Big-money bass tourney comes to the Tri-Cities
Dave Kromm has something to prove with the bass in the Columbia River this week.
The pro angler from Kennewick joined a slew of other touring competitors from Washington and Oregon last year who thanked their lucky stars that the Wal-Mart FLW Series scheduled a 2007 big-money bass tournament on the Columbia River, their home waters.
Kromm, who grew up pulling smallmouth bass out of the Columbia and who bought his first boat the summer he graduated from high school, was grateful for a break from a grueling schedule that took him to 30 events in the past year.
And then, something funny happened in the fishing waters he knows best.
“I did horrible,” said Kromm, who ranks fifth in the FLW’s National Guard Western Division standings with 375 points and has won almost $21,000 in the first two events. “And it was the first time I’ve done badly in a pro event.”
Starting Wednesday at Columbia Point Marina, Kromm will have another chance as the FLW Western Division will be back in the Tri-Cities with one of four events in the Western United States. The four-day tournament will be staged out of Columbia Point Marina in Richland.
“Most events in pro bass fishing are Missouri east,” FLW spokesman Chad Gay said from his home in Tennessee. “Let’s face it, with the economy and gas prices, these guys (on the West Coast) can’t come out to Florida and fish.”
Last year’s Columbia River event had “a very, very good turnout. The response was fantastic,” Gay said, adding the field was capped at 200 pro anglers and 200 co-anglers and the tourney came close to bagging the limit.
Organizers expect to reach 200 entries in each division this year, he said.
Boats will take off from the marina at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday through Friday.
Only the top 10 pro anglers will compete in Saturday’s final, with the weigh-in and cash prizes awarded at 4 p.m. at the Richland Wal-Mart.
Top prize in the pro division is $100,000, with the winner eligible for a $25,000 bonus for using a Ranger boat. Co-anglers – competitors who don’t own a boat but ride with a pro – have a $25,000 top prize.