FSN TO AIR STREN SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FROM WHEELER LAKE SUNDAY

Stren Series anglers from five divisions square off in Decatur, Ala.

MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 28, 2006) - Tune in Sunday to "FLW Outdoors" on FSN for the no-entry-fee $1 million Stren Series Championship on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. Only the top 40 anglers based on points standings from each of the Stren Series' five divisions qualified for the season-ending tournament. The show concludes with the final weigh-in and crowning of the pro champion, who will take home a prize of $125,000.
Pro Ricky D. Scott has been switching his angling methods each day to align with the changing conditions. He finished day one in fourth place with five bass that weighed 14 pounds, 5 ounces. He focused his opening-day efforts around barge pilings, where runoff from the rain was pouring soybean dust into the lake. His bait of choice was a homemade 3/8-ounce spinnerbait with white blades and a white skirt.
After a cold front swept through the region that night, bringing bluebird skies and brisk winds to Wheeler Lake, Scott's runoff dried up, so he targeted wood cover in less than a foot of water below Flint Creek on day two. He stuck with his spinnerbait, though, and the spot paid off with five bass weighing 8-14 to boost his opening-round total to 23-3 - good enough to advance to the final round of 10 pros as the No. 3 seed.
On day three, Scott arrived at his fishing hole only to find his wood cover high and dry. Overnight the lake dropped almost 2 feet, so the Van Buren, Ark., pro was forced to change locations once again. This time he found an area of stained water adjacent to a shallow mud flat and proceeded to catch the third heaviest limit of the tournament on his trusty homemade spinnerbait. The 16-pound, 2-ounce catch gave him a 6-pound, 2-ounce lead heading into the final day of competition.
FSN also follows pro J.T. Kenney of Daytona Beach, Fla., who has been grinding out respectable limits the last three days by finesse fishing Shaky Worms in the mouths of small creeks along the main river. On day three, he caught five bass that weighed an even 10 pounds to finish the day in second place. Kenney reported catching lots of fish, but many are small and he's itching to "swing on some big ones." That's a scary proposition for Scott, as Kenney is known around bass fishing circles as the flipping king. Tune in to see if Kenney brings out the big stick in an attempt to lure a few monsters from the Decatur flats.
FSN broadcasts "FLW Outdoors" Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon ET. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area. FLWOutdoors.com also provides an online guide listing upcoming episodes on "FLW Outdoors."