Academic Anglers Mobley and Taylor Clinch Berths in FLW Walleye League Finals
August 12,2008
AU GRES, Mich. — William Mobley and LaRoy Taylor of the Academic Anglers Fishing Team clinched berths in the FLW Walleye League finals by virtue of their respective 12th and 39th place finish in this week’s league qualifier held on Saginaw Bay (Michigan).
The field of fifty four boats departed AuGres harbor in overcast and windy conditions. As soon as the boats reached open water they encountered seas that were two to four feet and rough.
William Mobley who was fishing with John Allen of Mansfield Ohio decided to go after big fish even though it was a risky move. The move paid off because when they reached the area known as Alabaster, they landed their first fish within fifteen minutes.
Mobley reported that just prior to a heavy rain downpour at 9:30 am they landed their third fish of the day. By day’s end Mobley and Allen had a five fish limit weighing 14lbs 5oz.
LaRoy Taylor and his Partner, Phil Eirikson of Austin Minn., decided to go south in the bay in search of a limit and then upgrade later. Their plan worked however, they did not get enough weight to win the tournament.
They caught their first fish by 9:30 AM and had a limit by 11:00 AM. Taylor reported that they caught fourteen fish but could not get that really large one that they needed to put them over the top.
At the end of the day, the anglers waited with anticipation as the final standings of the qualifiers for the walleye finals. When it was posted Mobley (26th) and Taylor (28th) had qualified for the finals.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers from each FLW Walleye League division at the end of the season advance to the $133,400 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Finals set for Sept. 11-13 on the Mississippi River in Winona, Minn. The boater and co-angler point’s champions from each division also advance to the $650,000 no-entry-fee Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship in Bismarck, N.D., Sept. 24-27 for a chance to compete for as much as $150,000 in the Pro Division and $20,000 in the Co-angler Division. Anglers finishing the season in the top 10 in each division also receive priority entry into the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour for 2009.
