FLW Outdoors today announced plans to launch a new saltwater striped bass tournament circuit to begin this May. The striper circuit will be the company's fourth saltwater venture, alongside its Redfish Series, Kingfish Tour and Kingfish Series.
A press release stated the new circuit will include "the largest, most prestigious and highest-paying striped bass tournaments in history." Dates, locations and registration information have not yet been released, and details are said to be coming in the following weeks. The circuit will have a no-entry-fee championship.
The format will mirror other FLW Outdoors events. For example, cash bonuses will be paid for Hyrda-Sports, Wellcraft and Seaswirl boat owners, and those owners will receive priority entry once registration opens. All three are Genmar Holdings Inc. boat brands, and Irwin Jacobs is both Genmar chairman and CEO and FLW Outdoors chairman.
Jacobs said of the new striped-bass events: "The tournament-fishing landscape has changed dramatically since we introduced the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in 1996 and made $100,000, $200,000 and even $500,000 paydays standard at the top ranks in bass fishing. FLW Outdoors is now creating the same excitement and opportunities in striped bass angling as we have in bass, walleye, redfish and kingfish angling.
"Our anglers know that no matter what fish species they prefer, they will be competing for the absolute most money available in the sport. Now, beginning in May, we will do the same for striped bass anglers."
Plans for the new circuit have been in the works for more than a year and it was originally scheduled to launch in 2007. Jacobs said that date was moved up to accommodate demand.
"We've always tried to listen to what the anglers are asking for, and then we try to accommodate them," he said. "It's really that simple. In this case, our research showed incredible demand for high-paying, high-profile professional striped bass tournaments to serve anglers in the Northeast."
He added: "I took that information to several prospective sponsors and they were thrilled with the opportunity. We are not prepared to announce all of the players just yet, but I can tell you Wal-Mart, Hyrda-Sports, Wellcraft and Seaswirl have already signed on, as well as several other big corporate sponsors."
