Five of the world's best anglers waited for him to stumble, but Scott Canterbury of Springville, Ala., maintained a torrid pace at Beaver Lake Sunday to win his first Wal-Mart FLW tournament.
The victory was worth $125,000, but Canterbury said the trophy is more important.
"The money's great, but I'll spend it," Canterbury said. "I won't ever lose the trophy. I've been second six times. Winning is incredible. It's the experience of a lifetime."
Canterbury entered the final round in front, but four noted fisherman were within 3 pounds of the lead.
Former Forrest Wood Cup champion Darrel Robertson of Jay, Okla., was closest, 1 pound, 4 ounces behind. Jeff Sprague of Point, Texas, trailed Robertson by 3 ounces, and Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., the 2013 FLW Angler of the Year, trailed Robertson by 4 ounces. Scott Martin, another Forrest Wood Cup champ and the 2015 FLW angler of the year, trailed Robertson by 14 ounces.
All five had tremendous final rounds, but not strong enough to catch Canterbury, who boated five bass weighing 17 pounds for a four-day total weight of 62 pounds, 7 ounces.
Canterbury won $125,000 and earned 200 angler-of-the-year points, which determine qualifiers for the Forrest Wood Cup, the FLW Tour's championship event. It will be held in Huntsville, Ala., on Wheeler Lake.
"I came into this thing after I had the worst tournament I ever had at Lake Okeechobee, and I'm just trying to battle my way back into the cup," Canterbury said. "We fish all year for chance to go to that Cup. I lost it by an ounce, and I finished second twice. I don't fish Wheeler Lake very much, but I do want to fish one in my home state."
Many FLW anglers complain about Beaver Lake, but Canterbury said it's one of his favorite fisheries. It's not a place where you fish spots, he said, but a place where you fish patterns that change daily.
"Fishing on Beaver Lake is just a grind," Canterbury said. "You've got to fish the conditions every day. You've got to change with the weather, and you've got to change with the water you're fishing. You've got to grind and keep an open mind."
Canterbury said he fished a jig in shallow water roughly from Rocky Branch near the lower end of the lake into the major river and creek arms. He said he caught 19 of the 20 bass he weighed in on a Luke Clausen Compact Pitching Jig with NetBait Paca Slim and Paca Chunk trailers.
"With that, you can catch bass on Beaver Lake year round," Canterbury said.
He used 15-, 20-, and 25-pound test P-Line flourocarbon. He also caught a bedding bass with 65-pound braided line.
"I don't use light line," Canterbury said.
Robertson caught five bass that weighed 17-1. It was the heaviest weight in the final round, but it only got him 1 ounce closer to Canterbury in the end. He said he lost several big fish that would have made a difference.
"I had 20 bites on a jig today, but a couple were real shallow, a foot of water," Robertson said. "When they bite, they run to the boat so fast. Two or three fish I couldn't catch up with.
"When a fish bites, you jerk the rod and set the hook. You either catch the fish or you don't. 'I don't' seven times today. I should have had 18 or 19 pounds."
Chris Whitson of Louisville, Tenn., finished eighth with 53-4 total.
"I ate 23 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches this week," Whitson said, patting his belly, "but they all taste like filet mignon when you get to fish on Sunday."
Sports on 04/18/2016