LAKE COUNTY–One of the largest and richest professional bass tournaments in the West begins Wednesday at Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa on Clear Lake. The FLW-National Guard Western Series Pro/Am tournament hosts 400 fishermen (200 pros and 200 co-anglers or amateurs) from throughout the United States, Asia and Europe.
The tournament features a purse of $1 million, including a top prize of $100,000 for the winning pro and a $25,000 bonus is the winning pro is a registered owner of a 2004 or newer Ranger boat.
Second place in the pro division is worth $50,000, third place pays $40,000, fourth place is worth $30,000, and fifth place pays $20,000. Pros finishing in the top 50 will receive a check.
The winning co-angler is guaranteed $20,000 and an additional $5,000 if he or she is the registered owner of a 2000 or new Ranger boat. The pros paid an entry fee of $3,500 to enter the tournament and the co-anglers paid $750.
The four-day event blasts off Wednesday at first safe light and concludes Saturday. Tournament weigh-ins Wednesday, Thursday and Friday take place at Konocti Harbor Resort. On Saturday, the weigh-in moves to the parking lot at Wal-Mart in Clearlake. The weigh-in all four days starts at 3 p.m.
All 400 fishermen compete Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Only the top pros advance to Saturday”s final round based on their three-round accumulated weight. The top pros are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four rounds.
The co-anglers fish only Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The FLW tournament is a true pro/am format in that pros and co-anglers fish separately. Each fisherman is allowed to weigh in five fish per day.
Under the tournament format, pros supply the boats, fish from the front of the boat and compete against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back of the boat and compete against other co-anglers.
Local bass pro Jimmy Reese of Witter Springs is considered one of the favorites in this year”s tournament. He won last year”s FLW-Stren Clear Lake tournament with a four-day weight of more than 75 pounds.
Another favorite is Kelseyville bass pro Sieg Taylor, who is red-hot at Clear Lake of late, having won the Bob”s Marine tournament last month and the Triton Boat Owners tournament last week.
He also won the FLW Stren Series tournament held four years ago at Clear Lake.
Mark Crutcher of Lakeport also should be a favorite to place at the top of the pack. Crutcher has won a number of bass tournaments at Clear Lake where he is always a threat. Local fishing guide Bob Myskey of Nice is another threat.
If any lake records fall this week, it will take some doing as the lake level in only 1.15 feet above zero on the Rumsey Gauge and the water temperature has been hovering around a chilly 60 degrees in the morning. Most of the fishermen should be concentrated in the deeper water in the south end.
Television crews from the Fox Sports Network (FSN) will be filming the tournament from camera boats and helicopters. Tournament highlights will be aired at a later date.
According to tournament organizers, the four-day will could pump more than $300,000 into the local economy.
FLW is one of the largest professional bass tournament organizations in the nation. It also sponsors walleye tournaments in the Midwest as well as ocean fishing tournaments.
