WAGONER, Okla. – After being rescheduled due to unusually high water in March, then being postponed as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the United States, the EverStart Series will not visit Fort Gibson Lake this season.
"Despite our best efforts to fit the Fort Gibson Lake tournament back into our schedule, it just was not feasible this late in the season," said Charlie Evans, executive vice president of Operation Bass. "After this weekend there are only six weeks until the EverStart Series championship, so that didn't leave us with many viable options."
The tournament was originally scheduled for March 7-10, making it the season opener for the EverStart Series Central Division. But high water levels at that time necessitated a move to Sept. 19-22. In light of the terrorist attacks on the United States, however, it was announced Sept. 12 that the tournament would be postponed along with four Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League events and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour championship. Since that announcement the Wal-Mart BFL tournaments have been rescheduled for Sept. 22-23.
Canceling the EverStart Series tournament will not affect qualification for the EverStart Series championship presented by Conseco Nov. 7-10 on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. EverStart Series tournament winners and the top 50 pros and top 50 co-anglers from the Eastern, Northern and Central divisions will qualify for the championship. Central division standings will simply be based on the three completed tournaments instead of four.
At the championship the winning pro will receive a Yamaha- or Mercury-powered Ranger boat with a Minn Kota trolling motor and $25,000. The top co-angler will win a Yamaha- or Mercury-powered Ranger boat with a Minn Kota trolling motor and $10,000.
Anglers with questions concerning the event should contact Operation Bass at (270) 362-4880.