2017 FLW Tour Season - Part 2

While the season started out good, it went downhill for me after the first couple of events.  When the season was finally over, I was actually kind of glad, it just felt like I couldn't get a break.  I had fun, always do visiting new bodies of water and getting to hang with all my pals on Tour but the pressure really started to build up - to cash a check, qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup and do well for all my friends and family that support me.  It's in the books now and I'm gearing up to kick ass again in 2018!

We visited Lake Cumberland, Kentucky in early April which was an uneventful week for me.  After that we went to Beaver Lake, Arkansas, which is a lake I have been to several times and had a great tournament at last year.  My practice at Beaver went well but the water levels changed drastically between the end of practice and the start of the tournament because of heavy rains so that really hurt my finesse program that I had going.  

My first day at Beaver went pretty good and I stayed within check range but my second day really stunk.  I made the mistake of trying to fish the way I did all week but a lot of the fish moved shallow because of the quickly rising water...learn and carry on I guess! 

Prior to going to Beaver I spent a couple days at Table Rock Lake in Missouri fishing with some sponsor folks and the fishing there was awesome, weather was not. It's one of my favourite lakes that I have visited in the U.S. 

After Beaver the next event was at the Mississippi River, out of Lacrosse, Wisconsin.  This picture of the flat tire on my truck pretty much sums up my week there.  Not good.  99th place I think.

Prior to the Mississippi event, Minnesota Vikings superstar Brian Robison hosted a charity tournament that matched FLW Tour pros up with Vikings players and alumni.  It was a great time!  My partner and I finished 2nd in that one...of course it was for fun!  We caught some beauty fish on Pool 5 of the river, that was fun.
Here are a few of my northern FLW pals - Matt Stefan, myself, Andy Young and Austin Felix alongside Robison.

The final event of the season took place at the Potomac River out in Maryland.  One last chance to make some money and qualify for the Cup.  Unfortunately my mediocrity continued and I ended up with a 70 something finish and missed making the Cup by 11 points.  I worked hard, didn't lose any fish, it just wasn't meant to be I guess.  

The good news my girlfriend Shelby flew down to the last tournament to check out the event and help me out with the long drive home.  We had fun, did a little shopping, went to a concert in Pittsburgh and made it back in one piece!  Bring on 2018!