FLW League Increases Payouts, Events for 2007
Category: Tournament
Oct 30th, 2007 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Oct 30th, 2007 at 12:00 AM
BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 30, 2007) – FLW Outdoors announced today its 2008 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League schedule complete with a new Heartland Division and total awards of $714,800 over 13 events.The new Heartland Division will kick off the 2008 season with a tournament April 5 on the Illinois River in Spring Valley, Ill., followed by events May 31 on Lake Rathburn in Centerville, Iowa, and July 12 on the Mississippi River in Moline, Ill. Anglers fishing the Michigan Division will visit Lake Erie in Port Clinton, Ohio, April 12, followed by tournaments May 17 on Lake Erie in Monroe, Mich., and Aug. 9 on Saginaw Bay in Au Gres, Mich. Wisconsin Division competition will start April 26 on the Wolf River Chain in Winneconne, Wis., followed by tournaments June 28 on Green Bay in Green Bay, Wis., and Aug. 2 on Green Bay in Oconto, Wis. Competition in the Minnesota Division will begin May 3 on the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minn., followed by tournaments June 7 on Cass Lake in Cass Lake, Minn., and July 19 on Lake Bemidji in Bemidji, Minn. After all qualifying events are complete, the top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the points standings from each division will advance to the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Finals to be held Sept. 11-13 on the Mississippi River in Winona, Minn. The boater and co-angler points champions from each division will also advance to the $650,000 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship, where they can win as much as $150,000 and $20,000, respectively.The top boater award in each qualifier is $7,500, and the top co-angler award is $3,750. These awards, based on a field of 100 boats, include $7,000 cash plus a $500 contingency bonus from Ranger or G3 for boaters and $3,500 cash plus a $250 Ranger or G3 contingency bonus for co-anglers. Payouts extend through 20th place in each qualifier. At the FLW Walleye League Finals, boaters will compete for a $53,000 Ranger 621 powered by Evinrude or Yamaha, and co-anglers will compete for a $38,000 G3 V185F powered by Yamaha. Payouts at the League Finals also extend through 20th place. FLW Walleye League qualifiers are one-day, $48,450 events held on Saturdays. The FLW Walleye League Finals is a three-day, $133,400 event with the full field of 120 boaters and 120 co-anglers competing on days one and two and the top 10 boaters and top 10 co-anglers advancing to day three. The winning boater and co-angler are determined by the cumulative weight from all three days. The top 10 boaters and top 10 co-anglers in the points standings from each FLW Walleye League division will have priority entry into the 2009 FLW Walleye Tour. Entry fees for 2008 are unchanged at $300 per event for boaters and $150 per event for co-anglers. Ranger, G3, Champion and Stratos boat owners will have priority entry into the 2008 FLW Walleye League. Entry dates will be released soon. Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007. Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Walmart.com.For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.2008 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League ScheduleHeartland Division:April 5 Illinois River Spring Valley, Ill. May 31 Lake Rathburn Centerville, IowaJuly 12 Mississippi River Moline, Ill.Michigan Division:April 12 Lake Erie Port Clinton, OhioMay 17 Lake Erie Monroe, Mich.Aug 9 Saginaw Bay Au Gres, Mich.Wisconsin Division:April 26 Wolf River Chain Winneconne, Wis.June 28 Green Bay Green Bay, Wis.Aug 2 Green Bay Oconto, Wis.Minnesota Division:May 3 Mississippi River Red Wing, Minn.June 7 Cass Lake Cass Lake, Minn.July 19 Lake Bemidji Bemidji, Minn.Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Finals:Sept 11-13 Mississippi River Winona, Minn.2008 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Payouts $48,450 Qualifiers:Ranger & G3 Place Boater Bonus Total 1 $7,000 $500 $7,5002 3,500 400 3,9003 3,000 300 3,3004 2,500 300 2,8005 2,000 200 2,2006 1,500 200 1,7007 1,250 200 1,4508 1,000 200 1,2009 750 200 95010 600 200 80011-15 500 200 70016-20 400 200 600Ranger & G3 Place Co-angler Bonus Total 1 $3,500 $250 $3,7502 1,750 200 1,9503 1,500 150 1,6504 1,250 150 1,4005 1,000 100 1,1006 750 100 8507 625 100 7258 500 100 6009 375 100 47510 300 100 40011-15 250 100 35016-20 200 100 300$133,400 FLW Walleye League Finals:Ranger & G3 Place Boater Bonus Total 1 621 Ranger powered by Evinrude or Yamaha $53,0002 5,000 1,000 6,0003 3,500 1,000 4,5004 2,000 500 2,5005 1,500 500 2,0006 1,200 400 1,6007 1,000 300 1,3008 900 250 1,1509 800 250 1,05010 700 200 90011-15 600 150 75016-20 500 150 650Ranger & G3 Place Co-angler Bonus Total 1 G3 Angler V185F powered by Yamaha $38,0002 2,500 1,000 3,5003 1,750 500 2,2504 1,000 300 1,3005 750 300 1,0506 600 250 8507 500 150 6508 450 150 6009 400 100 50010 350 100 45011-15 300 50 35016-20 250 50 300