$7.1 million Walmart FLW Series to visit Columbia River

The $7.1 million Walmart FLW Series will visit the Columbia River in Umatilla, Ore., June 24-27 for the second National Guard Western Division tournament of the season. The tournament, hosted by the City of Umatilla, is the first major bass-fishing event in the state of Oregon and will feature as many as 300 top bass anglers casting for top awards of $125,000 in the Pro Division and $25,000 in the Co-angler Division.

“We’re excited to be in a new venue and honored to bring the first big bass-fishing event in Oregon to the tremendous fishery that is the Columbia River,” said Sgt. 1st Class Frank O’Laughlin.

“I think there will be some fish just getting off the spawn,” said National Guard pro Brent Ehrler. “Lots of fish will be caught.”

Ehrler said anglers will find bass with a variety of techniques – including using a spinnerbait for shallow fish. However, Ehrler said the Columbia River tends toward slower methods.

“It’s the Columbia River,” Ehrler said. “You can’t go wrong with the Carolina rig or a drop-shot rig.”

– Excerpt from flwoutdoors.com