One man's fantasy comes true

MINNEAPOLIS -- I used to sit back in amazement while watching promotional announcements on some of the cable sports channels about fans sitting around and picking players for their various "fantasy" sports teams.

In reality, I didn't know what that was about, nor did I have any desire to get involved.

And then one day I got a call from an excited associate.

"This FLW Fantasy Fishing thing has taken off like wildfire," said former Chicagoan Larry Berger, now living in Minneapolis.

We spoke for a half-hour, and after I hung up I went to work doing my research.

Irwin Jacobs, a Minneapolis entrepreneur, and his sharp support staff came up with the FLW Fantasy Fishing Tournament events.

I do have a tendency to go on out on a limb about fishing-related topics. In this case, though, I will echo Jacobs' remarks when he declared that FLW events will become a major factor in helping bring more people in to the fishing world.

Tackle companies, angling associations and conservation groups have struggled for decades to grow the sport. Some progress has been achieved, but not to the degree like NASCAR racing.

I researched Jacobs' venture. I talked with other writers, and then I spent a morning in Irwin's office, high above downtown Minneapolis, discussing the merits of his brainchild.

Jacobs started the FLW (Forest L. Wood) fishing tournaments after he purchased the Ranger Boat Company, as well as Lund Boats and other boat manufacturing operations. Retailing giant Wal-Mart joined Irwin in the tourney venture, as did other nationally known fishing companies.

And then, almost out of the blue, Jacobs decided to get into the fantasy sports arena and came up with his FLW Fantasy Fishing concept.

Anyone can join by registering at fanatasyfishing.com. You don't even have to be a fisherman.

There's a series of seven FLW professional tournaments, and all anyone has to do is pick the pro anglers he or she believes will win each week.

If an entrant picks the 10 top winning pros, he or she can win $100,000 for that tournament. If that same person is lucky enough to pick all the winners for the seven tournaments, he or she could collect a $5 million bonus.

At the end of the season, the entrant with the most cumulative points will get a cool $1 million.

"No one is going to grow the sport of fishing like us," Jacobs told me. "In fact, I believe this will drive a whole new interest level in fishing."

Chris Toring is a 30-something Minneapolis investment counselor who grabbed the gold ring after the first tournament. I interviewed Toring after he was presented with the first installment of his $100,000 pro-picking effort in the Fantasy Fishing tourney.

"I couldn't believe I did it," he exclaimed, "and the only pro I had any familiarity with was Jay Yelas, so I picked him and a bunch of others. I guess I was very lucky."

Toring told me his friends and family members subsequently signed up to try their luck at duplicating his feat.

I asked Chris what he was going to do with his prize money. He declared he was taking his family to Disney World.

Maybe he'll fish for some big bass in those famous Disney World lakes as well.

If you're interested in getting in on some fun, go to www.fantasyfishing.com and register. Good luck.