Posted -  May 18th, 2008 8:45pm CST

Cochran Finishes Second, Bohannan Third

Story by Dru Smith - Photos by  Matt Pangrac

Rogers, AR - For the eleventh consecutive year, the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Open was held on Beaver Lake. The connection between Beaver Lake, located in Rogers, Arkansas, and the Wal-Mart Corporation is obvious as the corporate office is located in nearby Bentonville. Over the last 13 years, the lifespan of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart, in conjunction with Ranger Boats and a plethora of sponsors, has vaulted the FLW Tour to top of competitive fishing. 

Mike Terry won the inaugural Open on Lake Kerr in 1996 taking home $100,000.00. When the infamous, Gerald Swindle took home the Open trophy in ’98, the first time it was held on Beaver Lake, he cashed a $150,000.00 check. Ten years later the winner of this week’s event will take home $200,000.00 as part of the $1.5 million purse. 

Over that span, winning weights have ranged from 18-07 in 2002 when Andre Moore won -- putting the Reaction Innovation’s Sweet Beaver in forefront of soft plastic baits, to when Dan Moorehead, a finalist in this week’s event, won with 28-08.

As the 200 pros prepared for the 2008 Open, each realized the normal techniques like the shaky head or drop-shot would not get it done on the flooded, muddy waters of Beaver this week. The official practice period evidenced an emerging pattern focused on shallow water. 

On day one, Mark Pack went skinny to catch a tournament leading weight of 14 pounds, 13 ounces. In fact, 16 anglers came in with 12 pounds or more on Thursday. Expectations were set for a heavy hitting competition.

However, day two, a day when the leaders often take it easy on their fish, the weights fell with just 4 bags topping the 12 pound mark. Beaver Lake reared its stingy head on Saturday as none of the ten remaining anglers broke through the ten pound barrier. Mike Hawkes took the lead on day three with 9 pounds, 5 ounces. 

Undeterred, the ten finalists headed out on Sunday, each within striking distance of the leader. The 2008 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Open ended just as it had began with Mark Pack on top.

Pack nearly doubled his day three weight on Sunday toting 14 pounds, 5 ounces to the scales to secure the win and $200,000.00 with a two day total of 21-10.

George Cochran took advantage of his late invite to the finals and finished the event in second. The gentleman from Hot Springs netted 18 pounds 3 ounces over the last two days of competition to earn $50,000.00. 

Local angler, Greg Bohannan finished in third with 17-14. His final day weight of 10-08 pounds was the second best of the day and earned the hometown boy $40,000.00.

Rounding out the top five was day three leader Mike Hawkes with 17-10 and second year pro from Shelby, NC, Matt Arey (16-12).

Beginning to End for Pack
Mark Pack started the event with heaviest limit of the tournament, five fish that weighed 14 pounds, 13 ounces. He came in Sunday with the second heaviest bag at 14 pounds, 5 ounces. With 17 pounds sandwiched between, Pack won his first Tour victory in nine seasons as a FLW pro. “I knew it was over when I landed that big fish,” Pack said about the five pound fish he put in the boat at 7:15 a.m. this morning. “I had 13 pounds by 7:30 and I culled a couple of more times throughout the day.”

Using a green pumpkin/orange worm, Texas rigged; Mark swam the bait over rocks on main lake points and flats. “You had to find that first drop with rocks on it. The fish were loading up on those spots waiting on the shad.”

Focusing on shallow water all week, Pack put together a short milk run of areas that matched his criteria. “I had seven spots that I ran to each day,” he said. “The big bite was important and I got at least one a day except for Saturday.”


Cochran Cashes In
Having earned nearly $1 million on the FLW circuit, George Cochran took full advantage of a competitors miscue to cash in on a part of the prize money this week. On day two, Joel Robertson shut his boat down and made a couple of casts before realizing he was in an off-limits area. The high water had rearranged the marker buoys and Robertson’s mistake led to his day two weight being disqualified. That mistake and the fact Gentle George continue to catch fish over the final two days, equated to an additional $36,000.00 for Cochran. (Pay out for the 11th place, the spot George originally ended up in, was $14,000.00.)

“I caught 17 keepers today,” Cochran said. All the fish I caught came on a bait I designed for Wal-Mart.” The bait Cochran was referring to is the Little Mister Money. It is a short armed, 3/16th ounce spinnerbait. “I was throwing around docks, keying on the shady areas up tight against the docks.”

When asked about the finish and any momentum heading into the rest of the season, Cochran said, “At my age you have to take advantage of every chance to finish high. I am always excited to fish the next event as soon as last one is over.”


Local Comes Close
Greg Bohannan grew up on Beaver Lake and he knew the conditions –flooded and muddy—would play to his favor. “I fished structure that I knew was there, but you couldn’t see,” he said about his primary pattern. “I went to different area first thing this morning trying to get a big bite and only caught one small one.”

Greg went back to his primary area and put a quick limit in the boat throwing a War Eagle football jig with a Berkley Chigger Craw trailer. “I was reeling the bait real fast across the bottom and that Chigger Craw has a ton of action.”

Running and gunning all week Bohannan said it was all about timing. “I would pull up to a spot and fire 8 or 10 cast out there and if I didn’t get bit then it was off to the next one. I pull up to one area and caught five in five casts. It was just a matter of being there at the right time.”

When asked about finishing third in front of a hometown crowd, Bohannan responded. “It is bitter-sweet. I caught a couple of good fish early and thought I might have a chance, but I came up a little short. I always dreamed of being on stage in front of my home crowd so this has been awesome.”

Texan Falls to Fourth 
Mike Hawkes, from Sabinal Texas, took the lead on Saturday with 9-05 and followed it up with 8-05 on Sunday to finish fourth. “I don’t think I was on the pattern to win, but I fought it all week,” he said. “I would try to get back into the cover where everyone else wasn’t getting.”

Hawkes just needed a quality bite on the final day to move up closer to the top. “It was a pretty good day. I just didn’t get a good bite. I put a fish in the boat on my third cast and caught fish all day long.”

Hawkes described his technique like this, “my primary pattern was swimming an Oldhams jig and a Big Texan Beaver around cover. I spent the first half of the every day practicing and then I would go where I thought I could catch them.” 

Arey Lands in 5th
Matt Arey, a late addition to the Beaver tournament, capitalized on his chance to fish the Open with a fifth place finish. Sticking to his game plan all week, Arey finished with a total of 16 pounds, 12 ounces. “My plan today was to get a limit early and I had it by 9 a.m.,” he said. “After that, I went way up the river trying to get a big bite. I did lose a big fish up there, but thankfully that didn’t cost me the win.” Arey’s primary baits for the week were white Chatterbaits in 5/8th and ½ ounce weights. He also used Bandit 200 crankbaits while fishing the main lake areas. When he went up river he flipped either a Gambler Little Otter or a Gambler Flappy Daddy.

When asked about his success, he replied, “It was a timing thing. I hit one spot twice today and caught five off it early and caught two more later in the day. The shad were always there it was just a matter of getting the fish to bite.”

Mabrey Bluffs His Way To 6th
Kyle Mabrey finished his fourth FLW Tour event in sixth with 15-01. Concentrating on main lake structure, Mabrey stayed consistent all week. “I was throwing a Booyah Boogie bait and a Booyah HD spinnerbait (3/8th ounce),” he said. “I was fishing bluff walls and concentrating on the shady spots.”

Have caught 80 keepers throughout the week, Mabrey just ran out of fish the final day. “I really thought the area I was fishing was going to have a shad spawn. I caught a big stripper early this morning and I thought it was on. I only caught 10 keepers today.”

Looking back Mabrey feels like he may have missed a chance. “In the back of my mind I thought I should have gone to the docks today.” 

FINAL STANDINGS