FLW Outdoors has announced 2009 bass tournament changes that include smaller fields in the Walmart FLW Tour and FLW Series.
The fields will be trimmed from 200 boats to 150, and pros must commit to fish all six tour qualifiers.
Top payouts in FLW Tour qualifiers will remain $125,000 for pros and $25,000 for co-anglers. The purse for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup will increase from $2 million to $2.5 million.
The FLW Series fish-off will be dropped, and the top 20 pros and co-anglers from each division will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup for a shot at winning $1 million.
Pro entry fees for 2009 are $4,000 for FLW Tour and FLW Series qualifiers and $5,000 for FLW Tour opens. Co-angler entry fees are unchanged at $700 for FLW Tour and FLW Series qualifiers and $800 for FLW Tour opens.
Stren Series tournaments will be cut from four days to three days in an effort to help anglers feeling the pressure of higher fuel prices and increased expenses. Top awards on the pro side remain unchanged at $25,000.
The College Fishing circuit will allow full-time students to participate in events organized around the five Stren Series Divisions. Schools in each division can send two-person teams to each of the four Stren Series qualifying events in a division.
The College Fishing National Championship will be a three-day televised event for the top five teams from each regional, 25 total teams.
Saltwater tours will be discontinued after this season. For more information, visit FLWOutdoors. com or call 270-252-1000.
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Chandler Smith caught a 4- pound bass in Jimmie Goodnight’s pond off Leonard Road on Aug. 16.
Jeff Smith sent the photo in and said Chandler is one of his triplet nephews from Salisbury. Brothers Cameron and Colby also caught fish, but Chandler’s was the largest bass he has ever caught. He was using a tequila sunrise worm and an ultra-light rod and reel.
The triplets are starting their first year at Erwin Middle School this week.