Tune in June 27 to the “FLW Outdoors” television show on the Outdoor Life Network for a preview of the $1.25 million Forrest Wood Open presented by Kellogg’s. The event is the final stop in the qualifying season of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour and takes place on New York’s Lake Champlain. Host Hank Parker will interview the leader of the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year race, Shinichi Fukae of Osaka, Japan, with interpretation help from pro Gary Yamamoto. Parker will also catch up with the man standing in second place in the Angler of the Year race: Yamaha pro Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La. Rounding out the show will be Vic Vatalaro of Kent, Ohio, who is currently ranked 49th in the FLW Tour’s 2004 standings.
Fukae, who is in his rookie season on the FLW Tour, has had an unbelievable breakout year with three top-10 finishes to his credit this season. The closest person to Fukae in the race is Hackney, who is competing in his fourth full season on the tour. He, too, has had a great season with two top-10 finishes. Hackney will need a very strong finish on Lake Champlain to overtake Fukae and be crowned Angler of the Year..,
Vatalaro, who is in his second season on the FLW Tour, has never qualified for the FLW Tour Championship, which allows only the top 48 anglers after the Lake Champlain event to advance. His fate will be decided on Lake Champlain, where he will need to fish strong to move up in the standings to qualify for his first championship and the opportunity to win a $500,000 check in Birmingham, Ala.
Also profiled on the show will be FLW Tour pro Aaron Martens, who walked away champion of last year’s Forrest Wood Open on Wheeler Lake in Alabama.
The Outdoor Life Network broadcasts “FLW Outdoors” Sundays from 1-2 p.m. Eastern and again Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area.
During each tournament show, FLW Outdoors television hosts Carlton Wing and Taylor Carr will go on location to provide on-the-water coverage. While tournament weigh-ins will broadcast live at Wal-Mart stores throughout the country, “FLW Outdoors” will be tape-delayed by three weeks to bring audiences nationwide the best tournament footage possible throughout the season.By: Bill Petrowiak, FLW Outdoors
