BENTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2008) - FLW Outdoors has announced entry dates for the 2009 Stren Series, which will feature a three-day format and a dramatic increase in the top co-angler award at each qualifier.
The winning co-angler in each qualifying tournament will now earn a new Ranger 177TR powered by a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Yamaha outboard compared to $5,000 in 2008. They can also earn a $5,000 Ranger Cup bonus. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup angler, the highest finishing Ranger Cup co-angler will earn $2,500. In the pro division, top awards remain $25,000 plus a Ranger Cup bonus of a 198VX bass boat powered by a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Yamaha outboard in every qualifier. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup angler, the highest finishing Ranger Cup pro will earn $7,500.
The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2008 Stren Series and the top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2008 Walmart Bass Fishing League may enter the 2009 Stren Series beginning today. Ranger boat owners may enter beginning Dec. 8. Champion and Stratos owners and TBF members may enter beginning Dec.9. All other entries will be accepted beginning Dec. 10. Fields are limited to 200 boats, and anglers who enter all four tournaments in a division by Jan. 7, 2009 will be given priority.
Pro entry fees are $825 per event and a $250 deposit per tournament is required at the time of entry. Co-angler entry fees are $325 per event and a $100 deposit per tournament is required at the time of entry. Entry may be made online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. Phones are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday.Please see the 2009 Stren Series rules for compete details.
A full field will compete on Thursday and Friday in each Stren Series qualifier then be cut to the top10 for Saturday. Winners will be determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all three days. The top 40 pros and co-anglers in each division after four qualifying events will advance to the no-entry-fee Stren Series Championship to compete for top awards of $150,000 and $60,000, respectively. The top 10 pros and co-anglers in each division also receive priority entry into the 2010 Walmart FLW Series and Walmart FLW Tour. The top pro and co-angler from each of the Stren Series' five divisions at the championship will advance to the $2.5 million 2010 Forrest Wood Cup to fish for top awards of $1 million and $100,000, respectively.
2009 STREN SERIES SCHEDULE Western Date Location City, State January 22-24 Lake Oroville Oroville, CA March 5-7 Clear Lake Kelseyville, CA April 16-18 Lake Roosevelt Payson, AZ May 28-30 Cal Delta Oakley, CA Southeast Date Location City, State February 26-28 Lake Okeechobee Clewiston, FL April 30-May 2 Santee Cooper Manning, SC June 4-6 Wheeler Lake Decatur, AL October 8-10 Guntersville Guntersville, AL Texas Date Location City, State January 15-17 Falcon Lake Zapata, TX March 19-21 Sam Rayburn Jasper, TX May 21-23 Lake Amistad Del Rio, TX October 15-17 Toledo Bend Many, LA Northern Date Location City, State June 25-27 Potomac River Marbury, MD July16-18 Thousand Islands Clayton, NY August 27-29 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, NY September 24-26 Lake Gaston South Hill, VA Central Date Location City, State May 7-9 Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, KY July 23-25 Detroit River Detroit, MI August 20-22 Mississippi River Ft. Madison, IA October 1-3 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, MO Stren Series Championship Date Location City, State November 5-7 Pickwick Lake Florence, AL