With practice over, Anthony Gagliardi was waiting to learn his flight number before determining a set strategy for the first day of fishing Thursday on the Potomac River in the fourth FLW Tour Major of the year. “I have probably three or four primary ares that I know hold fish. I may decide to fish one for an entire day or I may run up the river and fish back down with the tide,” said the…

Chris Lucas, tournament director for the Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail, is looking for 200 or more boats for Saturday's tournament on Smith Mountain Lake!! “We had 223 boats in the first tournament (on Smith Mountain), 224 in the second tournament (on Kerr Reservoir) and it dropped to to 167 in the third tournament (also on Kerr), which is typical because we split the state in half. We go…

One of Capt. David Berry's very happy clients! If the Elite Series anglers competing in the Douglas Lake Challenge, the fourth tournament in the 8-tournament series for 2012, have not already figured it out in practice this week, they probably should heed the advice of a knowledgeable local fishing guide. In short, Capt. David Berry of Mascot, Tenn., says it's time to break out the deep…

Dearal Rodgers has had mixed result in five previous FLW Tour tournaments on Arkansas' Beaver Lake, but he notched top 50 finals in the last two events there and is looking for more of the same in the third FLW Tour Major of 2012 this week. But, it might not be easy. “Beaver Lake was high a couple of weeks ago but it has been dropped about 6 or 7 feet and is pretty low right now,” said the…

In the six years since the first Warriors on the Water Bass Tournament was held a lot of friendships have been fostered between the anglers and the military men and women they take fishing. In fact, said Hal Abshire, one of the co-founders of the unique fishing event, many of the military fishermen have been deployed since they fished in the tournament. “They say that all they thought…

Nick Gainey of Charleston, SC. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors. Nick Gainey spent the first half of this week trying to make sense out of the confusion over the bass in the Santee Cooper Lakes as he prepared for the FLW EverStart Series Southeast Division tournament this coming weekend. After practicing on his home waters Friday and Saturday, the Charleston, S.C., angler admitted the bass had…

Andy Montgomery has never fished Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas before, so when practice starts Monday for the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament next week, he will be in full learning mode. “I' don't know much about the place and really have not done much research, but I have fished Table Rock and Beaver Lake several times and they are on the same chain, so I figure the fishing will be pretty…

Hank Cherry, center, has won a lot of tournaments on Norman! Hank Cherry of Maiden, N.C., hopes to extend his recent tournament success in the Bassmaster Bass Pro Shops Southern Open tournament on Lake Norman next weekend, with the goal of earning a slot in the BASS Elite Series next year. Cherry finished a respectable 17th in the first Southern Open of the year Jan. 19-21on the Harris…

Kent Ware of Wadmalaw Island, SC. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors. Kent Ware's professional expertise is in saltwater game fish, but his passion is in freshwater – as in tournament bass fishing. He has taken time off from his day job this week to fish the FLW EverStart Series Southeast Division tournament on Lake Seminole, returning to the EverStart Series after a layoff of a couple of years.…

Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors. Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala., has an enviable record in Walmart Bass Fishing League tournaments on Lake Eufaula, but he says the playing field is about as level as it could be for Saturday's Bama Division BFL tournament Saturday. “Fishing on Lake Eufaula got in such bad shape last year it's anybody's game now,” said Ingram…

Jeremiah Jensen of Columbia, S.C. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors. Jeremiah Jensen of Columbia, S.C., says he almost always has good practices on Lake Wylie, but then something changes on the day of the tournament and he doesn't get it figured out until it's too late. He hopes to change that pattern Saturday. “Last year they bass were almost all in pre-spawn going into the South Carolina BFL…

Dearal Rodgers with two nice bass he caught just in time for this story! Last year when Dearal Rodgers was planning strategy for fishing the FLW Tour tournament on Lake Hartwell he made a key error in judgment – something he is determined not to repeat next weekend when the Tour returns to Lake Hartwell for the first major of the 2012 season. “Last year the tournament was in mid-March and…

The Walmart BFL North Carolina Division tournament Saturday on Lake Norman can be won shallow – or it can be won deep – according to a veteran angler who is always one to be reckoned with in BFL tournaments in the Carolinas. “We're supposed to have a little foul weather on Monday and that will make things better for both the shallow water guys and the guys fishing for…

The Walmart BFL North Carolina Division tournament Saturday on Lake Norman can be won shallow – or it can be won deep – according to a veteran angler who is always one to be reckoned with in BFL tournaments in the Carolinas. “We're supposed to have a little foul weather on Monday and that will make things better for both the shallow water guys and the guys fishing for…

Davy Hite will be back in Louisiana looking for his second Bassmaster Classic next week. Photo courtesy bassmaster.com Pro angler Davy Hite will spend his four-day practice period starting on Friday, deciding how he will fish the Red River in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic next Friday-Sunday. “The big thing here on the Red River is that you have a lot of river you can fish. You can commit to…

Greg Sims has a passion for fishing that he hopes will translate into success fishing tournaments full time this year. “I have fished all my life and I think all fishermen who really love fishing know – you may not be able to put into words – but they have a passion,” said the China Grove, NC, angler who plans to fish the BASS Southern Opens, some of the FLW EverStart schedule, some WalMart…

Mark Lundgren of Port Lucie, Fla., a dedicated bass fisherman, would love nothing more than repeat his February 2011 win in the Gator Division BFL tournament on Lake Okeechobee Saturday, but he knows it won't be easy. A major reason is the competition. The field for the Gator Division tournament on Okeechobee Saturday is full and loaded with top anglers. For instance both Brandon McMillan of…

Bo Price of Seneca, SC. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors. Longtime fishing buddies Bo Price and Glenn Kimbrell did not really take things too seriously in the BFL Savannah River Division tournament on Lake Keowee last February. “We said we would meet up at 12 o’clock and have a bacon sandwich. When we got together, he said, what have you got? I said 10 or 11 pounds and he said he had 10 or 11…

The winter respite from tournament fishing has been a nice break for Anthony Gagliardi, a time for the Prosperity, S.C., pro to spend some time with his family and enjoy playing with his little girl who will be 4 in less than a month and his little boy, who is 2. But, with the first FLW Tour Open starting on Lake Okeechobee next Thursday, Gagliardi has been getting his equipment – and…

Critical open heart surgery last year interrupted Ken Ellis' 2011 tournament plans, but he is slowly working his way back up to speed. The Bowman, S.C., angler has been practicing on Lake Okeechobee this week for the FLW EverStart Series Southeast Division's first tournament of 2012. The first part of the week, he said, was disappointing so Ellis spent Wednesday trying to find fish for the…

Allan Cagle, BFL Gator Division Angler of The Year in 2010. Photo courtesy flwoutdoors.com The first major cold front of the winter slowed the bite on Lake Okeechobee, but near-springlike temperatures this week should put the fish in a much better mood and result in some hefty stringers in the Walmart Bass Fishing League's Gator Division tournament Saturday, according to the top division…

The Claire Whaley Foundation, which raises money for families with children that have special needs, will hold its first ever Open Bass Tournament on Lake Keowee Saturday, Jan. 14. “Everybody has been hollering they wanted a tournament that paid a little money and Keowee is a fish factory this time of year,” said Trad Whaley, founder of the foundation that bears his daughter's name. “I am…