Huge Lewis Smith Lake Spotted Bass Expected To Be Showcased
The second tournament of the 20th anniversary season of the Walmart FLW Tour, the most competitive tour in professional bass-fishing, kicks off March 26-29 with the Walmart FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by Evinrude. Hosted by the Chamber Commerce of Walker County, the tournament will feature 154 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals and co-anglers casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the pro division and up to $25,000 cash in the co-angler division.
Local angler Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury of Springville, Alabama will be one of the 154 anglers competing at the Walmart FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by Evinrude.
“This is going to be a really exciting tournament,” said Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury of Springville, Alabama, a six-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier. “We’ve seen some big spots (spotted bass) weighed there in past FLW tournaments, but nothing like the way the lake is right now. There are a ton of four- and five-pounders swimming around right now.
“The lake is full of blueback herring, which is why the spotted bass have gotten huge,” Canterbury continued. “It’s been taking at least 20 pounds to win local tournaments all winter long. Alabama has a love for professional bass fishing, so I know we’re going to see some great crowds and I’m looking forward to a really great event. It helps that the event is close to home, so I know that I’m going to have a lot of family and friends out to the marina each day to watch the takeoffs and weigh-ins.”
Canterbury said that tournament anglers would be spread out all over Lewis Smith Lake, some choosing to fish deep water looking for the giant schools of spotted bass while others choose to fish shallow.
“I think the tournament will be won out deep,” Canterbury said. “Every time the FLW Tour has visited here in the past that is how the event has been won. That’s not necessarily my strength, though, and not how I’m going to be fishing. I finished second there in 2008 fishing shallow, and I think there will be a few anglers that make the top-20 cut that choose to fish the shallow water. The sheer numbers of fish are out deep, though.”
Canterbury said that jerkbaits and finesse techniques, such as underspins and drop-shot rigs, would be key for the deep-water anglers. Crankbaits will be the bait of choice for anglers choosing to fish shallow.
“I don’t think anybody will be able to catch 20 pounds a day for four days in a row,” Canterbury went on to say. “I think that if an angler can average 15 to 16 pounds a day, they’ll be right in the hunt to win the tournament on the final day.”
In FLW Tour competition, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2015 Forrest Wood Cup will be in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 20-23 on Lake Ouachita and is hosted by Visit Hot Springs. The Forrest Wood Cup Champion could win as much as $500,000 – professional bass-fishing’s richest prize.
Anglers will take off from the Smith Lake Dam Access located at 7482 Smith Lake Dam Road in Jasper at 7 a.m. each day of competition. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Smith Lake Dam Access beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s final weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 4 p.m.
Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Smith Lake Dam Access prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes a Ranger boat simulator, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public. Also on Saturday, the FLW Foundation’s “Get Outdoors. Go Fish!” Youth Fishing Derby will be held in conjunction with the Expo at the Smith Lake Dam Access from noon – 3 p.m. The derby is free and open to area youth 15 years of age and younger.
Coverage of the Lewis Smith Lake tournament will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) October 5 from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. ET. when Season 20 of “FLW” returns this fall. 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.
ABOUT FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2015 over the course of 240 tournaments across five tournament circuits, four of which provide an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
By: Joe Opager, Director of Public Relations
