22 August, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS — Tune in Sunday to “Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” on FSN for the inaugural Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour event held in Fort Pierce, Fla. The first regular-season event of the $1.7 million FLW Kingfish Tour season concludes with the winning team claiming a cash prize of $100,000.

The “Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” saltwater series is a reality-format show told from the anglers’ perspective. Each week the top four teams are followed from takeoff to weigh-in, allowing the audience to feel the anglers’ nerves, listen to their strategy and learn from their mistakes. The stories evolve and the suspense grows throughout the one-hour show until the final weigh-in results are announced.

The Sunday, Aug. 28, show follows Team Raymarine as Captain Rod Hatfield of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., and his crew gamble and make a 95-mile run south in search of smoker kings.

FSN also follows Delph Fishing Team, a family fishing team led by Captain Bill Delph of Key West, Fla. Veterans of the Southern Kingfish Association, these prolific anglers have quickly adapted to FLW Outdoors competition. On day one, they brought in a 40-pound, 10-ounce kingfish, which put them in second place heading into the final day.

Leading after the first day of competition was Team Captain Dan, led by 17-year-old Dan Gourley, the youngest captain on tour. After a brutal front moves in on day two, Captain Dan decides to head off the water, confident that their 51-pound, 14-ounce kingfish from day one will hold up. Watch as they nervously await the results of the final weigh-in.

Team Cat Daddy of Gonzales, La., claimed the fourth spot after day one with 35 pounds, 2 ounces. This veteran kingfish team sticks together and decides to fish on day two despite the rough seas.

FSN broadcasts “Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon ET. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area, and take a look at the online show guide at FLWOutdoors.com to see what is in store this season.

FSN reaches more than 78 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable-TV home to 60 of the 81 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States and produces over 4,500 live events each year. In addition to home-team games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and programming, including the “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and “Beyond the Glory.” For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN Web site at FoxSports.com.

“Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors” is also televised on the American Forces Network, which reaches over 800,000 service men and women stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard naval ships.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers eight national tournament circuits offering more than $30 million in awards through 214 events in 2005. The 27-year-old organization is the purveyor of America’s largest and most prestigious fishing tournaments, including the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series.

Wal-Mart and more than 40 of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as title sponsor of the FLW Tour in 1997 and today is the title sponsor of all FLW Outdoors events. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its bass, walleye, redfish and kingfish tournament programs, browse FLWOutdoors.com.