MISSOURI ANGLER WINS $35,000 IN CENTRAL DIVISION EVENT HELD ON TABLE ROCK LAKE

Mike Roller of Purdy, Missouri, took first place in the second Central Division event of Operation Bass’ new EverStart Series, with a catch weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces, to capture the $35,000 first prize in the event concluded Saturday on Table Rock Lake.

Roller survived two earlier elimination rounds and 150 anglers enroute to the EverStart victory, edging out nine other finalists competing in Saturday’s final round of the professional division. He received $10,000 and a fully-rigged Ranger boat for the victory. Wayner Fowler of Springfield, Missouri, took the runner-up spot with a championship round creel weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces, good for $10,000.

Rounding out the top 10 in the professional division of the EverStart Series’ Eastern Division were: (3) Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas, 11 pounds, 8 ounces, $9,000; (4) Jim Dopp, Kimberling City, Missouri, 11 pound, 3 ounces, $8,000; (5) Kelly Jordon, Irving, Texas, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $7,000; (6) Kirk Washburn, Harrah, Oklahoma, 8 pounds, 3 ounces, $6,000; (7) Greg Ryan, Nixa, Missouri, 7 pounds, 9 ounces, $5,000; (8) Wallace Jenkins, Knob Noster, Missouri, 6 pounds, 7 ounces, $4,500; (9) Robert Tyndall, Kimberling City, Missouri, 4 pounds, 4 ounces, $4,000; (10) Mike Cooper, Branson, Missouri, 4 pounds, 1 ounces, $3,500. The winner of the amateur division was Hoot Gibson of Bryant, Arkansas, who had a winning weight of 11 pounds, 13 ounces. Gibson collected $5,000 for his amateur division victory.

Rounding out the top 10 in the amateur division were: (2) Fred Estes, Hot Springs, Arkansas, 4 pounds, 15 ounces, $2,000; (3) Mike Edwards, Springfield, Missouri, 4 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,500; (4) Darrel Fletcher, Newport, Arkansas, 4 pounds, 0 ounces, $1,250; (5) Gilbert Boden, Springfield, Missouri, 3 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,000; (6) Jeff Epley, Berryville, Arkansas, 3 pounds, 4 ounces, $700; (7) Craig Clayton, Rogers, Arkansas, 2 pounds, 4 ounces, $650; (8) Bob Capps, Strafford, Missouri, 1 pound, 15 ounces, $600; (9) George Dighero, Lamar, Missouri, 0 pounds, $550; (10) James Wessels, Hackensack, Minnesota, 0 pounds, $500. The win gives Roller and Gibson priority entry into the lucrative Wal-Mart FLW Tour professional bass tournaments in 1999. The total purse for the Table Rock tournament was $138,775 including a fully-rigged Ranger bass boat.

The EverStart Series consists of eight regular events, four in the Central and four in the Eastern Division, and two EverStart Challenge tournaments. The Challenge events, one per division, feature the same format as the Wal-Mart FLW Tour tournaments. The 150-man pro and amateur fields will be cut to the top 10 after two days. Amateur competition is ended at the conclusion of day three, with only the top five pros left to compete on the final day. Each of the EverStart Challenge events will be filmed for a future television segment that will air on ESPN 2.

The remaining schedule in the EverStart Series includes: CENTRAL DIVISION: June 3, 1998, Kentucky Lake, Gilbertsville, Kentucky; July 8, 1998, Lake Eufaula, Checotah, Oklahoma; and September 30, 1998, EverStart Central Division Challenge, Arkansas River, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. EASTERN DIVISION: June 24, 1998, Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, Georgia; and November 11, 1998, EverStart Eastern Division Challenge, Kerr Lake, Henderson, North Carolina.

EverStart™ batteries are marketed exclusively through Wal-Mart stores. EverStart is the world’s largest recycler of batteries. Other sponsors of the series include Chevrolet, CITGO, and Ranger Boats.

EVERSTART SERIES
TABLE ROCK LAKE MAY 16, 1998
FINAL RESULTS
PROS
Rank Name City, State Day 1&2 Day 3 Day 4 Winnings
Total Total Total
1. Mike Roller Purdy, MO 23-8 14-6 14-14 $35,000
2. Wayne Fowler Springfield, MO 25-9 13-10 12-6 10,000
3. Jim Tutt Longview, TX 26-3 15-15 11-8 9,000
4. Jim Dopp Kimberling City, MO 30-14 13-12 11-3 8,000
5. Kelly Jordon Irving, TX 25-8 13-14 9-10 7,000
6. Kirk Washburn Harrah, OK 33-8 16-0 8-3 6,000
7. Greg Ryan Nixa, MO 27-0 16-10 7-9 5,000
8. Wallace Jenkins Knob Noster, MO 25-9 14-12 6-7 4,500
9. Robert Tyndall Kimberling City, MO 29-12 13-7 4-4 4,000
10. Mike Cooper Branson, MO 26-5 15-14 4-1 3,500
11. James Miles Berryville, AR 23-4 13-4 3,000
12. Jackie Davis Willard, MO 24-5 12-11 2,500
13. Slade Dearman Onalaska, TX 28-8 12-7 2,000
14. Larry Herndon Kimberling City, MO 27-7 12-4 1,800
15. Peter Wenners Galena, MO 25-12 12-3 1,600
16. Eric Holt Cape Fair, MO 26-9 12-2 1,400
17. Carl Svebek III Sam Rayburn, TX 25-11 12-1 1,400
18. Jay Hardcastle Ozark, MO 26-1 11-14 1,400
19. Kristopher Bouldin Ashland, MS 23-8 11-5 1,400
20. Jerry Bohannon Irvington, AL 23-9 11-1 1,400
21. Bill Beck Kimberling City, MO 27-11 10-12 1,200
22. Tracy Adams Wilkesboro, NC 23-2 10-6 1,200
23. Tim Taylor Nixa State, MO 25-13 10-5 1,200
24. Johnnie McCombs Morris, AL 24-15 9-6 1,200
25. Clayton Douglass Broken Arrow, OK 24-8 9-2 1,200
26. Lucy Mize Ben Lomond, AR 23-13 8-11 1,000
27. David Seaton Dyersburg, TN 23-8 8-7 1,000
28. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 29-3 6-13 1,000
29. Randy Morris Garfield, AR 28-14 5-13 1,000
30. Tim Wilson Marion, IN 23-4 5-11 1,000
31. Robert Robbins Branson, MO 23-1
32. Bill Reed Springfield, MO 23-0
33. Larry Egidy Gladstone, MO 22-9
34. Jimmy Davis Williard, MO 22-9
35. Randall Hutson Washburn, MO 22-7
36. Sean Orr Mahomet, IL 22-4
37. Gary Rusk Nixa, MO 22-1
38. Brian Snowden Springfield, MO 22-0
39. Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 21-15
40. James Stricklin, Jr. Alexander, AR 21-14
41. Raymond Richardson Calhoun, LA 21-13
42. Michael Courtney Pine Bluff, AR 21-9
43. Jack Faris Branson West, MO 21-9
44. Robert Louthian N. Little Rock, AR 21-8
45. Bob London Grove, OK 21-8
46. Wes Woodard Columbus, IN 21-5
47. Bill Cannan Huntsville, TX 21-3
48. John Sappington Wyandotte, OK 21-3
49. Brooks Rogers Longview, TX 20-14
50. Kent Schaede Broken Arrow, OK 20-13
AMATEURS
Rank Name City, State Day 1&2 Day 3 Day 4 Winnings
Total Total Total
1. Hoot Gibson Bryant, AR 20-10 6-11 11-13 $5,000
2. Fred Estes Hot Springs, AR 15-11 6-2 4-15 2,000
3. Mike Edwards Springfield, MO 14-11 7-10 4-9 1,500
4. Darrel Fletcher Newport, AR 15-13 6-6 4-0 1,250
5. Gilbert Boden Springfield, MO 22-14 7-3 3-10 1,000
6. Jeff Epley Berryville, AR 19-12 12-14 3-4 700
7. Craig Clayton Rogers, AR 17-2 11-8 2-4 650
8. Bob Capps Strafford, MO 20-13 12-15 1-15 600
9. George Dighero Lamar, MO 22-0 11-13 0-0 550
10. James Wessels Hackensack, MN 14-10 8-7 0-0 500
11. Arley Brown Midway, AR 16-2 6-0 450
12. Matt Scholzen Racine, WI 14-13 5-11 400
13. Mark Klein Lawrenceville, IL 17-13 5-9 350
14. Larry Elliott Kimberling City, MO 16-14 5-7 300
15. Jack Cooper Knoxcille, TN 18-10 4-10 250
16. Faron Morris Clarksburg, MO 15-14 4-6 200
17. Larry McGarrah Rogers, AR 20-4 4-3 200
18. Duane Sheriff Peculiar, MO 15-4 4-2 200
19. Frank Divis, Sr. Elkins, AR 15-10 4-1 200
20. Mark Thompson Morris, IL 14-11 3-15 200
21. Judy Wong Sugar Land, TX 15-1 3-14 150
22. Bruce Weller Hardin,KY 17-1 3-5 150
23. Daniel Rios Waukesha, WI 17-15 2-15 150
24. Derek Jones Wichita, KS 19-12 2-9 150
25. Tom Jones Rogers, AR 15-0 2-4 150
26. Jason Winn Radcliff, KY 18-7 2-0 125
27. John Sisemore Farmington, AR 19-0 1-15 125
28. Billy Richey Carbon, IN 16-6 1-15 125
29. Darin Stribling Walnut Grove, MO 16-3 0-0 125
30. Chester Miles Berryville, AR 16-2 0-0 125
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