DAVID GOODRICH, TX 3 8 9 1 12 9
161 DAVID SMITH DEL CITY, OK 5 13 6 12 12 9
162 CHARLIE INGRAM SANTA FE, TN 8 3 4 4 12 7
163 JOEL RICHARDSON KERNERSVILLE, NC 4 11 7 12 12 7
164 KENNETH STRICKLAND GREENSBORO, NC 6 1 5 14 11 15
165 ROBERT SHERRY SAINT CHARLES, IL 5 8 6 3 11 11
166 KEITH WILLIAMS CONWAY, AR 4 8 7 1 11 9
167 ASA GODSEY CLEWISTON, FL 7 3 4 1 11 4
168 PAUL ELIAS LAUREL, MS 2 14 8 4 11 2
169 CURT LYTLE ZUNI, VA 0 0 11 1 11 1
170 NICK GAINEY CHARLESTON, SC 1 8 9 2 10 10
171 DARREL ROBERTSON JAY, OK 3 7 6 15 10 6
172 EMILY H SHAFFER MOUNT JULIET, TN 5 1 5 2 10 3
173 GLENN E MILLER NEWBORN, GA 4 0 5 15 9 15
174 JAMES A PARKER FAYETTEVILLE, NC 1 10 7 15 9 9
175 JOE SMALL MARION, AR 4 13 4 10 9 7
176 CHARLES KING SHREVEPORT, LA 6 14 2 7 9 5
177 MARK HARDIN CANTON, GA 2 8 6 12 9 4
178 DAVID TRUAX BEAUMONT, TX 1 13 7 6 9 3
179 WES THOMAS HANOVER, IN 3 13 5 3 9 0
180 MICHAEL IACONELLI RUNNEMEDE, NJ 0 0 8 13 8 13
181 TERRY BOYD CINCINNATI, OH 1 15 6 14 8 13
182 STEPHEN L TOSH JR MODESTO, CA 5 6 3 4 8 10
183 SEAN HOERNKE MAGNOLIA, TX 1 9 6 13 8 6
184 MICHAEL T BROWN ROCKY FACE, GA 1 8 6 5 7 13
185 MARK GOINES SHADY POINT, OK 1 4 6 6 7 10
186 KIM STRICKER HOWELL, MI 4 0 3 10 7 10
187 JAMES QUILLMAN PLANO, TX 2 15 4 6 7 5
188 KATSUTOSHI FURUSAWA TOKYO JAPAN 1920153, 3 1 4 1 7 2
189 MICHAEL JOHNSON TALKING ROCK, GA 3 12 3 4 7 0
190 LEE BAILEY JR AMSTON, CT 3 1 3 10 6 11
191 BOBBY CURTIS SILOAM SPRINGS, AR 4 4 2 0 6 4
192 STEPHEN H WILSON MISSION HILLS, CA 1 15 3 10 5 9
193 PAUL A WHITMAN JR DALLAS, TX 1 12 2 12 4 8
194 MIKE LEBLANC COLCHESTER, VT 0 0 3 15 3 15
195 CHIC AYDELETTE THOMASVILLE, NC 2 2 1 7 3 9
196 MORIZO SHIMIZU SUITA, OSAKA JAPAN 81, 1 11 1 12 3 7
197 TIM CARROLL OWASSO, OK 0 0 3 0 3 0

Day 3: Lane Leads Final Round

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – FLW Tour rookie Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., caught a five-bass limit weighing 10 pounds, 14 ounces Friday to lead the $900,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop presented by Snickers on Lake Toho. The four-day event, which concludes Saturday, began with 200 pros and 200 co-anglers in the hunt for top awards of $100,000 and $20,000 cash, respectively, and was narrowed to the top 10 anglers in each division Thursday evening.

While weights dropped off for the start of the final round Friday, enthusiast spectators witnessed a near-record catch in the opening round when co-angler Richard Lowitzki of St. Charles, Ill., hoisted an 11-pound, 3-ounce largemouth onto the scale Thursday. The behemoth bass fell just 11 ounces short of the record and ranks as the second heaviest bass in FLW Tour history, surpassing the 11-pounder caught by Bobby Curtis of Siloam Springs, Ark., on Lake Okeechobee last month and the 11-pounder caught by Ray Beck of Beaumont, Texas, on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 1998. Only the 11-pound, 14-ounce bass caught by Jim Nolan on the Santee Cooper lakes in 1996 is heavier.

Counting Lowitzki and Curtis’ fish, plus a 10-pound, 2-ounce bass caught by co-angler Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., on Lake Okeechobee, three of the top seven weights for the Snickers Big Bass Award have come in the last two events. Only fish landed on the first two days of competition count toward the Snickers Big Bass Award.

Cold temperatures and windy conditions made fishing tough for anglers who survived the cut, and only two pros and one co-angler caught five-bass limits Friday. Overall, 48 bass weighing 107 pounds, 14 ounces where brought to the scale.

“I didn’t think 10 pounds would lead, so it turned out to be a good day,” said Lane, a two-time All-American qualifier who is making is second top-10 appearance in as many FLW Tour events this season. “I’m going to go out and fish as hard as I possibly can, and if I’m meant to win, I’ll catch fish.”

Lane qualified for the FLW Tour after earning three EverStart Series top-10 finishes and finishing sixth in the EverStart Series Eastern Division points race in 2004. He caught four of his bass on a 3/8-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait and a 7-inch Gambler worm while fishing arrow head grass near staging areas in Lake Kissimmee. His fifth, and final, fish of the day came on a Gambler BB Cricket in Lake Toho.

“I grew up fishing these lakes with my dad and brothers,” Lane said. “All the guys I’m fishing against are my heroes, so when they come up and congratulate me, I’m living a dream.”

Eight-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., caught five bass weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces on a Senko to secure the No. 2 spot heading into the final day of competition, while 7 UP pro JT Kenney of Frostburg, Md., caught three bass weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces to grab the No. 3 spot. Kenney was flipping a black and blue Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in lakes Kissimmee and Toho.

Pedigree pro Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala. (three bass, 6 pounds, 5 ounces) and Art Berry of Hemet, Calif. (three bass, 6 pounds, 5 ounces) rounded out the top five pros. Ties on day three are resolved by day two standings.

Retired Master Sgt. Ken Chapman of Woodlawn, Tenn., who served with the Army’s 5th Special Forces Group in Afghanistan and Iraq, took top honors and $20,000 in the Co-angler Division with four bass weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces. He caught the fish on green pumpkin and pearl Zoom Horny Toads while fishing grass mats in Lake Kissimmee with Mann.

“There is so much grass out there, and it’s so thick, if you don’t throw it over one’s head, you won’t get hit,” said Chapman, who has earned three top-10 finishes in FLW Outdoors competition since 2003, including a fourth-place finish at the 2004 EverStart Series tournament on the Red River. “I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. I figured I would fish all of these for a year and the EverStarts to qualify (for the FLW Tour Pro Division). I’m learning from some great guys, and that’s what fishing as a co-angler is all about.”

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Tim Peek of Sharpsburg, Ga. (five bass, 10 pounds, 2 ounces, $10,000); Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich. (two bass, 6 pounds, 2 ounces, $9,000); Judy Israel of Clewiston (one bass, 3 pounds, 9 ounces, $8,000); and Bill Rogers of Jasper, Texas (two bass, 3 pounds, 7 ounces, $7,000).

Israel, a former teacher from the Bronx, N.Y., made fishing history last year by winning the FLW Tour stop on the Atchafalaya Basin. She is the first woman to win an FLW Tour event, and this is her 11th top-10 finish in FLW Outdoors competition.

Anglers will take off from Kissimmee Lakefront Park at 7 Saturday morning. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1471 E. Osceola Pkwy. in Kissimmee beginning at 3 p.m.

The community is invited to join the worlds’ top bass anglers as they celebrate the FLW Tour’s 10th anniversary in the Family Fun Zone outside the weigh-in tent in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The free Family Fun Zone, which opens at 11 a.m., features interactive displays, product samples and games for the entire family to enjoy.

Weights were cleared for Friday’s competition, and pros will continue competition Saturday with the winner determined by the heaviest two-day weight.

In addition to a top award of $100,000 and cash awards of at least $10,000 through 50th place in the Pro Division, anglers are also competing for valuable points that determine Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year standings and the field for the 2005 Forrest L. Wood Championship, set for July 13-16 in Hot Springs, Ark., on Lake Hamilton. The $1.5 million championship presented by Castrol awards the winning pro $500,000 cash, the sport’s largest payout, and features a world-class outdoor show.

Complete coverage of the FLW Tour’s stop on Lake Toho will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) March 6 and March 13 as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” airs every Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern time on FSN.

Rank Name Hometown Bass Weight
1 BOBBY LANE LAKELAND, FL 5 10 14
2 TOM MANN JR BUFORD, GA 5 8 2
3 J T KENNEY FROSTBURG, MD 3 6 5
4 GREG PUGH CULLMAN, AL 3 6 5
5 ART BERRY HEMET, CA 3 6 5
6 DAN MOREHEAD PADUCAH, KY 2 5 15
7 TOBY HARTSELL LIVINGSTON, TX 3 5 13
8 RICKY SHUMPERT LEXINGTON, SC 3 5 5
9 WARREN WYMAN CALERA, AL 2 2 5
10 DION HIBDON STOVER, MO 1 1 6

Day 4: Mann Wins FLW Tour Stop on Toho

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Veteran pro Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., caught three bass weighing 8 pounds Saturday in the $900,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop on Lake Toho presented by Snickers to earn $100,000 with a two-day total of eight bass weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces. The win is Mann’s first in four FLW Tour top-10 appearances since 1996 and his first major win since 1991.
The eight-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier opened the tournament with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces to place seventh then climbed to second Thursday with a limit weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces for a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 5 ounces. On Friday, with weights zeroed and the field cut from 200 pros and 200 co-anglers to the top 10 in each division, Mann maintained his second place standing with a limit weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
On Saturday he landed his winning catch with the same watermelon-red flake Senkos that he used to catch all but two of his fish this week.
“This feels great,” said Mann, who twice before earned runner-up finishes in FLW Tour competition. “I guess everyone likes to win. I’ll cherish it for awhile, but in a few weeks there will be another winner, and we’ll keep moving forward.”
Cold overnight temperatures made fishing tough Saturday, as none of the pros caught five-bass limits. Overall, 2,499 bass weighing 5,152 pounds, 12 ounces where brought to the scale this week, and more than 99 percent of the bass were released alive. If the tour maintains a 98 percent live-release rate throughout the season, Energizer will donate $25,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network.
Despite last year’s hurricanes and drawdown to remove muck and excess vegetation, the lake fished better this year than during the tour’s 1998 visit when anglers caught a total of 1,529 bass weighing 3,461 pounds, 4 ounces.
EverStart Series sensation Art Berry of Hemet, Calif., caught three bass weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces to boost his two-day total catch to six bass weighing 15 pounds, 7 ounces. It wasn’t enough to overtake Mann, however, as Berry earned $36,000 and his fourth second-place finish in FLW Outdoors competition.
Before moving up to the FLW Tour this year, Berry dominated the EverStart Series Western division, earning five top-10 finishes – including three seconds – in eight tournaments. He has also earned four Bassmaster top 10s and an FLW Tour top 10 in the only tournament he fished during the 2000 season.
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., took third place and $25,000 with a total of seven bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces in his second top-10 finish in as many FLW Tour events.
Seven-Up pro JT Kenney of Frostburg, Md. (six bass, 11 pounds, 1 ounces, $20,000); and Toby Hartsell of Livington, S.C. (five bass, 10 pounds, 6 ounces, $18,000) rounded out the top five pros.
Berry also earned the Energizer Keeps on Going Award and a $500 Wal-Mart gift card for advancing to the final round as the No. 9 seed after finishing 39th on opening day. It was co-angler Richard Lowitzki of St. Charles, Ill., however, who made the biggest jump in the standings and ultimately finished seventh after opening the tournament with zero fish. After his disappointing start, Lowitzki caught four bass weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces to advance to the final round of co-angler competition. His incredible catch included an 11-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that ranks as the second heaviest bass in FLW Tour history. The angler who catches the heaviest bass during the 2005 season will win a $5,000 Snickers Big Bass Award.
Retired Master Sgt. Ken Chapman of Woodlawn, Tenn., who served with the Army’s 5th Special Forces Group in Afghanistan and Iraq, took top honors and $20,000 in the Co-angler Division Friday with four bass weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces. He caught the fish on green pumpkin and pearl Zoom Horny Toads while fishing grass mats in Lake Kissimmee with Mann.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” said Chapman, who has earned three top-10 finishes in FLW Outdoors competition since 2003, including a fourth-place finish at the 2004 EverStart Series tournament on the Red River. “I figured I would fish all of these for a year and the EverStarts to qualify (for the FLW Tour Pro Division). I’m learning from some great guys, and that’s what fishing as a co-angler is all about.”
Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Tim Peek of Sharpsburg, Ga. (five bass, 10 pounds, 2 ounces, $10,000); Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich. (two bass, 6 pounds, 2 ounces, $9,000); Judy Israel of Clewiston (one bass, 3 pounds, 9 ounces, $8,000); and Bill Rogers of Jasper, Texas (two bass, 3 pounds, 7 ounces, $7,000).
Israel, a former teacher from the Bronx, N.Y., made fishing history last year by winning the FLW Tour stop on the Atchafalaya Basin. She is the first woman to win an FLW Tour event, and this was her 11th top-10 finish in FLW Outdoors competition.
In addition to a top award of $100,000 and cash awards of $10,000 through 50th place in the Pro Division, anglers were also competing this week for valuable points that determine Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year standings and the field for the 2005 Forrest L. Wood Championship, set for July 13-16 in Hot Springs, Ark., on Lake Hamilton. The $1.5 million championship presented by Castrol awards the winning pro $500,000 cash, the sport’s largest payout, and features a world-class outdoor show.
Complete coverage of the FLW Tour’s stop on Lake Toho will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) March 6 and March 13 as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program. “FLW Outdoors” airs every Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern time on FSN.
The next stop on the $7.6 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour is the Ouachita River in Monroe, La. The $900,000 event presented by 7 UP and hosted by the Monroe/West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau runs March 9-12.

Rank Name Hometown Day 3 Weight Day 4 Weight Total Weight Winnings
1 TOM MANN JR BUFORD, GA 8 2 8 0 16 2 100000.00
2 ART BERRY HEMET, CA 6 5 9 2 15 7 36000.00
3 BOBBY LANE LAKELAND, FL 10 14 2 5 13 3 25000.00
4 J T KENNEY FROSTBURG, MD 6 5 5 6 11 11 20000.00
5 TOBY HARTSELL LIVINGSTON, TX 5 13 4 9 10 6 18000.00
6 RICKY SHUMPERT LEXINGTON, SC 5 5 3 14 9 3 17000.00
7 DAN MOREHEAD PADUCAH, KY 5 15 3 0 8 15 16000.00
8 GREG PUGH CULLMAN, AL 6 5 0 0 6 5 15000.00
9 DION HIBDON STOVER, MO 1 6 4 6 5 12 14000.00
10 WARREN WYMAN CALERA, AL 2 5 0 0 2 5 13000.00

Articles/Photos from FLW

Compiled by Brandon Shook

President/Publisher: Brandon Shook.