This was an interesting season for the Bassmaster Opens, largely because two big-name FLW Tour pros – Matt Herren and Greg Pugh – used the circuit to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic (an event they'd never fished before). Alongside a Classic berth, Herren and Pugh both received an invite to fish the Bassmaster Elite Series.

Herren declared his intentions

almost immediately and announced he'd fish BASS next year.

Pugh, on the other hand, took some time to judge the landscape. He thought about the choices after the season ended, and then took his customary 2-week break to hunt deer in Illinois.

Now back from his hunting trip, he's made his declaration. He'll stick with the FLW Tour next year.

'My Family'

Pugh's entire career has been spent with FLW Outdoors (discounting an incomplete Bassmaster Tour season in 2003). He's fished the FLW Tour since 2000, the Strens since 1998, and the BFLs since at least 1995.

So his decision to fish FLW again next year is a decision to stick with his roots. It's also served up with a good scoop of loyalty. M&M Mars was rumored to be leaving FLW, which would have left him without his Snickers deal. But apparently the company will remain a sponsor, and he'll retain his deal.

"I think right now, at this point in time, (FLW's) my family and they've stuck behind me with everything I've done, and they're people I've trusted for a long time, so that's where I'll be staying right now," Pugh said. "And I've been offered another deal – I think it'll be half Snickers, half M&Ms. FLW has been like a family to me. They pulled that out and offered it to me, so that means a lot that they'd do that.

"I appreciate them offering that to me, especially with the way the economy is right now," he added.

A few other notes about his decision:

  • Schedules weren't an issue. He "really liked" both schedules. In fact, BASS will fish three events within a few hours of his Cullman, Ala. home (Wheeler, Pickwick and Guntersville), and the Classic will be in Birmingham in 2010. "I'll just have to go on to Shreveport (in February) and have a Classic win behind me so I won't have to worry about winning (a Classic) in my home state," he said.

  • Again, loyalty seemed the deciding factor. "FLW has just been really good to me, and I'll stand by them and support them. I've known the people there so long, they're like family, and I'd hate to leave. You look at it like a business decision, but when it all comes down, I guess it's like the old saying that blood is thicker than water."

  • He won't fish the Opens again next year. And if he wins the Classic, he still wouldn't be able to fish the Birmingham Classic, since under the "Woo Daves Rule," he must compete in the following Elite season to defend his Classic title.

  • About his schedule next year, he said: "I'm going to fish the FLW Tour, FLW Series and do the Stren Series. And I'll look at trying to do the PAA."

  • His FLW season starts in January, which means he'll have his Snickers/M&Ms wrap and uniform in plenty of time for the Classic. He'll again run a Ranger Z21.

    Shreveport Scout

    With the decision made, Pugh's focus now is on the upcoming Red River Classic at Shreveport, La. He's leaving this Friday to scout the river.

    His main goal? Learn how to run there.

    "My goal is to actually try to learn how to get around, and not worry about tearing stuff up when I get back there," he said. "I think we have three pools we can fish, but I've never been there before, so I don't have a clue about how the river fishes. I'll also do some fishing – try to get a hold on what's going on, what I'm looking at and what the fishing's going to be like.

    "Will the fish be in the same places? Probably not. But it's going to give me some confidence that yes, there's a body of water I've never been on, but I can catch some fish and get around without tearing the motor off the back of my boat. I need to be ready to go where I want (when official practice begins). I don't want to spend 3 hours trying to get into a place."

    Notable

    > Pugh's Snickers deal also came late last year. But in that case, he knew well ahead that he'd be switching, he said. His sponsor Pedigree pulled out, and he was told mid-season that he'd have an M&M/Mars deal after the season was done.

    > He shot a "13- or 14-point" buck in Illinois last week. "One point was real close," he said. "Here in Alabama, if you can hang a ring on it, it's a point." His 11-year-old son Jacob got his first deer on the trip – a 9-point.