Fishing News - 8/11/00

        From BASS

Klein sets record, leads Lowe's WCF in Illinois

MT. VERNON, Ill. August 11, 2000-- -- Defending champion Gary Klein established a course record and jumped into the first-day lead of Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse Illinois World Championship Fishing event at Rend Lake Friday afternoon.

Klein, who won the inaugural event of the unique fishing/boat handling competition held here one year ago, was fifth in the first day fishing and first in the boat handling competition to garner 68 overall points. The Lowe's W.C.F. event runs through Sunday.

"I am confident that my Ford Triton will go even quicker over the next two days. I know I can do better," said Klein about his record shattering pace.

Fellow Texan Jay Yelas, who was second in fishing and seventh in boat handling, is second overall with 65 points. Brent Chapman of Kansas is third with 55 points, followed by Texan Alton Jones and Californian Skeet Reese who are tied for fourth with 52 points.

Under the Lowe's WCF format, 16 select B.A.S.S. pros spent the morning fishing nearby Crab Orchard Lake and the afternoon negotiating a series of tight turns and straight-aways on the 3,300-foot course. Points are awarded for their finishes each day in both angling and boat handling, with the fishing portion accounting for 60 percent of the scoring. The pros will fish Carlyle Lake Saturday and Rend Lake Sunday, with boat handling competition on Rend each afternoon.

Klein was one of two drivers to break the one minute mark during the boating competition. His time of 0:58:10 in the Ford Trucks Triton bass boat beat out North Carolina's Dustin Wilks, who turned a :59.73 in his Yamaha Triton rig. Reese, driving the Flowmaster/BC Powders Champion Bass Boat, topped all anglers in the fishing competition with 11 pounds, 6 ounces. However, he was disqualified during the boating competition when he ran over abuoy while cutting a corner too tight.

Yelas had 8 pounds, 2 ounces for second in fishing, followed by Jones with 7 pounds, 15 ounces, Chapman with 7 pounds, 11 ounces and Klein with 7 pounds, 4 ounces.

While Skeeter boat anglers dominate the overall scoring, claiming three of the top five spots, Triton boat drivers had the five best times in boating competition.

Mark Davis, who won last week's Lowe's Home Improvement WCF season opener at Monroe, La., ranks 10th overall in his First USA Visa sponsored Bass Cat.

         B.A.S.S. Web site: http://www.bassmaster.com.

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