Texan Carl Svebek grabs opening day lead at Lake Murray
Two women crack co-angler top five; first time in FLW Tour history
LEXINGTON, S.C. – In an impressive display of fishing prowess, 103 of the 175 pro anglers competing for a top prize of $100,000 on Lake Murray caught five bass limits as Carl Svebek of Sam Rayburn, Texas, jumped to an early lead with the season’s heaviest opening day total of 23 pounds, 6 ounces. The anglers are competing in the third event of the 2000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour.
Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., the son of legendary angler Roland Martin, also is off to a strong start for team Timex, landing five bass weighing 20-4 to tie for seventh place. Martin, who represents the next generation of bass fishing superstars, won last month’s second FLW Tour stop in Biloxi, Miss.
In keeping with the family tradition, Scott’s mother, Mary Ann Martin, is in fifth place on the co-angler side with five bass weighing 9-8. Mary Parnell of Casselberry, Fla., also cracked the top five in third place with five bass weighing 10-13.
“This is my time of year,” said Svebek, who fishes for the Land O’Lakes team. “I have some of my best tournaments in the spring when fish are coming up to the banks. I really enjoy sight fishing, but I wish I knew exactly what it is going to take tomorrow.”
Finishing the day in second and third positions in the Pro Division were Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., with five bass weighing 22-6 and Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, with five bass weighing 22-2.
In the Co-Angler Division, Brantley Peoples of Raleigh, N.C., is leading the field in a bid for a $15,000 top prize with five bass weighing 13-0. Gary Henry of Conyers, Ga., finished the day in second with five bass weighing 11-10.
The biggest bass of the day, worth $750, was an 8-pound 10-ounce behemoth caught by co-angler Quinten Stacy of Bassett, Va. Stacy caught the largemouth on a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom lizard. The pro or co-angler who catches the biggest bass during the first two days of competition will receive $1,000 from Coca-Cola. At the end of the season, Coca-Cola also will award $5,000 to the pro or co-angler who catches the biggest bass of the year. Stacy is leading the Coca-Cola Big Bass race for the year.
The field of 175 pros and 175 co-anglers will set out again Thursday to add to their first day’s catch in hopes of securing one of 10 slots available in Friday’s second round. During the second round, anglers start over and compete for one day to determine the top five pros who will advance to Saturday’s final round. Co-angler competition ends Friday.
Competition resumes at 6:30 a.m. Thursday at Lighthouse Marina located at 1925 Johnson’s Marina Road in Chapin, S.C., followed by a 3 p.m. weigh-in at the same location. Friday’s takeoff starts at 8 a.m., and the weigh-in begins at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 5556 Sunset Blvd. in Lexington. Saturday’s final weigh-in at the Wal-Mart Supercenter begins at 3:30 p.m. The final weigh-in will be broadcast live via satellite to the electronics departments of Wal-Mart stores nationwide. It also will air as part of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour series on ESPN at 1 p.m. EST on May 6.