The $10 million Wal-Mart FLW Series will visit Bethel Island March 14 through 17 for its second National Guard Western Division fishing tournament of the season. Hosted by the City of Oakley, the tournament will feature as many as 400 top bass anglers from 15 states, Japan and Mexico casting for top awards of $125,000 in the Pro Division and $25,000 in the Co-angler Division.

While a few bass might be ready to spawn when the tournament begins, Team Immodium pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Ariz., who notched a top-10 finish here at a Stren Series event in 2003, anticipates most of the fish will be in a pre-spawn pattern.

"It's going to be a full-on pre-spawn bite, and those fish are going to be aggressive and willing to bite," Hite said.

Hite expects water temperatures to be anywhere from 53 to 58 degrees, and he looks for water clarity to be a medium stain - a color that allows a variety of techniques to be effective on the Delta.

Anglers will take off from Russo's Marina, located at 3995 Willow Road, at 7:30 each morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday's weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday's final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store, located at 4893 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, beginning at 4 p.m. Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday's weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Wal-Mart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include the Fujifilm trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.

The entire field competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three based on the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.

In FLW Series competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The total purse for the California Delta tournament is $1 million, including $10,000 through 50th place and $2,000 through 75th place in the Pro Division. Ultimately, all anglers in the tournament will also be competing for valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the BP East-National Guard West Fishoff and a shot at advancing to the $2-million, 2008 Forrest Wood Cup, where the winning pro will earn as much as $1 million - the sport's biggest award.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit flwoutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.