BENTON, Ky. (July 12, 2005) - FLW Outdoors announced Tuesday that the FLW Tour is once again Birmingham Bound, with the 2006 Forrest L. Wood Championship - featuring the sport's largest purse at $1.5 million and $500,000 going to the winner - to be held on Logan Martin Lake in Birmingham, Ala.
Birmingham, which is surrounded by some of the best bass-fishing waters in the country, was the site of the 2004 Forrest L. Wood Championship.
"We are thrilled to once again hold the Forrest L. Wood Championship in Birmingham," said Charlie Evans, president and CEO of FLW Outdoors. "The region's fan support and hospitality are unparalleled, and we look forward to an even bigger event than we had in 2004. Every year we take the Forrest L. Wood Championship and outdoor show a notch higher, so fishing fans can be assured that the event will be the biggest and most exciting championship the sport has ever seen."
Competition for the 2006 FLW Tour season kicks off Jan. 18-21 on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla., then continues on Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., Feb. 8-11 and Lake Pickwick in Florence, Ala., March 1-4. Beaver Lake in Rogers, Ark., will host the Wal-Mart Open April 5-8 followed by a stop on Kentucky Lake in Benton, Ky., May 10-13 and Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., June 21-24. The Forrest L. Wood Championship, complete with its boat and outdoor show, will be held Aug. 2-5.
The 2004 Forrest L. Wood Championship in Birmingham was a huge success, attracting visitors from 32 states to the boat and outdoor show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. A capacity crowd attended the final day weigh-in to watch Chevy pro Luke Clausen win $500,000. The championship also produced articles in magazines and newspapers with a combined circulation exceeding 45 million copies worldwide. This exposure helped to further elevate the city's rich bass-fishing heritage and quality reputation among the world's fishing enthusiasts.
2006 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Date Lake City, State Jan. 18-21 Lake Okeechobee Clewiston, Fla. Feb. 8-11 Lake Murray Columbia, S.C. March 1-4 Pickwick Lake Florence, Ala. April 5-8 Beaver Lake Rogers, Ark. May 10-13 Kentucky Lake Benton, Ky. June 21-24 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, N.Y. Aug. 2-5 Logan Martin Lake Birmingham, Ala.