As Dearal Rodgers prepares for the fifth FLW Major of the year he is still looking to knock a home run in a tournament in his rookie season as a pro angler.

Rodgers of Camden, S.C., won the Co-angler Division of the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier with 14 bass weighing 27 pounds, 3ounces. The win earned Rodgers $65,000 and came on the heels of being crowned the 2009 FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year.

That win money gave him the financial impetus to fish this year on the pro side of the Majors, but he is still looking for major sponsor money so he can continue to fish as a pro. A top finish in the remaining two Majors could be the lure for a good sponsor, he noted.

“If the season ended right now I would say I had a decent year,” said Rodgers who is currently ranked 26^th in the standings. “I’ve fished four events and got a check in three of them so it’s been a good year for a rookie year. But I still want to do something spectacular and make a good bit of money and that has not happened yet.”

So far this year Rodgers has earned $26,500 and his best finish was 14^th at Lake Chickamauga in April. If he is able to hold in the top 30 he will qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas August 11.

He definitely will finish in the top 100 and qualify for the FLW Majors Tour in 2012, but he may not be able to fish it as a pro.

“Being eligible is one thing, but being able to finance it is another matter,” Rodgers said. “That’s why I try to give it all I have in these tournaments. I practice to the very end each day so I won’t cut my time short. If I don’t gt to do it next year at least I can say I gave it my best.”

The tournament on Kentucky-Barkley lakes this week could go either way, said Rodgers who has concentrated his practice time on Kentucky lake.

“The fish have to be 15 inches in length to weigh them in and that is going to be an issue. You can catch a lot of fish, but catching one 15 inches or more is difficult.”

Adding to the problem is the fact that the fish are in full summer pattern, holding on deep ledges, and they are being hammered by local fishermen as well as the pros.

“The ledges here get so much pressure from locals and tournament fishermen, I guess because the electronics are so good now. Every ledge is covered up.”

Rodgers plans to make a pretty long run to a spot he found that he really likes, but that spot is noted for a lot of local pressure so he may be sharing the area with fishermen who are not in the FLW tournament.

“I caught one about 7 pounds there, but I don’t know if I can catch another one – or if I can even get on the place. All I can do is try,” he said.

If he can find a spot to fish, he plans to employ the tactics he learned fishing ledges on his home Lake Wateree back in South Carolina.

“At Lake Wateree the fish are on the ledges and everybody knows about them, so they get a lot of pressure. What we have to do is try different baits and techniques, either downsize or go bigger, reel in fast or slow, try to do different things to get bites.”

Whatever the outcome his rookie year has been a blast Rodgers said and he is looking forward to the tournament this week on Kentucky Lake.

“It should be fun.”

 

FLW Tour Major

June 16-19, 2011

Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

Kentucky Dam Marina

www.flwoutdoors.com