The team of Roger Crafton (right) of Boca Grande, Fla., and John Ochs of Englewood, Fla., earned Land O'Lakes Team of the Year honors for the FLW Redfish Series Easten Division in 2008. (Photo by Gary Mortenson) Photo & Article compliments of FLW Outdoors

Crafton-Ochs win Land O’Lakes Team of the Year Florida duo claims FLW Redfish Series Eastern honors 10.Sep.2008 MINNEAPOLIS — Completing a prolific season, Roger Crafton of Boca Grande, Fla., and John Ochs of Englewood, Fla., won the 2008 Land O’Lakes Eastern Division Team of the Year award on the Walmart FLW Redfish Series. Crafton and Ochs accumulated 476 points over four qualifying events, and those points qualified the team for the no-entry-fee 2008 Walmart FLW Redfish Series Championship in Biloxi, Miss., Oct. 30-Nov. 1.

At the season-opening tournament in Punta Gorda, Fla., their first Redfish Series event as a team, Crafton and Ochs finished second and earned $13,500. At the next event held in Sarasota, Fla., the two finished third. They notched their third consecutive top-10 finish in Panama City, Fla., where they took fifth. At the season’s final qualifier in Fernandina Beach, Fla., Crafton and Ochs led the tournament after the first day and finished 18th.

“Winning Team of the Year is always a goal at the beginning of the year,” said Crafton. “But after the first couple of top-fives, it became a reality. Going into the last tournament of the year in Fernandina Beach, it was our main goal. We work hard and put in our time prefishing. John likes to fish fast and cover water and I like to be more thorough so we kind of had the best of both worlds.”

Although Crafton and Ochs are a new redfish team, they are no strangers to top-notch competition. Crafton competed on the Walmart FLW Tour, Stren Series and Walmart Bass Fishing League for 14 seasons – racking up 16 top-10 finishes and three victories. Ochs too has competed on the Walmart Bass Fishing League and has been a Florida saltwater guide for many years.

In approximately two months, they will have a shot at a six-figure payday in the FLW Redfish Series Championship.

“Our big goal now is to go over there and win that tournament,” Crafton added. “We had a great year but we never did win a tournament. In fact, we lost the first event of the season by an ounce, which was tough, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. But we’re fishing to win in Biloxi. With any luck, hopefully we can pull it off.”

The Land O’Lakes Team of the Year title is determined by the total accumulated points from four regular-season events. One hundred twenty-five points are awarded for a win, 124 for second, 123 for third, and so on.

Coverage of Crafton and Ochs’ TOY title will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing Nov. 2. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits. FLW Outdoors also took fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million in cash and prizes.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.