Rayovac FLW Series Western Division Opens on Lake Havasu
OutdoorHub 01.21.14
The Rayovac FLW Series is headed to Lake Havasu Jan. 30-Feb. 1 when as many as 300 pros and co-anglers take to the water for the first of three stops in the Western Division. The Lake Havasu event is presented by Mercury.
“My favorite thing about Lake Havasu is that there are a lot of different entities to it,” said Arizona resident and FLW Tour pro Brett Hite. “Whatever kind of fishing you like to do, you can probably find it there.”
Hite said that because Arizona’s winter had been relatively mild, he expected the fish to be in a solid pre-spawn pattern and well out of their winter patterns. He was sure that because of the weather and recent results, the fish in the main lake would be shallower than 20 feet.
“It’s going to take a mixed bag to do well,” said Hite. “I think a guy who figures out both largemouth and smallmouth will have figured out how it’s going to be won.
“The fish will be posted up on secondary points and artificial structure,” continued Hite. “You’re going to want to throw reaction baits in the morning. Because Lake Havasu is very clear, if it is dead slick and sunny you’ll have to finesse them. If it’s sunny and windy you could probably throw a swimbait or crankbait and catch fish all day.
Hite also mentioned that some anglers could opt to run up the Colorado River and fish the backwaters and tules for largemouth. He finished by predicting that the winning weight would be around 45 to 50 pounds and that while he expected a few big bags, the fishing pressure would have a dramatic effect on the weights.
Anglers will take off from Lake Havasu State Park located at 699 London Bridge Road in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., at 7:30 a.m. daily. Weigh-ins will be held at the launch site beginning at 3:30 p.m. each day. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Pros will fish for a top award of $40,000 plus a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger Z117 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.
The Rayovac FLW Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Rayovac FLW Series Championship. The 2014 Rayovac FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 30-Nov. 1 on Wheeler Lake in Rogersville, Ala.
The Rayovac FLW Series tournament on Lake Havasu is being hosted by the Lake Havasu City Convention & Visitors Board.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Rayovac FLW Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
