Published: June 22, 2009 08:25 am      

Fantasy Fisherman gets a bigger bite

Terry Moberly of Berea already reeled in $100,000 playing FLW Fantasy Fishing, but now he’s bobbing for more.

In the avid bass angler’s first season of the game, he is in second place to win the season-ending grand prize of $1 million.

League organizers will not tell Moberly exactly how many fantasy fishermen he is up against — they only told him the numbers were “in the six digits.” And being on top, he said, is simply a matter of luck.

“I’d say 15 to 20 percent skill, 80 percent luck,” he said.

Moberly’s sons, Tyler and Brandon, are both avid bass anglers and have competed in regional bass tournaments sponsored by FLW Outdoors. The organization’s initials are taken from Forrest L. Wood, founder of Ranger Boats and developer of the modern bass-fishing boat.

The boys introduced their dad to the fantasy game and help him make decisions, Moberly said.

In February, Moberly registered at www.fantasyfishing.com with less than four hours left in the competition. He won $100,000 earlier in the season when he picked a winning “Fantasy Fishing” team of 10 bass pros out of a field of 157.

With the money, the family took a vacation to Cumberland Lake. Other than that, the family just took it easy and paid for the boys’ education, Moberly said.

“They get a cut every day,” he said, laughing.

The family conserves the money they won, Moberly said.

“Yeah, I want to go out and buy a bass boat, but we have one. But, if I do win the $1 million, I guarantee there’ll be a new bass boat,” he said.

Moberly feels great about being in second place, he said. His goal is to finish in the top 10 and if he does, he will “be tickled,” he said.

If he finishes in the top 10, Moberly will be awarded a trip to Pittsburgh on Aug. 1 to meet the people in charge of FLW Fantasy Fishing and find out who the winner is.

“I don’t want to be greedy, don’t get me wrong. I’ve already been blessed,” Moberly said.

But, if he does win the million, “I’d scream. I’d just go off, probably,” he said. “First thing (I would buy) would be the bass boat.”

Brittany Davenport can be reached at 624-6624 or news@richmondregister.com.