Maine Angler Qualifies For The FLW Tour; Joe Holland | OutDoors Unlimited Media and Magazine

FLW announced today the complete professional angler roster of 171 for the upcoming 2016 Walmart FLW Tour season. The 2016 FLW Tour will feature six regular-season tournaments, along with two fall Invitational tournaments. Competition kicks off Feb. 4-7 at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla. (Check out the short side story about Joe)

Check out #63 below, Joe Holland. Joe is not only a fantastic angler, but a Maine Ambassador of sorts. Joe has been a competitive angler for as long as I can remember. But his shear success on the water is not his only stand out quality that makes this personal success of making the Tour so great. Joe is a fun loving professional who promotes the sport, his fellow anglers and Maine with the same competitive spirit that I feel drives him to fish. At a tournament several years back on Fathers Day, Joe was working the crowd as he always does. I was helping run the event. I had my boy Will with me and he was doing what most 8 year olds were doing, fishing the bank and checking out the boats. Joe came over to Will and I just before the start. He introduced himself to Will, asked him what he liked about fishing and gave Will a hand full of Gambler EZ Swimmer's. He told Will to use these later when we went fun fishing and told him this would be the winning bait today. He fired that boy up big time. During the tournament we went to another local lake to fish for a few hours and if my memory is correct the fist fish caught was by Will on the Gambler EZ Swimmer off a rocky point near off an island. Joe came in 2nd that day in a crowd 95+ field. He had not prefished we were told. Joe, congratulations on your successes. — Check out #63 to the left, Joe Holland. Joe is not only a fantastic angler, but a Maine Ambassador of sorts. Joe has been a competitive angler for as long as I can remember. But his shear success on the water is not his only stand out quality that makes this personal success of making the Tour so great. Joe is a fun loving professional who promotes the sport, his fellow anglers and Maine with the same competitive spirit that I feel drives him to fish. At a tournament several years back on Fathers Day, Joe was working the crowd as he always does. I was helping run the event. I had my boy Will with me and he was doing what most 8 year olds do at tournaments, fishing the bank and checking out the boats. Joe came over to Will and I just before the start. He introduced himself to Will, asked him what he liked about fishing and gave Will a hand full of Gambler EZ Swimmer’s. He told Will to use these later when we went fun fishing and told him this would be the winning bait today. He fired that boy up big time. During the tournament we went to another local lake to fish for a few hours and if my memory is correct the first fish caught was by Will on the Gambler EZ Swimmer off a rocky point near off an island. Joe came in 2nd that day in a crowded 95+ field. He had not pre-fished we were told. Joe, congratulations on your successes. Visit Joe on Facebook – LINK. By the Publisher of ODU, W. Schwarz.

“We couldn’t be more excited to kick off our FLW Tour season in just six short weeks at Lake Okeechobee,” says Kathy Fennel, FLW president of operations. “We have a fantastic mix of anglers, and the race for the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup is going to be more exciting than ever.”

In addition to the $125,000 paycheck that is awarded to each FLW Tour regular-season winner, FLW will pay out at least $10,000 down to 50th place. For every additional angler beyond 160 in the field, FLW pays an additional $4,000 prize to the next-highest-finishing boater below 50th place. For example, the season opener on Lake Okeechobee is scheduled to fish 171 boats, and FLW will pay out 61 places.

Roster Facts and Figures

The 2016 FLW Tour roster is headlined by 10 Anglers of the Year:

Scott Martin (2015)

Andy Morgan, (2013, 2014)

David Dudley (2008, 2011, 2012)

Bryan Thrift (2010)

Clark Wendlandt (1997, 2000, 2009)

Jay Yelas (2002, 2007)

Shinichi Fukae (2004)

Dan Morehead (2003)

Peter Thliveros (1996)

Anthony Gagliardi (2006)

The roster includes Eight Forrest Wood Cup champions:

Brad Knight (2015)

David Fritts (1997)

Darrel Robertson (1999)

David Dudley (2003)

Scott Suggs (2007)

Scott Martin (2011)

Jacob Wheeler (2012)

Anthony Gagliardi (2014)

Complete Tour Roster

1.   Jason Abram, Piney Flats, Tenn.
2.   Tracy Adams, Wilkesboro, N.C.
3.   Keith Amerson, Selmer, Tenn.
4.   Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C.
5.   Scott Ashmore, Broken Arrow, Okla.
6.   Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C.
7.   Clayton Batts, Macon, Ga.
8.   Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C.
9.   Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla,
10.   Daryl Biron, South Windsor, Conn.
11.   Randy Blaukat, Joplin, Mo.
12.   Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark.
13.   Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark.
14.   Terry Bolton, Paducah, Ky.
15.   Mike Boyles, Kimberling City, Mo.
16.   Christopher Brasher, Longview, Texas
17.   Jimmy Brewer, Marshall, Texas
18.   Chase Brooks, Iraan, Texas
19.   Troy Broussard, Beaumont, Texas
20.   Glenn Browne, Ocala, Fla.
21.   Scott Canterbury, Springville, Ala.
22.   Ryan Chandler, Hebron, Ind.
23.   Glenn Chappelear, Acworth, Ga.
24.   Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C.
25.   Ramie Colson Jr., Cadiz, Ky.
26.   Dalton Cooksey, New Concord, Ky.
27.   Rick Cotton, Guntersville, Ala.
28.   John Cox, Debary, Fla.
29.   Shirley Crain, Fort Smith, Ark.
30.   Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
31.   Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala.
32.   Darrell Davis, Dover, Fla.
33.   Tony Davis, Williston, Fla.
34.   Bill Day, Frankfort, Ky.
35.   John Devere, Berea, Ky.
36.   Tommy Dickerson, Orange, Texas
37.   Jim Dillard, West Monroe, La.
38.   Robbie Dodson, Harrison, Ark.
39.   Kurt Dove, Del Rio, Texas
40.   David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
41.   Tony Dumitras, Winston, Ga.
42.   Luke Dunkin, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
43.   Richie Eaves, Nauvoo, Ill.
44.   Gene Eisenmann, Frisco, Texas
45.   Charlie Evans, Berea, Ky.
46.   Marc Evans, Angola, Ind.
47.   Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn.
48.   Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark.
49.   Tim Frederick, Leesburg, Fla.
50.   David Fritts, Lexington, N.C.
51.   Shinichi Fukae, Palestine, Texas
52.   Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
53.   Nick Gainey, Charleston, S.C.
54.   Troy Gibson, Mountain Home, Ark.
55.   Shawn Gordon, Russellville, Ark.
56.   Matt Greenblatt, Port St Lucie, Fla.
57.   Buddy Gross, Ringgold, Ga.
58.   Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ont.
59.   Michael Hall, Annandale, Va.
60.   Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla.
61.   Randy Haynes, Counce, Tenn.
62.   Sven Hilland, Sanford, Fla.
63.   Joe Holland, Jefferson, Me.
64.   Todd Hollowell, Fishers, Ind.
65.   Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala.
66.   Jimmy Houston, Cookson, Okla.
67.   Rex Huff, Corbin, Ky.
68.   Brandon Hunter, Benton, Ky.
69.   Charlie Ingram, Centerville, Tenn.
70.   Eric Jackson, Walling, Tenn.
71.   Jason Johnson, Gainesville, Ga.
72.   Kevin Johnson, Surprise, Ariz.
73.   Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ont.
74.   Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ont.
75.   Jim Jones, Big Bend, Wis.
76.   George Kapiton, Inverness, Fla.
77.   Cody Kelley, Conway, Ark.
78.   Powell Kemp, Scotland Neck, N.C.
79.   Jay Kendrick, Grant, Ala.
80.   Jt Kenney, Palm Bay, Fla.
81.   Mike Kernan, Wylie, Texas
82.   Rob Kilby, Hot Springs, Ark.
83.   Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn.
84.   Jason Lambert, Pickwick Dam, Tenn.
85.   Brian Latimer, Belton, S.C.
86.   Jerry Lawler, Athens, Ala.
87.   Shane Lehew, Mooresville, N.C.
88.   Craig Livesay, Johnson City, Tenn.
89.   Richard Lowitzki, Hampshire, Ill.
90.   Kyle Mabrey, Mccalla, Ala.
91.   Tim Malone, Gatlinburg, Tenn.
92.   Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla.
93.   Lendell Martin Jr., Nacogdoches, Texas
94.   Chris Mccall, Brookeland, Texas
95.   Bill Mcdonald, Greenwood, Ind.
96.   Tim Mcdonald, Prestonsburg, Ky.
97.   Brandon Mcmillan, Clewiston, Fla.
98.   Shane Melton, Kokomo, Ind.
99.   Jason Meninger, Gainesville, Ga.
100.   Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif.
101.   Kerry Milner, Bono, Ark.
102.   Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del.
103.   Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis.
104.   Drew Montgomery, Maiden, N.C.
105.   Kyle Monti, Okeechobee, Fla.
106.   Harry Moore, Valley, Ala.
107.   Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky.
108.   Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
109.   Bob Morin, Seymour, Tenn.
110.   Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga.
111.   Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn.
112.   Shawn Murphy, Nicholasville, Ky.
113.   Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
114.   Chris Neau, New Orleans, La.
115.   Jonathan Newton, Rogersville, Ala.
116.   Blake Nick, Adger, Ala.
117.   Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark.
118.   Jordan Osborne, Longview, Texas
119.   Stephen Patek, Dallas, Texas
120.   Robert Pearson, Herndon, Va.
121.   Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss.
122.   Nick Prvonozac, Warren, Ohio
123.   Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C.
124.   Tom Redington, Royse City, Texas
125.   Clark Reehm, Huntington, Texas
126.   Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif.
127.   Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas
128.   Curtis Richardson, Belleville, Ont.
129.   Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla.
130.   Mark Rose, West Memphis, Ark.
131.   Zell Rowland, Montgomery, Texas
132.   Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md.
133.   Larry Schroeder, Clayton, Ohio
134.   Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill.
135.   Terry Segraves, Kissimmee, Fla.
136.   Braxton Setzer, Auburn, Ala.
137.   William (Billy) Shelton III, La Crosse, Va.
138.   Capt Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla.
139.   David Smith, Del City, Okla.
140.   Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
141.   Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas
142.   Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis.
143.   Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
144.   James Stricklin Jr, Fort Smith, Ark.
145.   Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.
146.   Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla.
147.   Bill Terrell, Memphis, Tenn.
148.   Austin Terry, San Angelo, Texas
149.   Peter Thliveros, Saint Augustine, Fla.
150.   Rodney Thomason, Maumelle, Ark.
151.   Timmy Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
152.   Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
153.   Rusty Trancygier, Hahira, Ga.
154.   Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas
155.   Andrew Upshaw, Sapulpa, Okla.
156.   John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind.
157.   James Watson, Nixa, Mo.
158.   Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga.
159.   Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas
160.   Charlie Weyer, West Hills, Calif.
161.   Jacob Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind.
162.   Chris Whitson, Louisville, Tenn.
163.   Scott Wiley, Bay Minette, Ala.
164.   Michael Williamson, Fort Smith, Ark.
165.   Barry Wilson, Birmingham, Ala.
166.   Matt Wittekiend, Angleton, Texas
167.   Kenneth (Boo) Woods, London, Ky.
168.   Michael Wooley, Collierville, Tenn.
169.   Gary Yamamoto, Palestine, Texas
170.   Jay Yelas, Corvallis, Ore.
171.   Andrew Young, Mound, Minn.