FLW tour expands, includes Maryland stop next season
It's not unusual for the FLW to take advantange of good bass fishing opportunities in Maryland when organizers plan the tournament season.
Next year is no different, except for the site. National Harbor, along the Potomac River in Prince George's County, will be the host of the FLW Tour Open, June 1-4. It is one of four Opens and six Tour Majors scheduled for next season.
Pro anglers will compete for up to $125,000 and amateurs will be vying for up to $25,000 in each tournament.
Usually bass tournaments set up shop at Smallwood State Park in Charles County or the tributaries in the upper reaches of the Chesapeake Bay.
With its upscale residences and waterfront restaurants, the $2 billion National Harbor project near Washington, which opened two years ago, is a departure.
The season begins Feb. 2-5 with an FLW Open on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla. National Harbor is the second Open stop, followed by Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., on Sept. 14-17 and Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Ala., on Oct. 19-22.
The Angler of the Year title for 2011 will be determined over the 10 events.
The 2011 Forrest Wood Cup, the championship event, will be held Aug. 11-14 on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark. Only the top finishers in the Tour Majors will compete for the Cup. In 2012, the field will expand to include the top five finishers from the 2011 Open series.
