FLW Tour News
2002 Season Opener
Lake Okeechobee
January 24-26, 2002

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Kenney Wins Wal-Mart FLW Season Opener

CLEWISTON, Fla.--(BW SportsWire)--Jan. 26, 2002--JT Kenney,
Frostburg, Md. (5 bass, 21 pounds, 13 ounces) won the Wal-Mart FLW
Tour season opener on Lake Okeechobee Saturday. He was flippin' a Blue
Shadow Gambler crawdad with a 5/16th-oz. weight into grass and
bullrushes. "I never really knew I had the tournament won," Kenney
said.

"I always thought that if I was catching fish today, everyone else
was too. I lost a big fish early and it haunted me all day. Kept
thinking I was going to lose it by just a little bit. A very little
bit." Kenney said earlier he couldn't believe he had made the Poulan
Cut to the top-10. Luckily, he did and plans to put his winnings to
good use: pay this season's FLW Tour entry fees.

Kenney added that when the big fishing started biting, it got ugly
real quick and that there were no words to describe what he felt.

Jimmi Leuthner, Vernon, Vt. (5 bass, 20 pounds, 4 ounces); Jay
Yelas, Tyler, Texas (5 bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces); Gary Klein,
Weatherford, Texas (5 bass, 12 pounds, 2 ounces); and Joe Don Setina,
Pittsburg, Texas (5 bass, 9 pounds) round out the final top five
professionals.

The Children's Miracle Network also received a $25,000 donation
from Energizer at Saturday's weigh-in. The check was awarded to the
Children's Miracle Network for FLW Outdoors maintaining a 98 percent
live release rate during the previous season on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.

Anglers appeared on PAX TV Saturday, when the final weigh-in was
broadcast live nationally on the FLW Outdoors television show. All FLW
Outdoors television shows will air Saturdays at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST
and 3 p.m. PST.

Wal-Mart FLW Tour professional anglers competed for $110,000.
Co-angler Gregg Lineberry, Galax, Va. (5 bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces)
won the $15,000 first place prize for his division. Twenty pro and
co-anglers advanced to Friday's semifinal out of the 175 field after
two days of competition. The top 10 pros from the semifinal round
advanced to Saturday's final round, when weights started from zero.

Kenney Leads Wal-Mart FLW Anglers
to Final Round

CLEWISTON, Fla.--(BW SportsWire)--Jan. 25, 2002--JT Kenney,
Frostburg, Mo. (5 bass, 21 pounds, 10 ounces) leads the final ten bass
professionals into the final day of competition on the first Wal-Mart
FLW Tour stop. He was flippin' a Blue Shadow Gambler crawdad with a
3/16th-oz. weight into grass and bullrushes. "They didn't start biting
until about 3 p.m., then it really got interesting," Kenney said. "I
have been fishing the same spot for the past several days and plan to
go back tomorrow. Hopefully, the fish will stay."

Not only did Kenney have a great day, but his co-angler, Greg
Lineberry, Galax, Va. (5 bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces) won the first
place check for his division Friday. "This is unbelievable," Lineberry
said. "I was flippin' a Shad Assassin into about three feet of water
right next to the reeds." And what to do with his $15,000 first place
check? Lineberry is going to start a college fund for his son. This is
not only Lineberry's first FLW co-angler win, but also his first FLW
Tour event.

Joe Don Setina, Pittsburg, Texas (5 bass, 19 pounds, 14 ounces);
Jimmi Leuthner, Vernon, Vt. (5 bass, 15 pounds, 5 ounces); Gary Klein,
Weatherford, Texas (5 bass, 13 pounds, 3 ounces); and Jay Yelas,
Tyler, Texas (5 bass, 13 pounds) represent the top five professional
finalists fishing Saturday.

John Bruce, Buford, Ga. (5 bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces); Jason Knap,
Uniontown, Pa. (5 bass, 8 pounds, 7 ounces); Mike Mcadoo,
Murfreesboro, Tenn. (5 bass, 7 pounds, 8 ounces); Richard Lowitzki,
St. Charles, Ill. (2 bass, 6 pounds, 12 ounces) round out the top five
final standings for the co-angler division.

Anglers will appear on PAX TV Saturday, when the final weigh-in is
broadcast live nationally on the FLW Outdoors television show airing
at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. PST.

Wal-Mart FLW Tour professional anglers are competing for $110,000.
Co-angler Greg Lineberry, Galax, Va., won the $15,000 first place
prize for his division. Twenty pro and co-anglers advanced to Friday's
semifinal after two days of competition. The top 10 pros from the
semifinal round will advance to Saturday's final round, when weights
will again start from zero.

Competition on Lake Okeechobee begins Saturday morning, at 7 a.m.
at Roland Martin's Marina. The marina, located at 920 East Del Monte
Avenue in Clewiston, hosted each day's take-off. The final weigh-in
Saturday will begin at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at
1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston.

Leuthner Leads FLW Anglers
to Semifinal Round

CLEWISTON, Fla.--(BW SportsWire)--Jan. 24, 2002--Jimmi Leuthner,
Vernon, Vt., found another five bass to weigh a total of 32 pounds
even to lead the top-20 anglers to the semifinal round, Friday. The
fishing, although tougher than the first tournament day, seemed to
turn around late in the day. "I have been here for 38 days, learning
the waters and fishing from dawn to dusk," Leuthner said.

"I was fishing the weeds and wanted about 12 pounds today. Once I
got that, I tried two other spots and popped a two and half and a five
pounder. I think I am in good position for Friday's semifinal round."

Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas, (10 bass, 30 pounds, 10 ounces);
Terry Baksay, Monroe, Conn. (10 bass, 30 pounds, 3 ounces); and Jerry
Ryne, Denver, N.C. (10 bass, 29 pounds, 1 ounce); and Keith Green,
Arkadelphia, Ark. (10 bass, 28 pounds, 11 ounces) lead the top-20
anglers heading to the semi-finals. Rusty Rust, Hermitage, Tenn., who
lead Day One, ended in sixth place going into the semifinals.

John Bruce, Buford, Ga. (10 bass, 22 pounds, 15 ounces) was in
second Day One and went out with a positive attitude Thursday morning.
"I had confidence in a few lures that I knew the fish were biting on,"
Bruce said. "By noon, I had three fish so I didn't really press them
that much. I wanted them to be ready for Friday."

Richard Lowitzki, St. Charles, Ill. (9 bass, 22 pounds, 7 ounces);
Troy Pickett, Roberta, Ga. (9 bass, 21 pounds, 10 ounces); Ken
Keirsey, Owasso, Okla. (9 bass, 19 pounds, 15 ounces); and Bruce
McClamroch, Crawfordville, Ind., (7 bass, 18 pounds, 13 ounces) lead
the co-anglers to their final day of competition Friday.

Jim Carnell, a professional from Muskogee, Okla. earned Big Bass
honors with an 8 pound, 4 ounce giant for his division. "I was just
flippin' all morning and about noon she hit," Carnell said. "I saw it
roll so I knew it was huge, but getting it in the boat seemed to take
forever. My co-angler had to check my line, I was shaking so bad."
This 8-pounder is the largest bass Carnell has caught in a tournament
ever. Leroy Arnold, Little Rock, Ark. landed a whopper of 7 pounds, 14
ounces to claim the co-angler Big Bass title.

Anglers will have the opportunity to appear on PAX TV this
Saturday, when the final weigh-in is broadcast live nationally on the
FLW Outdoors television show airing at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and 3
p.m. PST.

Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers are competing for top awards of $110,000
for professionals and $15,000 for co-anglers. Pros fish from the front
of each tournament boat and control its movement, while co-anglers
fish from the back of each boat. Twenty anglers in each division
advanced to the semifinal after two days of competition. The top 10
pros from the semifinal round will advance to the final day.

Competition on Lake Okeechobee will begin Friday morning, at 8
a.m. at Roland Martin's Marina. The marina, located at 920 East Del
Monte Avenue in Clewiston, hosts each day's take-off. The semifinal
weigh-in Friday will begin at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter
located at 1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston. Wal-Mart will
also host the final weigh-in Saturday at 3 p.m.

Rust Leads FLW Season Opener
With Day of Firsts

CLEWISTON, Fla.--(BW SportsWire)--Jan. 23, 2002--In a day of
firsts on Florida's Lake Okeechobee, Rusty Rust, Hermitage, Tenn.,
took the lead with the only five-bass limit over 20 pounds. This is
Rust's first day of the first tournament of the first year he is
competing with the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. The weather, sunny and 80
degrees, was also the first nice weather the Wal-Mart FLW Tour has
seen in the six years they have held a tournament on Lake Okeechobee.

"I knew where the fish were that I needed to get," Rust said. "I
just worked them really slow and methodically. I caught 12 keepers and
lost five. Thursday, I am just going out to fish. I have some other
areas to explore, but would like to weigh a similar bag to today."
Rust brought in five bass for a total of 21 pounds, 11 ounces.

Kelly Jordan, Mineola, Texas, (five bass, 18 pounds, 11 ounces);
Jimmi Leuthner, Vernon, Vt. (five bass, 16 pounds, 7 ounces); Sam
Newby, Pocola, Okla. (five bass, 16 pounds, 5 ounces); and Tracy
Adams, Wilkenson, N.C. (five bass, 15 pounds, 4 ounces) round out the
top five professionals.

Gordon Unrein, Columbus, Ga., is also fishing the first day of his
first Wal-Mart FLW Tour event. "This is so cool," Unrein said. "I
really enjoyed being out there with the pros and appreciated all the
help my pro leant me. I can't wait for Thursday."

John Bruce, Buford, Ga. (5 bass, 12 pounds, 15 ounces); Mike
Mcadoo, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (5 bass, 12 pounds, 7 ounces); Ken
Keirsey, Owasso, Okla. (4 bass, 10 pounds, 15 ounces); and Greg
Lineberry, Galax, Va. (5 bass, 10 pounds, 14 ounces) lead the
co-angler division.

Newby earned Big Bass honors with a 7 pound, 15 ounce monster on
the professional side. T.R. Fuller, Auburn, Ala. weighed in a 6 pound,
13 ounce bass to catch the co-angler Big Bass title.

Okeechobee has been the Wal-Mart FLW Tour opener for six of the
last seven years. In 1999 and 2000, the clear water areas needed to
harbor bass were scarce. In 2001, the lake was at record low levels
and hardly any green vegetation existed. Fishermen said they were
impressed with the water's clarity and amount of vegetation this
season and do believe it has affected their strategies.

Anglers will have the opportunity to appear on PAX TV this
Saturday. The final weigh-in will be broadcast live to more than 84
million households on the FLW Outdoors television show airing at
3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. PST.

Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers are competing for top awards of $110,000
for professionals and $15,000 for co-anglers. Pros fish from the front
of each tournament boat and control its movement, while co-anglers
fish from the back of each boat. Twenty anglers in each division will
advance to the semifinals after two days of competition. The top 10
pros from the semifinal round will advance to the final day.

The 2002 Wal-Mart FLW Tour sponsors include: Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet
Foods, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Coleman, Conseco,
Eagle Electronics, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded
Glory, Frito-Lay, Fujifilm, Kellogg's, Land O'Lakes, Maxwell House,
Minn Kota, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley
Works, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors
are Abu Garcia, Act II, Berkley, David Sunflower Seeds, Eagle Claw,
Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.

Competition on Lake Okeechobee will begin Thursday morning, Jan. 24,
at 7:00 a.m. (or first available safe light) at Roland Martin's
Marina. The marina, located at 920 East Del Monte Avenue in Clewiston,
will host each day's take-off, plus the opening round weigh-ins.
Weigh-in on Thursday will begin at 3 p.m. Friday's, Jan. 25, semifinal
round weigh-in starts at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at
1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston. Wal-Mart will also host the final weigh-in on Jan. 26 at 3 p.m.

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