The 2006 FLW National Tour ended with a splash for pro bass fisherman and Independence Township resident Scott Dobson.
Fishing on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York, in the sixth and final FLW Tour event of the season, Dobson took sixth place in qualifying for the 2007 tour. According to the FLW Web site, he finished the season ranked 93 of 200 with $39,000 in winnings stemming from 47 bass caught totaling 124 pounds, 9 ounces.
While thrilled about re-qualifying, Dobson felt a little disappointed with the final standings after he finished the first two days of competition in second place with 10 fish totaling 35 pounds 11 ounces.
‘It’s my highest finish, but by no means am I happy with my finish. I had the opportunity to win this tournament? I’m satisfied, but not happy,? said Dobson, who noted he had a four-pound smallmouth on his line but set the hook too hard breaking the fish off in the second half of the tournament.
Despite what he considers a successful season, Dobson did not reach his goal of qualifying for FLW Championship.
‘I’m satisfied with the $39,000. That’s decent money considering I only cashed three checks in six events. The ultimate goal is to make the top 48 and advance,? said Dobson.
On the FLW tour, 200 fisherman compete for the first two days, with the top 10 moving on for days three and four.
‘The fish were spawning in five to 10 feet of water and a lot of the fish were in beds. I caught all the fish sight-fishing where I’d see a fish guarding a nest and then cast to them and catch them,? said Dobson.
Throughout the tournament, Dobson was most successful fishing with a 4.5 inch white finesse worm with a white jighead. That setup helped him land his biggest bass of the tournament, a 4 pound, 5 ounce smallmouth in five to 10 feet of water.
Dobson swiped his sixth place finish with 10 fish weighing in at 29 pounds, 8 ounces, behind winner Tracy Adams of North Carolina who reeled in 34 pounds, 7 ounces. On the FLW Tour, weight totals reset to zero for the 10 fisherman who advance to the last two days.
First place paid $100,000 to Adams, while Dobson garnered $17,000 for sixth.
Leading up to the event, Dobson practiced for six days on the lake, plotting his strategy for the tournament. He felt comfortable on the natural lake which he had success on in earlier tournaments.
‘I had really good practice,? said Dobson, who drew a lot of media attention due to his early success.
Advancing on to days three and four in second place meant intense media coverage including a camera boat, helicopter coverage and hat camera right on Dobson as he fished.
Coverage of the Lake Champlain tournament will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net on Aug. 6 and 13 as part of ‘FLW Outdoors? which airs Sunday mornings at 11 a.m.