PWT vs. FLW

[rpugh]

Just wondering what your opinions are on the two tours. If you had your choice which one would you fish? The pwt averages 100-120 boats vs the flw which always fills at 150. The entry is very similar at $1450(pwt)vs. $1500(flw). PWT first place is $25,000 plus a boat and the flw is $60,000. This is for the qualifier or regional events. Last paying place in pwt is 30th @ $3,000 vs last place in flw is 50th @ $1,500. I am unsure what the contigencies are for the pwt but the flw is about 2/3rds of prize money if you are qualified through your boat and engine. PWT events are 3 days where as flw is 4 days. This may be good for people with families back home.

If I was to fish one I would have to pick the one that has the waters closest to home on the schedule.

Which would you pick and why?

[hgmeyer]

I have fished the FLW League Events for the past three years... And, last year I fished the FLW Tour event at Green Bay... all as a Co-Angler. (And I am signed up for the League again this year and the Tour Event at Red Wing) So, my "credentials" end there... Every event has been run extremely well... About 9-10 guys from my Walleye Club also fish the League events and I have not heard any complaints about the FLW from them, either. And, I have made new friends and stayed connected with old ones...who also fish the FLW. They have complained a lot about the weather, but not about the FLW!

My point is that the FLW is run very well. I am not familiar with the PWT, at all, except as a spectator at one event. So, please draw no conclusions about that circuit by my lack of knowledge. I can wholeheartedly state that if you have an opprtunity to fish an FLW event I am sure you will have a positive experience.

Both tours are run very well. Mostly it depends on what equipment you are running to qualify for contingency money. The quality of the tours are very similar.

Jason Erlandson

[rpugh]

I have fished a couple flw events and no doubt about it they are ran very well. Could someone give us an idea as to what the contigencies are for the pwt as it is not listed on their website?

Both circuits are top notch. You will have to know your stuff to do good in either circuit. I have fished both on the pro side in the past and the one thing that really got me was that you have to put 3 good days in a row to do good in them. You cant just have 1 or 2 good days and expect to do good. I would have 2 good days but that 1 day that didnt go so good cost me alot of money. The guys that are up in the money put 3 straight days together.
The pwt doesnt have contingency money, unless they changed ther rules from a couple of years ago. The pwt got the pro/co angler tournament circiuts game going back in 1991 I believe. So they are sort of like the bassmasters in that they got it all started. So they are like the tradition of tournament walleye fishing. While the flw (rcl) circuit began in 2000 with just a national championship tournament. And you had to have the right kind of boat to qualify for that. But now the flw is open to anyone. I like the fact that the flw went to the 3 days of qualifing then the top 12 I think fish to see who is the winner. It is good for the pro's but it is alot better for the co's. In the pwt the co anglers win fishing gear and gifts, while in the flw the co anglers win money. The one thing that puts the flw just alittle bit ahead for me is that they pay down to 50th place. That is big when you spend as much money as you will when you do one of these on the pro side. You will spend at least $2500 out at every tournament you do. That includes tournament entree fee. While if you place in 30th place in the pwt you may pocket alittle bit of money, but if you finish in 31st place your out $2500. But in the flw you finish 30 place you pocket some money, but if you finish in 50th place you get $1500 and that helps cushion the blow of all the money that you spent that week.. Believe me if you can bring a check home, it helps to keep the wife open for more pro tournaments in the future. If you don't, well unless your wallet is deep, your pro tournament days will be short with many thoughts of what could have been if I just caught that one fish that got away at the boat!!!!! I will probably never forget that day of fish...

[Gary Korsgaden]

This comment is late but from what I see from the non fishing related retail/products/promtion connection. FLW is light years ahead of the PWT. But both circuits are "very good" and well run. With Wal-Mart as a driving force behind the FLW I feel this circuit will go along ways. The key is connecting with non-fishing related sponsros

It would appear that the torch has been passed to the FLW Walleye Tour as being the dominant circuit in walleye fishing today.

The thing I hate about the FLW from a coangler prospective is that you only get to fish 2 days if you are not in the top 20. That is a lot of money for two days of fishing. Most coanglers are in it for the experience of fishing with the pros and the FLW limits that. Pwt allows 3 full days. I know of many co's that advanced into the money on the third day.

What rock have you been living under? The FLW has three days of fishing (full field) with a cut to the top ten on day 4. It's been that way for a few years now.

[Cary_Ne]

Where You been, the FLW has been three day's with the top ten on day four for three year's now.