Anglers to flock to region’s lakes

Hundreds of anglers, professionals and amateurs, are headed to the region next week for a pair of tournaments that promoters expect will fill the motels and help crowd the restaurants. Ken Sloan, the director of Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau, stopped by 96.3/WGOG today to draw attention to the 2014 Wal-Mart FLW Tour and FLW’s College Fishing National Championship on lakes Hartwell and Keowee Thursday through Sunday, March 6-9. For as many as 300 of the top bass fishing pros, this qualifying tourney is on the road to the Forrest Wood Cup this summer on Lake Murray near Columbia. While the pros compete on Hartwell, the college championship will be in full swing on Keowee, using South Cove Park as the event headquarters for all launches and weigh-ins. According to Sloan, there are many opportunities for the general public—such as the weigh-ins and an event on Wednesday, on the eve of the pro tourney, at Walhalla’s Scenic Chevrolet where pro angler Jimmy Houston and some other pros will make a public appearance. NBC Sports plans to televise. Daily live webcasts will be offered on FLWOutdoors.com and through the FLW app for iPhone and Android.