HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A new chapter in the history of professional bass fishing was written Sunday at Summit Arena in downtown Hot Springs as Scott Suggs of nearby Bryant, Ark., became the first angler to win a million dollars in a single tournament at the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita.

The second Suggs grasped victory, Summit Arena erupted into a deafening home-state roar as the victor thrust his fist through a shower of confetti that rained down from above.

Suggs’ family then rushed the stage to celebrate with tearful hugs.

Moments later Irwin Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors, realized his own decade-long dream of awarding one angler $1 million for winning a bass tournament by handing Suggs a check with seven figures.

Of the thousands of fishing fans who turned out to witness the spectacle first hand, few were without goose bumps.

“My little girls are getting a pool!” Suggs announced abou the first place his momentous funds would be directed. “My daughters are 4 and 10 years old, and I promised them and my wife a pool if I won. This is a dream come true for all of us.”

For the record, Suggs won the event with a two-day total of 17 pounds, 1 ounce.

It could be argued that the Folgers pro actually won the event on day three when he brought in 11 pounds to head into day four with a 4-pound lead. He defended that lead with just two bass today, but one was in the 5-pound class – and it was the one he needed to give him a 4-pound, 9-ounce margin of victory.

“All week I never got nervous, but when I boated that big one today, that was the first time my hands started shaking all week,” he said. “That one got to me.

“I knew that I didn’t have much weight today, but I also knew that this lake is absolutely brutal on summer weekends, and I think that’s why these fish really didn’t bite the last two days – the summer boat traffic really affects them.

“When I stopped on my first spot this morning, which has been one of my best spots all week, I never got a bite,” he added. “I knew then that it was going to be tough.”

Suggs used three key baits during the week, with a ¾-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait featuring a firecracker skirt and “hologram” blades delivering the bulk of his catch during the event.

His other two lures were big worms: a Berkley 10-inch Power Worm in plum and a Zoom worm in cherry-seed, both capped with 3/8-ounce Tru-Tungsten weights.

Suggs’ key structure was standing timber. He concentrated on places where fish normally school in the fall after the water cools.

“I was fishing 40 to 80 feet of water, and the fish were suspended in the tops of flooded timber about 25 feet down,” he said. “I’d take that spinnerbait, cast it out, count it down and roll it through those trees.”

He also relied on a rich patch of milfoil that he found, which was located in about 16 feet of water.

“It’s some of the greenest, prettiest milfoil I’ve found on this lake this year, and it was holding some fish,” he said. “During the event, I probably weighed in four or five fish off that spot.”

Suggs noted that his vast experience on Ouachita played a huge role in his win.

“I know where the fish usually school, and I know the specific trees they use in the hot summertime before the waters cools,” he said. “Each day I ran a minimum of 25 places where those key trees are located.”


Article courtesy of Rob Newell - FLW Outdoors.

FLW Outdoors, BassMedics help preserve America’s fisheries
_{Portion of Rejuvenade sales to go toward FLW Outdoors conservation projects}

MINNEAPOLIS — FLW Outdoors announced today a multiyear conservation agreement with Outdoor Specialty Products, LLC, parent company of BassMedics. Starting immediately, a portion of Rejuvenade® Next Generation sales will go directly toward FLW Outdoors conservation projects. Rejuvenade Next Generation is the official livewell additive for all FLW Outdoors-administered tournament trails.

Rejuvenade has become the No. 1 livewell additive on tour and is used in both freshwater and saltwater FLW Outdoors circuits . Rejuvenade Next Generation is a new and improved proactive livewell formula that revitalizes and rejuvenates bass, redfish, walleyes and other freshwater and saltwater game fish under tournament conditions.

Rejuvenade Next Generation was formulated with the tournament fisherman in mind, producing a truly innovative product designed to further address the needs of game fish under tournament conditions. World-class anglers such as Wal-Mart FLW Tour pros Dion Hibdon, Kevin Vida and Scott Suggs use and recommend Rejuvenade as well as Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series pros Rick Murphy and Andrew Bostick.

According to Charlie Evans, president and CEO of FLW Outdoors: “It’s our job to ensure that we leave a fishery in better condition than when we arrive. Rejuvenade has played an important role in helping establish our historical 98-percent live-release rate. We use this product exclusively and highly advise it to both the tournament and recreational angler.”

Richard Burton, co-owner of OSP, LLC-BassMedics, said: “At OSP, LLC, we are dedicated to building the most innovative products in the sport-fishing industry. Our conservation partnership with FLW Outdoors presents us with an opportunity to improve upon the already outstanding fish-care techniques being used in tournament fishing. This agreement also gives us the ability to contribute resources back to the industry and address conservation agendas.

“We are proud of our affiliation with FLW Outdoors and look forward to the next few years with great anticipation. Rejuvenade, our first product under the BassMedics line, has become the benchmark for fish care in tournament angling. Although it was originally designed for bass, it soon made its way into livewells for all game-fish tournaments. Rejuvenade is now used in most major tournament trails for bass, walleye, crappie, redfish, stripers and speckled trout.”

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.

BassMedics donation to help fund FLW Outdoors conservation efforts

ROGERS, Ark. — BassMedics presented a $5,000 donation to FLW Outdoors during Sunday’s final weigh-in at the $1.5 million Wal-Mart Open in Rogers. The donation, which will help fund conservation projects administered by the tournament organizer, was generated from sales of BassMedics’ Rejuvenade® Next Generation lievewell additive as part of a recently announced multiyear conservation agreement with FLW Outdoors.

Rejuvenade, the first product in the BassMedics line, is the No. 1 livewell additive used by FLW Outdoors pros in both freshwater and saltwater tournaments . Rejuvenade Next Generation is a new and improved proactive livewell formula that revitalizes and rejuvenates bass, redfish, walleyes and other freshwater and saltwater game fish under tournament conditions. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle of Rejuvenade Next Generation sold goes to fund FLW Outdoors conservation projects.

Richard Burton, co-owner of OSP, LLC, BassMedics’ parent company, said: “Our conservation partnership with FLW Outdoors presents us with an opportunity to improve upon the already outstanding fish-care techniques being used in tournament fishing. This agreement also gives us the ability to contribute resources back to the industry and help fund conservation projects nationwide. We are proud of our affiliation with FLW Outdoors and look forward to working with the organization for many years to come.”

In 2000, FLW Outdoors announced its partnership with the FishAmerica Foundation, the conservation arm of the American Sportfishing Association. Since then, FLW Outdoors has helped to generate more than $2 million for local conservation projects.

“It’s our job to ensure that we leave a fishery in better condition than when we arrive,” said FLW Outdoors President and CEO Charlie Evans. “Rejuvenade has played an important role in helping establish our historical 98-percent live-release rate. Now, with a portion of Rejuvenade sales directly funding FLW Outdoors’ conservation projects, our partnership with BassMedics is even more beneficial to our goal of promoting healthy and sustainable fisheries.”

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.