Ultimate Match Fishing Season 4- Outdoor Channel - Friday Nights at 9pm
David Walker wins the 2008 UMF Championship on Lake Dardanelle
Walker overcomes Andy Morgan during the 2-hour shootout to claim the UMF Title Belt
David Walker has done it! After coming close several times in major events over the course of his illustrious career, David Walker claimed the 2008 Ultimate Match Fishing championship over fellow FLW pro Andy Morgan on Arkansas’ Lake Dardanelle with a final flurry that put him over the top 11.93 pounds to 7.44 for Morgan.

After a slow start that saw both anglers holding their cards, and their best spots, for the final 2-hour shootout where each angler was given the chance to fish from their own boat with no restrictions, David Walker took advantage by heading to Piney Creek and proceeding to fill his live well with schooling Lake Dardanelle largemouth.

“It was an all or nothing gamble” said the victorious Walker. “The lake was getting pounded by local anglers and I figured my spot had been fished over more than once. When I pulled up and made the first cast, I told the camera man that this was it. We were going to find out immediately if these fish were still in the neighborhood and still feeding. My bait made it all the way back to the boat without a hit on that cast and I got a little nervous. On the second cast, bam! It was on. I’ve never been so relieved in my life!”

“You got to hand it to David, he fished one heck of an event” added Andy Morgan. “I knew he had a spot that if it was on, would be big trouble for me.” Morgan headed for a similar flat off of the main river only to find that the wind had muddied the spot leading to futility for one of the top ranked anglers I the world.

“When I saw the mud and wind direction, I knew it was lights out,” said Morgan. “Actually, Mark Davis had taken me to that spot in our semifinal match and he just crushed the fish in that pocket but the water was clear and the wind was calm. Hey, that’s fishing.”

When the final weights were tallied, David Walker grasped the UMF title belt and held it high over head.

“It’s a great feeling. Yeah, the money is good, but to beat some of the best anglers in the country one-on-one is what really makes this a special moment for me. I’ll never forget it.”

In the end, Walker defeated Scott Martin, Dave Lefebre and Andy Morgan twice to claim the belt and the $50,000 Grand Prize. Andy Morgan overcame Dan Morehead, lost to Walker in the quarterfinals, and then overcame Mark Davis in the semifinal round as the wildcard to advance to the championship. He claims the $15,000 second place prize.

Congratulations to David Walker, the 2008 UMF Champion.
Questions about tactics, tackle and more? Click above for links to the pro's websites or HERE to contact UMF!
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