Team Evinrude Anglers Prepare for 2012 FLW Season, Look back on 2011 FLW Championship Sweep
Category: npaa
Mar 6th, 2012 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Mar 6th, 2012 at 12:00 AM
Sturtevant, Wis., March 6, 2012 – For Team Evinrude anglers Scott Martin, Dan Stier and Dan Morehead, it will be hard to top the 2011 season. All three anglers contributed to Team Evinrude’s sweep of the major FLW Outdoors series championships and are looking ahead to the 2012 season.
With the Evinrude E-TEC 250 H.O. powering their boats, Martin won his first Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark., Stier surprised the field by winning in Bismarck, N.D. at the FLW Walleye Championship, and Morehead took home the EverStart Championship hardware at Kentucky Lake.
“Even after six months, I can’t believe that FLW Cup trophy is mine,” said Martin, a Team Evinrude angler since 2001. “Last year was such a great year for all of the Team Evinrude guys. How we do on the water each week is due in part to the support we receive from companies like Evinrude.”
But as the pros prepare for the FLW Tour opener at Lake Hartwell in Greenville, S.C. this week, now is not the time to rest on their accomplishments. Their recent achievements have them refocused and ready for 2012.
“Last year was something to remember, that’s for sure,” said Morehead. “But this is a new year. There will be hard work and hours of preparation, but I’m also going to rely on my equipment, including my Ranger/Evinrude E-TEC, to get me through anything that is thrown my way.”
The anglers’ finishes in 2011 came as Evinrude celebrated its 10th year of sponsorship with FLW Outdoors. The partnership, one of the longest standing in competitive fishing, continues into the 2012 season. Through 2011, Evinrude anglers have brought home more than 35 FLW Tour wins and more than $45 million in prize money – more than any other brand of outboard.
“As Evinrude enters its 11th year as a sponsor of FLW Outdoors, our emphasis is on providing our pro anglers – and all of our customers – with the best on-the-water experience,” said Christopher Berg, Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning for Evinrude. “We are excited to see what’s in store this year, and we wish all of the Team Evinrude anglers the best of luck during the season.”
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Tharp masters Okeechobee for FLW Open win
Luck was on the side of Team Evinrude angler Randall Tharp, who jumped out to a fast start on the FLW Tour. In the first Open Division tournament of the year at Lake Okeechobee in February, Tharp made quick work of his competition and came away with the wire-to-wire win by more than by 23 lbs, a FLW Tour record.
On day one, he caught a five bass limit for 33 lbs., 8 oz., which was anchored by a 9 lb., 8 oz. giant – the largest of the 4-day tournament. Tharp went on to break the 100 lb. mark for the second year in a row.
“Okeechobee has always been a special place for me,” said Tharp, a second-year Team Evinrude pro who runs the 2012 Evinrude E-TEC 250 H.O. “I have had six consecutive top 10 finishes there without a victory, so it feels good to leave Florida with a win this year.”
With the victory, the sixth of his professional career and first on the FLW Tour, Tharp received $100,000 purse along with a $25,000 contingency prize from Ranger. His most recent win came in 2009 at Lake Champlain in the Empire Division of the Bass Fishing League (BFL).
Also placing in the top 10 at Okeechobee were two other Team Evinrude pros – Bryan Thrift (6th) and Scott Martin (8th).