Tune in Sunday to “Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” on FSN for the $200,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series event held in Charlotte Harbor, Fla. The third Eastern Division event of the $1.9 million FLW Redfish Series season concludes with the winning team claiming a cash prize of $50,000.
The “Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” saltwater series is a reality-format show told from the anglers’ perspective. Each week the top-four teams are followed from takeoff to weigh-in, allowing the audience to feel the anglers’ nerves, listen to their strategy, and learn from their mistakes. The stories evolve and the suspense grows throughout the one-hour show until the final weigh-in results are announced.
Teams compete for two days to determine the winner based on accumulated weight.
The Sunday, Oct. 9, show follows the pro redfish team of Scott Guthrie and Rick Murphy after their prior victory in their hometown of Jacksonville. After their $37,500 triumph, these anglers quickly find out a different venue calls for different tactics.
After one day of fierce competition, Andrew Bostick of Marco Island, Fla., and Mark Miller of Plainfield, Ind., have taken the early lead with two redfish weighing 16 pounds even. Although tournament redfishing is a relatively young sport, these two have already made a name for themselves.
Sitting in second place after day one is Bryan Watts of Lithia, Fla., and Greg Watts of Eagle Lake, Fla. These brothers are no strangers to how the points system works, having chased the spotted tails of redfish from state to state. Thus far, the Watts’ strategy has centered on fishing mangroves with Gulp! Shrimp on a jighead. The team is skipping these plastic lures under the mangrove canopy and then slowly dragging the baits out.
FSN also follows the father and son team of Jerry and Rick Walters. These Brooksville, Fla., pros start out well by putting two redfish in the tank. But judging by their catch, you might think this was a kingfish event.
FSN broadcasts “Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon ET. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area.
FSN reaches more than 78 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable-TV home to 60 of the 81 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States and produces over 4,500 live events each year. In addition to home-team games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and programming, including the “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and “Beyond the Glory.” For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN Web site at FoxSports.com.
“Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” is also televised on the American Forces Network, which reaches over 800,000 service men and women stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard naval ships.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers eight national tournament circuits offering more than $30 million in awards through 214 events in 2005. The 27-year-old organization is the purveyor of America’s largest and most prestigious fishing tournaments, including the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series.
Wal-Mart and more than 40 of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as title sponsor of the FLW Tour in 1997 and today is the title sponsor of all FLW Outdoors events.
By: Dave Washburn, vp comm, FLW Outdoors
