Andre Moore has won the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW) twice in the past 4 years, so he must be chomping at the bit to get to Rogers, Ark. for the start of next week's event, right?
"No, not really," the Arizona angler said. "I just don't think (the fish) are going to be on the beds too good, and I'll probably just have to go fishing."
He won at Beaver last year and in 2002, but those events both started in mid-April and sight-fishing was the primary pattern. The tournament gets under way on April 5 this year.
The latest reports he's heard had the water temperature at 50 to 51 degrees. It was 58 to 59 during his two wins.
"It's probably going to be a little too early, it's still pretty cold and we won't really be on a moon," he said. "I'll probably have to throw a crankbait around and fish a worm.
"I think I'll still have a pretty good shot – it just won't be as much fun. But I can still catch them there."
Another difference will be the water level. It's about 17 feet below last year's mark and more than 25 feet down from where it was in '02.
"That might be good because there'll be some different stretches of bank," he said. "It'll be more an an even playing field, I think. It'll make the lake fish a little smaller, but it'll still fish pretty good size."
He left for Beaver last night and plans to practice for about 5 days. "That's not as much as some guys, but it should be plenty."
