Most of the 77 anglers who will ply the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers in the Forrest Wood Cup that begins tomorrow made it to Pittsburgh through the professional FLW Tour and FLW Series circuits or the Stren semi-pro circuit.

Two weekend anglers, however, fished their way from local bass tournaments to coveted amateur spots in the world's richest fishing contest.

The two spots on the Cup roster are reserved for the ultimate underdogs -- one independent angler from the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League and one member of a fishing club representing the Bass Fishing Federation.

Adam Wagner, of Cookeville, Tenn., started fishing in bass tournaments with his dad when he was 12. Winning a tournament last year on his home waters, Percy Priest Lake near Nashville, set him on a succession of BFL circuit wins that carried him to Pittsburgh.

Wagner said a change in attitude put him in the Forrest Wood Cup.

"When I started, I just wanted to get the limit," he said, while practice fishing in Pittsburgh. "This last year, I've been fishing to win. I'm going for broke every time I fish."

The Ohio River is home waters for Robert Harkness of Elizabeth, W.Va., about three hours south of Pittsburgh. A member of the West Virginia Bass Federation club, he said he barely made the West Virginia team as a co-angler, but did better in subsequent contests that brought him here.

"I'll be honest with you," he said. "Believe me, there is luck involved. But the other parts to it are preparation and opportunity. I got lucky, but then I prepared for the tournaments and took the opportunity they gave me."

Some of the contest's top-rated anglers have gotten rich from fishing, with product endorsements and top-end equipment provided by manufacturers. Wagner said he is not intimidated by such fishermen or equipment.

"I have a brand new Ranger boat," he said. "Those guys don't have better equipment. It's just a mindset. You can't think about fishing for a million dollars or you're going to blow it. Just think about fishing. If you can keep your head in it, confidence is the No. 1 thing."

Harkness' Champion bass boat will get him around the rivers and could lead him to FLW Outdoors' guaranteed $500,000 first prize, but it won't get him the $500,000 Ranger bonus given if the winner fishes from a Ranger boats.

Still, he says, "What a life-changing experience a half-million dollars would be. A wonderful nest egg."

Before he left West Virginia, Harkness said the whole thing was "intimidating."

"I got a lot of nerves, I'd like to fish for a few hours to take the pressure off," he said. "I'm not part of the [elite] fishing culture yet. I'm not going to have a sponsored boat and logos all over my shirt. I'm just representing the average weekend tournament angler. I hope I represent them well."

Forrest Wood Cup rules call for every boat to carry a co-angler, a randomly chosen non-professional who is there for safety and security. Co-anglers compete in a parallel contest for smaller prizes including a $50,000 jackpot. Some, like Justin Lucas, 23, of Folsom, Calif., sometimes fish the pro circuits, but they're angling as amateurs here.

"Back home on the West Coast, I'm a fishing pro," said Lucas. "I made $210,000 in the last three years. I'm an amateur out here, a young guy trying to learn from some of the best fishermen in the world."

Lucas said fishing from the back of the boat while the pros make the first casts is a different kind of fishing.

"You're kind of at the mercy of the pros," he said. "It's not that they don't want you to catch fish. They want first crack at them, so they position the boat for them. It's very, very tough out of the back of the boat. I don't believe any co-angler will catch five in one day. You're just trying to pick off a few fish."

On the upside, he said, each co-angler gets to be 15 feet from one of the best fishermen in the world, watching and learning.

"I don't just do what [the pro] is doing," said Lucas. "I intentionally do something different. If his bait goes down 4-5 feet, I use something that goes down 5-8 feet. We're not fishing for the same bass."

Opportunity has gotten the Forrest Wood Cup underdogs on the water and preparation could give them an edge at the weigh-ins. But there's something to be said for luck.

"I'm competitive," said Harkness, "but I have to have fun at what I'm doing. So, I don't get too competitive. I'll take these odds any day. They're stacked against me, but I'll take them."