The Stren Series is Changing It's Name

When Pure Fishing announced that they were scaling back sponsorship of FLW Outdoors, it was thought that the popular Stren Series would be undergoing a name change. I fished the "Strens" before they were named that. They were previously named after batter sponsor Everstart. Now they will be called the American Fishing Series. Maybe they will call it by the initials AFS, like the BFL's and FLW Tour. Now we have even more abbreviations to remember. Here is the entire press release from FLW Outdoors.

FLW Outdoors announced Wednesday that FLW American Fishing Series will be the formal name of what has been the Stren Series. The American Fishing Series, which will host its first tournament in Zapata, Texas, beginning Jan. 7, 2010, is still accepting registrations.

“This circuit will continue to offer anglers some of the best competition in our sport with an opportunity to improve and better oneself, all while having the opportunity to move up and compete on the FLW Tour and ultimately in the Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing,” said Charlie Evans, President and CEO of FLW Outdoors.

The American Fishing Series will consist of four divisions in 2010 – Central, Northern, Southeast and Texas. The Southeast Division schedule was modified with the updated event being held on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga., April 29 – May 1. Each division will consist of three tournaments and the full schedule is below.

Central

March 18-20 Lake of the Ozarks

April 15-17 Lake Ouachita

May 13-15 Kentucky Lake

Texas

Jan. 7-9 Lake Falcon

Feb. 4-6 Sam Rayburn

June 17-19 Toledo Bend

Northern

June 3-5 Potomac River

July 15-17 Lake Champlain

Sept. 9-11 Lake Erie

Southeast

Feb. 25-27 Lake Okeechobee

April 29-May 1 Lake Seminole

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Pickwick Lake

Invitational

Nov. 4-6 Wheeler Lake

Fields will consist of 150 boats fishing Thursday and Friday and the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers advancing to Saturday. Winners will be determined by total weight from all three days. The points champion from each division will qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup and a fifth Forrest Wood Cup qualifier will advance from an Invitational event that is open to the top 50 anglers from each division.

Pro entry fees are $825 per tournament and co-angler entry fees are $325 per tournament. Anglers will compete for top awards of $25,000 in the pro division and $10,000 in the co-angler division, with awards of $800 and $350 extending through 50th place, respectively. If the winner is Ranger Cup qualified, the pro will win a 198VX Ranger Boat with a 200-horsepower outboard and the co-angler would win an additional $5,000. The entry fee in the Invitational is the same as a tournament entry fee.

Registrations are currently being accepted. Entries are accepted online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. Phones are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. For additional information, visitFLWOutdoors.com.