CHAMPIONSHIP qUALIFICATION
Slots in the championship are reserved for the top 40 professionals and
top 40 co-anglers from each of the five U.S. FlW Series divisions, plus
two pros and two co-anglers each from FlW Canada, FlW China, FlW
Mexico, FlW South Africa and FlW South korea.
Record Fields and Payouts
Some folks refer to the Costa FLW Series as FLW’s AAA
division. For those in the know, however, that’s not exactly
the case. The FLW Series is the stomping grounds for
some of the best regional anglers and full-time pros in the
game. And in the last few seasons, the payouts have
rivaled those of the top-level professional tours.
In 2015, FLW paid out $417,000 at the season-opener
on Lake Okeechobee, which featured a 250-boat max
field. That was a record for the FLW Series. Then in 2016,
with a reformatted payout structure, the Okeechobee
opener – also with a 250-boat max field – paid out
$461,050 to establish a new benchmark. Jason Lambert,
the 2016 winner at Okeechobee, earned $60,000 cash
plus a Ranger Z518C with 200-hp outboard for a total
prize package worth $105,000.
Jason Lambert cashed in at
Okeechobee in 2016, earning a
prize pack worth $105,000.
SCHEDULE
CENTRAL DIvISION
March 30-April 1
lake Dardanelle, Russellville, Ark.
June 8-10
kentucky lake, Gilbertsville, ky.
oct. 12-14
lake of the ozarks, osage Beach, Mo.
NORTHERN DIvISION
June 22-24
lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.y.
July 27-29
1,000 Islands, Clayton, N.y.
Aug. 24-26
Potomac River, Marbury, Md.
SOUTHEASTERN DIvISION
Jan. 26-28
lake okeechobee, Clewiston, Fla.
March 2-4
lake Seminole, Bainbridge, Ga.
May 4-6
lake Chickamauga, Dayton, tenn.
SOUTHWESTERN DIvISION
Feb. 23-25
Sam Rayburn, Brookeland, texas
April 20-22
Grand lake, Grove, okla.
Sept. 21-23
lake texoma, Pottsboro, texas
WESTERN DIvISION
Feb. 9-11
lake havasu, lake havasu City, Ariz.
May 11-13
California Delta, Bethel Island, Calif.
Sept. 28-30
Clear lake, lakeport, Calif.
COSTA FLW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 2-4
kentucky lake, Paris, tenn.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
JANUARY 2017 I FLWFISHING.COM
The entire field fishes on days
one and two.
The top 10 pros and co-anglers
after two days based on cumulative
weight advance to day three.
Pro and co-angler winners are
determined based on heaviest
three-day cumulative weight.
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