2018 Forrest Wood Cup: Full Field Announced

FLW PRESS RELEASE

With the conclusion of the 2018 FLW Tour season at Lake St. Clair today, the field of 56 for the Forrest Wood Cup is now final.

Qualifiers will compete for the $300,000 first-place prize Aug. 10-12 on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark.

The field includes the 2017 FLW Tour Angler of the Year, the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup champion, the top 40 anglers in the 2018 FLW Tour AOY standings (invitations were extended down to 44th place due to double-qualifications by other means), the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League All-American champion, the 2018 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship winner, the 2018 The Bass Federation National Championship winner and qualifiers from the 2017 Costa FLW Series Championship, including the FLW Series International Division’s top finisher at the championship.

Full field below

Forrest Wood Cup 2011 Day 2: Where and How with What

By Luigi De Rose

Here is a look at what the top anglers are doing on Lake Ouachita, Arkansas at the 2011 Forrest L. Wood Cup Championship. The top FLW anglers seem to be on the same pattern. Finding areas, just off the bank, where schools of panfish (bream or bluegills) are cruising.

All Photos from Rob Newell and David A. Brown of FLW.

Location
Shallow, mid-range flats; shoreline with a huge focus of rock; some timber and a bit of grass. The photos reveal a big drop in water level and this should have the bass more focused on what remaining cover is in the water. Many pros have indicated that the baitfish not the cover is most important.

Jason Christie works his banks to first place.

Randall Tharp is working the same sort of mid-cove stuff.

Forrest Wood Cup 2011 Day 2: Jason Christie Takes Lead, Martin in 2nd.

By Luigi De Rose

Jason Christine using a noisy prop bait
on Day 2
(Photos: Rob Newell FLW)

Day 2 saw a few flips and some flops in the FLW Cup. Sunny skies still had fish shallow and the anglers willing to hunt for them did well. Off-shore anglers, who typically do well during the summer failed. Many are explaining the strongest pattern as a "bream bite". Bream is another word for panfish or sunfish. These fish are up shallow with the bass close behind. Typically, in April, May, June or even in early July, the sunfish are up shallow spawning and largemouth take advantage of the abundance of food. Considering Lake Ouachita has had water temps in the low 90F and it's mid-summer, many felt the fish would be all located in deeper brush. But those fish are reluctant to bite whereas the shallow bass are feeding well.

Forrest Wood Cup 2011 Day 1: Martin Off and Running

National Guard pro leads 2011 Forrest Wood Cup with 19 pounds, 2 ounces

11.Aug.2011

by Brett Carlson

Day 1 leader, Scott Martin

FLW PRESS RELEASE
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – With a breeze, periodic showers and overcast skies, day one of the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup provided a rare reprieve from the oppressive summertime heat. And as many predicted, Lake Ouachita responded favorably, churning out several sacks in the upper teens. The biggest came from 10-time Cup qualifier Scott Martin.

Martin managed most of his 19 pounds, 2 ounces within the first two hours of the morning. And the bulk of it came from one area. That’s quite a way to start the richest tournament in professional bass fishing. .

Forrest Wood Cup 2011 Day 1: Scott Martin Leads with Big Bag!

The Forest Wood Cup is a huge party!
(Photo: FLW)

By Luigi De Rose
Scott Martin takes Day 1 of the FLW, Forrest L. Wood Cup Championship. Held on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas, anglers were met with heavy rains and cooler temps on the first day. Practice for the Cup was under clear skies and triple digit temps. If the weather changes again after this front, the leader board might shake violently.

TOP 10
1 MARTIN, SCOTT 19-02 (5)    
2 CHRISTIE, JASON 18-01 (5)    
3 COULTER, BRANDON 18-00 (5)     
4 YELAS, JAY 17-05 (5)    
5 THARP, RANDALL 16-00 (5)  
6 LUCAS, JUSTIN 14-14 (5)    
7 STRELIC, JON 14-12 (5)    
8 WHEELER, JACOB 14-10 (5)    
9 ROSE, MARK 14-09 (5)    
10 MEYER, CODY 14-02 (5)