LAPLATA, Md. (June 23, 2005) - With two days complete at the Open bass fishing tournament on the Potomac River, the FLW Tour's qualifying season is over for all but the 10 remaining pros and co-anglers who will continue fishing in the final round for top awards of $200,000 and $40,000, respectively. The top 48 anglers in each division following the end of competition Saturday will also advance to the $1.5 million Forrest L. Wood Championship in Hot Springs, Ark., July 13-16.
Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kan., leads the Pro Division with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 10 ounces. He caught five bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces Wednesday using a homemade 3/8-ounce jig with a Zoom Super Chuck Jr. trailer then added another five bass weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces Thursday using the same lure around both shallow grass and boat docks. He also used a crankbait early in the day to boat a quick limit near grass beds. Low tide, he said, is helping to position his fish each day.
"I feel good right now," said Chapman, who is expecting the birth of his second child any day now. "I've finished 11th twice already this year, so it's great to make the top 10. If I miss my daughter's birth, I figure a $200,000 check will help make up for it."
Michael Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J., added five bass weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces to his day one catch of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 12 ounces to finish the opening round in second with 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 9 ounces.
Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., claimed the No. 3 qualifying spot in the final round with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 10 ounces.
Toshinari Namiki of Hachioji-City, Japan, (10 bass, 32 pounds, 7 ounces) and Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, (10 bass, 31 pounds, 13 ounces) rounded out the top five pros.
All told, it was another near-record performance in Charles County as 195 pros and 181 co-anglers caught bass, bringing a total of 1,495 fish weighing 3,166 pounds, 15 ounces to the stage. The two-day opening round catch of 3,201 bass weighing 7,084 pounds, 1 ounce is the tour's third best of all time in terms of bass caught and weight. Only Lake Champlain in New York produced more fish in 2004 (3,457 bass, 8,239 pounds, 11 ounces) and 2002 (3,233 bass, 7,865 pounds, 8 ounces). Most of the bass weighed in on Lake Champlain were smallmouths, while the Potomac River produced largemouths.
The closely contested Angler of the Year points race drew even closer Thursday with only seven points separating Hackney and Namiki in the chase for the coveted title. Both men came from behind to unseat the previous points leader, J.T. Kenney of Frostburg. Final points will not be available until Saturday's final weigh-in.
Coming into the event, Gagliardi, Hackney and Namiki trailed Kenney by 2, 16 and 23 points, respectively, in the No. 2, 3 and 4 positions. Gagliardi finished the tournament in 37th with 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 8 ounces while Kenney finished 114th with nine bass weighing 20 pounds, 12 ounces.
Gary Yamamoto of Mineola, Texas, earned the Energizer Keeps on Going Award for jumping from 43rd in the standings to qualify for the final round as the No. 7 angler.
Chapman earned the day's Big Bass award of $750 in the Pro Division with a 5-pound, 14-ounce largemouth. Danny Correia of Marlborough, Mass., earned the overall Big Bass award of $1,000 for catching the heaviest bass in either division during the opening round. Correia caught a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth Wednesday.
Roger Hester II of Walnut Cove, N.C., leads the Co-angler Division thanks to a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 12 ounces. Hester caught five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces Wednesday while fishing with John Crews of Salem, Va., then added another five bass weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces to his total Thursday while fishing with pro Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla..
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Kent McPhail of Lubbock, Texas (10 bass, 26 pounds, 7 ounces); Fred Martin of North Little Rock, Ark. (10 bass, 26 pounds, 5 ounces); Johnny Taylor of Kodak, Tenn. (10 bass, 26 pounds, 5 ounces); and Merle Wells Jr. of Hammond, N.Y. (10 bass, 25 pounds, 10 ounces).
Dennis Kirby of Lakeland, Tenn., claimed the Snickers Big Bass award and $375 in the Co-angler Division with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass that he caught while fishing with pro Steven McGahan of Gales Ferry, Conn.
Anglers will take off each morning from Smallwood State Park in Marbury at 6:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday's weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 40 Drury Drive in LaPlata beginning at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.