FLW announced today that this week’s Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event at Lake Martin, originally scheduled to start Thursday, has been shifted and will now begin competition Wednesday. Hosted by the Alexander City Chamber, the tournament will remain four days and will now run through Saturday. This decision is based on a desire to allow pros, who began practicing for the tournament March 15, to safely complete the event and return home as quickly as possible amid evolving COVID-19 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control.
Description automatically generatedBy its nature, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit allows for social distancing as anglers compete widely dispersed on thousands of acres of water. Fans are encouraged to forgo daily weigh-ins per CDC guidelines and watch FLW Live on-the-water broadcasts, which air Friday and Saturday and feature live action from the tournament’s top pros. Host Travis Moran will be joined by Toyota Series pro Todd Hollowell to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.
The event will proceed without marshals and participation is limited to pros and essential tournament staff only. A modified media team from FLWFishing.com will cover the event – with limited access – to the best of their abilities.
Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CST each day from Wind Creek State Park, located at 4325 Alabama Highway 128, in Alexander City. Daily weigh-ins, March 18-21, will be held at the State Park beginning at 3 p.m.
FLW announced last week the suspension of all public gatherings associated with their events through April 12, 2020, in response to the pandemic. Public gatherings include the attendance of fans and non-essential staff at all FLW tournaments, including weigh-ins.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at Lake Martin will premiere in 2020. The 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit will have 156 two-hour airings on network television, including 26 consecutive weeks of Friday night primetime airing on Outdoor Channel and 130 airings on Sportsman Channel for a total of 312 hours of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit programming.
The full field of anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Wednesday and Thursday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Friday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2020 FLW TITLE, the Pro Circuit Championship. The 2020 FLW TITLE will be on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, Aug. 8-13 and is hosted by the Town of Massena.
