Due to scheduling conflicts, anglers can no longer compete on both of bass fishing's top circuits (the Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Tour). But a couple of Elite Series stalwarts have a shot at fishing both the Bassmaster Classic and the Forrest Wood Cup in 2008.
Steve Kennedy (pictured) is 6th and Tommy Biffle is 28th in the FLW Series Eastern Division points standings. If they're still among the Top 30 after the final event at Alabama's Lake Pickwick next month, they'll qualify for the Series fish-off that will pit the 30 leading point-getters from the Eastern Division against their counterparts from the Western Division.
The fish-off will be held Jan. 17-19, 2008. FLW Outdoors has not yet announced a location for the event.
The 30 winners from those bracketed, head-to-head matchups gain berths in the Cup, which will take place Aug. 14-17 at South Carolina's Lake Murray. The '08 Elite Series season concludes the week prior to that at New York's Lake Oneida.
Both Kennedy and Biffle are Ranger pros, so they'd be eligible for the $500,000 bonus that goes to the Cup winner if he's a registered Ranger owner. Both are virtually assured of making the '08 Classic – they're 4th and 13th, respectively, in the points heading into this week's finale at Florida's Lake Toho.
Rookie Derek Remitz also has a shot at double-championship qualification. He's 22nd in the Elite Series points and 38th on the FLW Eastern Series list.
It's highly unlikely that any Elite Series pros will make the fish-off out of the Western Division – they couldn't fish the first event at the California Delta last spring because it fell during the off-limits period for the Elite tournament at that venue.
Dean Rojas finished 16th at Arizona's Lake Havasu, but having missed the Delta event, he's just 108th in the points. John Murray was 61st at Havasu and is 149th on the points list.
The Western Division has two events remaining – it'll visit the Columbia River in Washington next week, then conclude at California's Clear Lake Oct. 24-27.
