Young Gun Ehrler Edges Scheide, Wins FLWTC

The last-day stage at the FLW Tour Championship (FLWTC) was filled with the bodies of anglers who now, or will one day, populate the high halls of fishing legend. Names like Cochran, Yelas, Dudley and Wendlandt stood alongside rising forces like Fukae, Gagliardi and Kennedy.

Off in the corner, almost out of mind, sat California's Brent Ehrler.

But on a day when most thought 13 pounds would be enough to win, Ehrler stuck a mind-numbing 15-01 sack from a torn-up, beat-up, run-over Lake Logan Martin. The 29-year-old, 2-year pro slammed the door on the other 11 competitors and locked up the biggest win of his life.

The last time the FLWTC was held at Logan Martin (2004), 25-year-old fellow westerner Luke Clausen won as a rookie. Twice now, a young gun from the West rode in and won $500,000 at Logan Martin.

Ray Scheide made a solid run at it, but his 14-06 limit came up 11 ounces short and he finished 2nd.

Clark Wendlandt had saved a glory spot for today, but it turned out Scheide had been fishing it all week. Wendlandt did pull 13-09 out of the area this morning and finished 3rd.

Shinichi Fukae finished 4th with 13-05.

Jay Yelas, who caught the heaviest sack yesterday, weighed 13-02 today and finished 5th.

Here's a look at the rest of the Top 12:

6. Andy Morgan: 12-03
7. Steve Kennedy: 10-11
8. David Dudley: 9-07
9. Brennan Bosley: 8-13
10. Anthony Gagliardi: 7-12
11. George Cochran: 7-10
12. Kim Stricker: 1-12

After all the talk of how the deep bite could win, the dock bite dominated the final days. More than that, it was dominated by a hot stretch of docks. The run-and-gun approach just couldn't overcome Ehrler' one stretch that was loaded with quality.

Ehrler Numb

In Ehrler's second year in the EverStart Series, he won the Championship. In his second year on the FLW Tour, he won its Championship too.

"It's a pretty amazing feeling," he said. "It hasn't really sunk in yet. The last time, when I won the EverStart Championship, it felt amazing to win that.

"It's the same thing right now. I just can't believe it. Tomorrow I'll be driving home – I'll be somewhere maybe in Texas – and I'll start laughing to myself.

"I can't wait for that. But right now it's just a whirlwind. I just can't wait to sit in the car and start thinking about what just happened."

He came out of practice without much to go on, but two different occurrences of the same thing convinced him to fish docks. He struggled through the first two brackets with sub-11-pound bags.

He turned heads yesterday with a 13-04 bag, then closed today with 15-01. All five of his fish today came from the same stretch of docks.

He threw a NetBait Finesse worm in the 'Bama bug color on Tru-Tungsten Ikey Heads and Reaction Innovations Screwed Up jigheads. He also cranked a Lucky Craft RC 1.5.

The Bama Bug is a two-tone color exclusive to Mark's Outdoors – an area retailer. A representative from Mark's gave him a bag of the worms earlier this week. After they started working, he had Mark's rush over a re-supply.

More details on his winning pattern, plus pattern information for the other top finishers, will be posted soon.

2nd: Scheide Bittersweet

Scheide knows what could have been. Any other day here, 14-06 should have won. But he ran into a 15-pound wall.

"It's bittersweet," he said of his finish. "This whole year I've been really confident. I finished 4th in the (FLW Tour) points, and I put myself in position here.

"I had the bites to win today. I didn't execute on one, especially. Actually, it's not that I didn't execute. There was nothing I could do. It was such a big fish, I couldn't even turn it around."

He weighed a 5-pound-plus fish, which he caught on his second cast of the day. "I was rocking and rolling at that point. I thought I was going to win.

"I just love coming to Alabama," he added. "Alabama fans are the best of anywhere we go in the country. This is a great finish for me."

3rd: Wendlandt Okay With It

Wendlandt said he rolled the dice all week, and especially today. He'd been saving one spot all week – he didn't go near it – and pulled in there first thing this morning.

"The spot I saved ended up being Ray Scheide's best spot," he said. "I knew there was a possibility, but I didn't think anybody would find it.

"I wound up with 13-09 out of there anyway. And I didn't hurt Ray at all – I was in a different part of the area than what he was fishing.

"The only thing I can look back at is if he wouldn't have found that spot, I think I could have gone back there and won. It wouldn't have been beat up all week. So I kind of rolled the dice and almost did it, just not quite."

About his finish, he said: "You always want to win, but I feel good about it. I fished well. I was hoping I had 14 pounds. I didn't think it would take 15."

And he feels good to be back on his game after his disastrous slump last year.

"The whole key for me in fishing this tournament was to believe that God tested me last year in order to make me better. And it made me better by showing me that I can't control every situation."

4th: Fukae Happy

Shinichi Fukae won two FLW Tour events this year, and had the opportunity to win today. But his 13-05 limit missed by 1-12.

"I wanted to win bad, but I'm happy with my place," he said.

"My goal was to just make the Championship this year, so I still can't believe I'm here (on day 4). It's fantastic. I had a great season."

5th: Yelas Caught Most

Jay Yelas caught the best bag yesterday (14-03) and across the 4 days caught more total weight than any other competitor. But his 13-02 today came up 1-15 short.

"I feel great," he said. "I fished a great tournament. I caught over 13 pounds every day, and that's awesome fishing for out here in August.

"I'm really not even that disappointed," he added. "I knew the format coming in. I just didn't get the bites today.

"I didn't win, but I had a good time. I'm truly blessed and fortunate."

6th: Morgan Whipped

Andy Morgan whacked a 5-pound-plus fish today, but his bag included a few squeakers he couldn't shake. He finished 6th with 12-03 (2-14 behind Ehrler).

"I pulled all the stops out today," he said. "I did what I thought I could do to win the tournament. It didn't work out.

"I thought it would take in the high-14s to win, and it did," he added. "I worked hard and I don't know if I've ever been as tired as I am right now.

"I might have slept, at the most, 45 minutes last night. I was so exited. I'm dragging pretty bad right now."

7th: Kennedy Had Late Flurry

Steve Kennedy struggled but survived through his first two brackets. He mounted a late surge today, but it was too little. He weighed four fish for 10-11, which included an 8-ounce dead-fish penalty.

"I've been around them all week, but was struggling to put fish in the boat," he said. "I had a much better day today.

"I fell behind Tim Klinger on the first day, then he had a rough day on the second day and I squeaked by him," he added. "Then I was against Dean Rojas, and he had a rough day.

"I stepped it up a little today with 11 pounds. I caught my two biggest fish in the last 30 minutes, so it got pretty exciting there for a minute."

8th: Dudley Disappointed

David Dudley had the fish on to win today, but couldn't land them. He finished with 9-07.

"My hat's off to Brent," he said. "But I can't hide my emotions. I had the chance to blow the roof off this place. That's how it goes."

He broke off a 3 1/2-pounder and four others. And he dumped three.

"I was trying to pull (the 3 1/2-pounder) back away from a pole and the stuff cut my line," he said. "I shattered my reel after that – I spiked it on the bottom of the boat.

"Am I disappointed? Yeah."

9th: Bosley a Little Disappointed

Brennan Bosley never could duplicate his tournament-best 17-09 bag from day 2. His 8-13 limit today weighed half that.

"I'm a little disappointed," he said. "But I set a goal this year to make the Championship, then I set a goal to make the final day.

"I accomplished that and I fished a pretty good tournament."

"I had a good day today," he added. "It was tough, but I didn't lose any fish. I kept my head on straight all day and fished the jig the way I had been to catch bigger fish.

"It didn't happen for me. We'll go on down the road and get ready for next year."

10th: Gagliardi Notes Season

After FLW Angler of the Year Anthony Gagliardi caught the best weight on both days 1 and 2, he looked like the favorite to win. He slipped through yesterday with 8-08, but only weighed 7-12 today.

"It's a year I'll always remember," he said. "And it's one I never wanted to end. I got to fish it up until the last minute today."

11th: Cochran Made His Run

George Cochran had a chance to win back-to-back FLWTCs today, and things started right. But nothing blossomed and he finished with a 7-10 limit.

"I thought I'd do real good," he said. "I had a limit by 9:00. I fished real good, and real slow. I took my time and really picked the cover apart.

"But I had a great year and I love coming to Alabama," he added. "I made a run at it. I felt good, and I fished hard. I just didn't get the right bites."

12th: Stricker Feels Like Winner

Kim Stricker gambled and lost today. He caught two fish for 1-12.

"It's been a great tournament," he said. "Going into this today, there was no doubt about it, the bracket format worked for me.

"I feel like a winner to not only end up here in the Top 12, but just to fish the Tour and represent the sponsors.

"I had to swing for the fences today," he added. "I had no other choice. I wasn't catching the size of fish they were, but I did in practice way up the river. Obviously, that changed. But I gave it a shot today."

Notable

> Day 4 stats – 12 anglers, 10 limits, 1 four, 1 two.

> The National Guard flew the anglers from the lake to the weigh-in on a Chinook copter that served in Afghanistan.

> During weigh-in, FLW Outdoors created a satellite uplink to a National Guard unit from Mobile, Ala. on duty in Iraq. In an emotional moment, parents of one of the servicemen in the unit were brought onstage to speak to their son. There was barely a dry eye in the place.

> As the 12 anglers came onto the stage one-by-one through flames, sparks, lasers and fog, Kennedy – an Alabaman – received the largest cheer.

> Scheide had the largest group of family and friends in the arena, all dressed in bright green. They held signs and shouted "Hoo-Ray" (his first name is Ray).

> Dudley came out onstage and walked to the front with a small camera, taking photos of the crowd and smiling.

> Once again Steffie Leadbetter, 9 years old from Auburn, Ala., sang one of the best national anthems anyone has ever heard. She also sang last year.

> FLW Outdoors employed an in-water weigh-in system.

> For the first time ever, the anglers were held backstage in small voting-booth style areas so they couldn't see each others' fish.

Day 4 (Final) Standings

1. Brent Ehrler -- Redlands, Calif. -- 5, 15-01 -- $500,000

2. Ray Scheide -- Russellville, Ark. -- 5, 14-06 -- $50,000

3. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, Texas -- 5, 13-09 -- $40,000

4. Shinichi Fukae -- Mineola, Texas -- 5, 13-05 -- $35,000

5. Jay Yelas -- Tyler, Texas -- 5, 13-02 -- $30,000

6. Andy Morgan -- Dayton, Tenn. -- 5, 12-03 -- $24,000

7. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Ala. -- 5, 10-11 -- $23,000

8. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, Va. -- 5, 9-07 -- $22,000

9. Brennan Bosley -- Benton, Ark. -- 5, 8-13 -- $21,000

10. Anthony Gagliardi -- Prosperity, SC -- 5, 7-12 -- $20,000

11. George Cochran -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 5, 7-10 -- $19,000

12. Kim Stricker -- Howell, Mich. -- 2, 1-12 -- $18,000

Final 12 By Total Weight

It doesn't matter, but here's how the final 12 stacked up based on combined weight caught over all 4 days.

1. Jay Yelas -- Tyler, Texas -- 5, 13-01 -- 5, 13-14 -- 5, 14-03 -- 5, 13-02 -- 20, 54-04

2. Ray Scheide -- Russellville, Ark. -- 5, 15-01 -- 5, 8-14 -- 5, 10-15 -- 5, 14-06 -- 20, 49-04

3. Brent Ehrler -- Redlands, Calif. -- 5, 10-12 -- 5, 9-15 -- 5, 13-04 -- 5, 15-01 -- 20, 49-00

4. Shinichi Fukae -- Mineola, Texas -- 5, 11-01 -- 5, 11-06 -- 5, 12-14 -- 5, 13-05 -- 20, 48-10

5. Andy Morgan -- Dayton, Tenn. -- 5, 10-02 -- 5, 12-15 -- 5, 11-15 -- 5, 12-03 -- 20, 47-03

6. Anthony Gagliardi -- Prosperity, SC -- 5, 15-12 -- 5, 12-13 -- 5, 8-08 -- 5, 7-12 -- 20, 44-13

7. Brennan Bosley -- Benton, Ark. -- 5, 7-07 -- 5, 17-09 -- 5, 9-15 -- 5, 8-13 -- 20, 43-12

8. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, Texas -- 5, 10-13 -- 5, 8-10 -- 5, 10-05 -- 5, 13-09 -- 20, 42-12

9. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, Va. -- 5, 10-09 -- 5, 8-05 -- 5, 10-14 -- 5, 9-07 -- 20, 39-03

10. George Cochran -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 5, 9-04 -- 5, 11-14 -- 5, 9-09 -- 5, 7-10 -- 20, 38-05

11. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Ala. -- 4, 7-06 -- 5, 7-14 -- 5, 8-09 -- 5, 10-11 -- 19, 34-08

12. Kim Stricker -- Howell, Mich. -- 5, 10-15 -- 5, 9-05 -- 4, 7-01 -- 2, 1-12 -- 16, 29-01