BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 19, 2006) - FLW Outdoors announced Tuesday its 2007 Stren Series schedule, a new cumulative-weight format, new Ranger Boats contingency bonuses and a total purse exceeding $6.5 million over 21 events.
In 2007, Stren Series anglers will fish for more money than ever before as they compete in five divisions to qualify for the $1 million no-entry-fee Stren Series Championship. The top pro and co-angler from each division at the championship will also advance to the $2 million no-entry-fee Forrest Wood Cup, where pros will compete against top anglers from the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, TBF (The Bass Federation) and Ranger owners' tournaments for a $1 million first-place prize - the biggest award in the history of competitive bass fishing.
Stren Series pros will fish for a top award of $65,000 in every qualifier. This includes $25,000 cash plus a $40,000 Ranger 519VX powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard if the winner is the registered original owner of a 2004 or newer Ranger boat. Ranger Boats will award an additional $3,000 bonus if the winner is a Ranger Cup participant. If "Powered by Yamaha" guidelines are met, Yamaha will award an additional $1,500 bonus for a potential top award of $69,500.
Pros finishing second and third in every qualifier will earn $10,000 and $9,000, respectively, plus a $5,000 bonus if they are registered original owners of 2004 or newer Ranger boats.
In every qualifier, co-anglers will fish for a top award of $35,000, which includes $5,000 cash plus a $30,000 Ranger 519VX if the winner is the registered owner of a 2000 or newer Ranger boat.
Payouts in both the Pro and Co-angler divisions extend through 60th place, which pays $825 and $325, respectively. Total Stren Series payouts of $6.5 million for the 2007 season are based on 200-boat fields in all qualifiers. Every qualifier features four days of competition running Wednesday through Saturday with the full field competing on the first three days and the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers advancing to day four. New for 2007 and similar to Wal-Mart FLW Series tournaments, the combined weight from all four days will determine Stren Series winners. Day-four weigh-ins will be held at local Wal-Mart stores.
Stren Series competition in the Southeast Division kicks off Jan. 3-6 on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Fla., followed by tournaments Jan. 31-Feb. 3 on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga.; March 7-10 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala.; and April 11-14 on the Santee Cooper lakes in Manning, S.C.
Western Division competition begins Jan. 10-13 on Lake Shasta in Redding, Calif., followed by tournaments Feb. 21-24 on Lake Mead in Henderson, Nev.; April 25-28 on Clear Lake in Kelseyville, Calif.; and May 16-19 on the California Delta in Bethel Island, Calif.
A new Texas Division will launch its first tournament Feb. 7-10 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas, followed by events March 21-24 on Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas; June 20-23 on Toledo Bend in Hemphill, Texas; and Oct. 17-20 on Lake Texoma in Denison, Texas.
The Central Division will hold its first tournament Feb. 28-March 3 on Bull Shoals in Bull Shoals, Ark., followed by tournaments May 2-5 on Kentucky Lake in Benton, Ky.; June 6-9 on the Columbus Pool/Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Miss.; and Sept. 19-22 on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Mo.
Northern Division competition kicks off July 18-21 on the Potomac River in Charles County, Md., followed by tournaments Aug. 15-18 on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich.; Sept. 12-15 on the Hudson River in Catskill, N.Y.; and Oct. 3-6 on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C.
The $1 million Stren Series Championship, which offers a top pro award of $140,000 and a top co-angler award of $70,000, will be held Nov. 8-11 on the Mobile Delta in Mobile, Ala. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division advance to the championship, and the top 10 pros and co-anglers in each division will have the option to move up to the Wal-Mart FLW Series or the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in 2008.
Entry fees for 2007 are $825 per event for pros and $325 per event for co-anglers. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each Stren Series division in 2006 and the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League division in 2006 have priority entry into the 2007 Stren Series along with Ranger, Champion and Stratos boat owners and members of the TBF. Entry dates will be released soon.
Since its introduction in 1998, the Stren Series has been among the sport's fastest-growing bass-tournament circuits thanks to its exceptional payouts and minimal travel requirements. The Stren Series also offers up-and-coming anglers from across the nation a chance to advance to the sport's highest levels - the Wal-Mart FLW Series and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.
"Our 2006 FLW Tour champion, Brent Ehrler, is a perfect example of how the Stren Series can launch a career," said FLW Outdoors President and CEO Charlie Evans. "After fishing the Stren Series Western Division in 2004 and winning the Stren Series Championship that same year, Brent advanced to the FLW Tour in 2005. In just his second year on tour he won the championship and is $500,000 richer. The Stren Series offers anglers the opportunity to compete in not one, but two no-entry-fee championships with total awards of $3 million."