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Rogers, AR – The ingredients are all in place; 10 anglers, 2 days of fishing and $200,000.00 for the winner; as the FLW Wal-Mart Open presented by Folgers is in the home stretch.
After two grueling days of fishing on the crystal clear waters of Beaver Lake only ten pros were left to vie for the top spot and a place in history. Among the qualifiers are greats like Jay Yelas, Andy Morgan, Ray Scheide and Chad Morgenthaler. Also, in the mix is rookie Andy Montgomery who led this event on day one as well as fourth year touring pro Glenn Browne.
Fishing his first tour event on the pro side is local big stick JR Beehler from nearby Bella Vista. He joins long time professional Dwayne Horton, Virginia pro Jacob Powroznik and FLW stalwart Alfred Williams.
These ten anglers launched their boats early Saturday morning with just two days left to find and catch a winning weight worth $200,000.00. Each angler started the day with zero weight and on a level playing field. Beaver Lake had not been kind to the 201 pros that started this event with just over 9 pounds needed each day to make the finals.
Saturday’s festivities were kicked off by representatives from the National Guard who are huge supporters of FLW and the sport of fishing. The ten remaining co-anglers were the first to come on the stage. Once their one-day catch was weighed, tallied and compared, J R Grubb from Hamburg, Arkansas was crowned champion. He took home $30,000.00 for his last day weight of 11 pounds, 13 ounces.
Based on his 10th place qualifying weight of 18-13, Chad Morgenthaler was the first pro to cross the stage. His weight on Saturday was 7-3 and put him in third. After bringing in the largest weight on Friday, Alfred Williams didn’t have a legal fish on day three and as a result, the retired postman will start Sunday in the tenth spot.
Jacob Powroznik probed the deep waters for a two day total of 18-14. Saturday he again went deep and caught six pounds. He will need to make up more than five pounds for a chance at the win.
Ray Scheide caught ten keepers during this first two days for a combined weight of 18-15, but only managed four fish on day three. His 4-13 sack left him in 8th. Following Ray was long time pro Dwayne Horton fishing in his sixth top ten. Dwayne weighed in four fish that totaled 4-5.
Local favorite J R Beehler was welcomed to the stage by a huge round of applause from his hometown crowd. His four fish totaled 5-10 and he will start in the sixth position on Sunday. Florida pro Glenn Browne averaged almost ten pounds a day on the way to the finals. He brought just 5-15 to the scales on Saturday and now sits in fifth.
Day one leader, Andy Montgomery was the 8th pro to come on stage and his weight of 4-13 left the rookie with a lot of work to do on Sunday.
Andy Morgan has taken more than $600,000.00 from the FLW organization without ever winning a tour event. He weighed in a limit of bass on Saturday that pushed the scales down to 9 pounds, 6 ounces. He will head into the last day in second a little over a pound out.
Jay Yelas is a former AOY on the FLW tour and may be the hottest angler on tour right now. He led the event after day two and with 11-13 he will take that lead into the final day.
Top Ten
1. Jay Yelas 11-13
2. Andy Morgan 9-6
3. Chad Morgenthaler 7-3
4. Jacob Powroznik 6-0
5. Glenn Browne 5-15
6. J R Beehler 5-10
7. Andy Montgomery 4-13
8. Ray Scheide 4-13
9. Dwayne Horton 4-5
10. Alfred Williams 0-0
Yelas Still in Control
Jay Yelas has won almost every award there is to be had in the world of bass fishing. AOY Titles he has them. Classic win, yes Jay has that too. A win on the FLW Wal-Mart tour, no Jay is still looking for his first.
On Sunday, Jay will begin the final day with more than a two pound lead. “It’s up to the Lord, when I win my next event,” Jay said. “I really want an FLW tour win and I hope to win the Championship someday.”
Heading into the finals, Jay used a swim-bait and a top-water lure to catch his fish. On Saturday, it was the same story. “I have one spot and one pattern working,” stated the Skeeter pro. “Tomorrow I will do the same things and hope it works out.”
Jay uses the swim bait around the docks while the shad are spawning and then moves to an area with flooded willows and tries to up grade his catch. “My partner—Chris Koester, who finished second in the co-angler division with 11-11 on Saturday—and I caught 11 fish out of that one spot today,” Jay revealed. “I should be able to catch five more tomorrow.”
Even with the success Jay has enjoyed on both Tours, he changed his philosophy at the start of this season. “I’m fishing for the win. I’m throwing baits that attract bigger fish. I have not targeted the smaller spotted bass this week. With the caliber of anglers fishing out here, in order to win you have to go for it all.”
Morgan Close
Another pro that is hungry for a tour level win is Andy Morgan. Andy brought 9-3 to the scales on day three and is in a position to realize the dream of winning. “Today was just terrible,” he said. “I lost two big fish that would have put me in first.
The Tennessee pro stayed in his area even all day even after struggling early on. “The schoolers I had been catching all week never showed up,” he claimed. “I do have some shallow fish that helped and hopefully those other fish will be there tomorrow.”
He doesn’t plan to change anything and will return to that spot on Sunday. With a victory within reach, Andy reflected on what it would mean to him, “I’ve been close several times and something just seems to go wrong.
“I don’t care about 2nd thru 10th, I want the win. At least it would get the monkey off my back and hopefully get me on a roll.”
Morgenthaler in Third
Chad Morgenthaler is not ready to give up the fight and with the tough conditions on the lake he is still in contention. His five fish on Saturday left him more than four pounds back of the leader, but within striking distance. “On this lake anyone can stumble,” said the Lowrance pro. “It could be me, but hopefully it is the guys on top.”
Chad said the keys for him so far this week have been long cast, boat position and the depth he is fishing. “I will pull up to a spot make 30 or so cast and if they aren’t there I’m moving,” he stated. “When I do get a bite, they will fire up and I can catch two or three.”
Chad had his chances today, but a lost fish really hurt overall weight of 7-3. “I lost one that was about three pounds. I’ve been able to catch one or two quality fish a day and today that one got off.”
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