GROVE, Okla. – Toby Hartsell of Grove, Okla., will lead 20 of the nation’s top professional bass anglers into Friday’s semifinal round at the $210,000 EverStart Series tournament on Grand Lake with a two-day total of eight bass weighing 26 pounds, 15 ounces.
Hartsell caught five bass weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces Wednesday to place second despite near freezing early morning temperatures. He turned in three more bass weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces Thursday to lead the Pro Division. Friday the top 20 pros and co-anglers will start from zero and fish for one day to determine the top 10 anglers advancing to Saturday’s final round for a shot at a top pro award of more than $50,000 in cash and prizes and top co-angler award of $6,000 cash.
“I just took it easy [Thursday],” said Hartsell, who caught his bass each day flipping a jig and casting a spinner bait. “I looked for new spots and stayed close to home. I think I’ll need 11 or 12 pounds Friday to make it to the finals, so that’s what I’m shooting for. I don’t want to burn out my fish.”
Pro Wayne Diffee of Oakhurst, Okla., caught eight bass weighing 25 pounds, 15 ounces over two days to secure the No. 2 spot in the semifinal round. He also landed big bass honors and $750 with a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass. Tommy Dillon of Manhattan, Kan. (six bass, 23 pounds, 5 ounces); Greg Hackney of Oak Ridge, La. (seven bass, 22 pounds, 15 ounces); and Gary Carrier of Grove, Okla., (six bass, 22 pounds, 13 ounces) rounded out the top five pros.
Co-angler Dennis Huggins of Broken Arrow, Okla., claimed the top spot in his division with a two-day total of six bass weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces. He caught the majority of his bass Thursday on a jerkbait.
Finishing in second and third place were co-anglers Rick Reedy of Barrington, Ill., (five bass, 16 pounds, 9 ounces) and Keith Johnson of Moore, Okla., (four bass, 15 pounds, 11 ounces).
Bert Keller of Bryan, Texas, landed co-angler big bass honors and $250 with a 7-pound, 4-ounce largemouth.
A total of 332 bass weighing 950 pounds, 14 ounces were caught Thursday including just 10 five-bass limits. All of the bass were released alive.
Competition begins at 6 a.m. each morning at Red 11 Port in Grove. Thursday’s weigh-in starts at 3 p.m. at Red 11 Port. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 2115 South Main Street in Grove starting at 4 p.m.
Now in its fifth season, the EverStart Series features three divisions – Eastern, Central and Northern – with four events each plus the $325,000 EverStart Series Championship presented by Conseco. The top 50 pros and co-anglers from each division will earn a spot in the no-entry-fee Championship for a shot at top pro awards of more than $60,000 in cash and prizes and top co-angler awards of more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. The top 10 pros and co-anglers from each division also receive priority entry into the 2003 Wal-Mart FLW Tour where they will compete at the sport’s highest level for up to $260,000 and $40,000 cash respectively.
More than $2.8 million will be awarded to bass anglers through the 2002 EverStart Series.
Sponsors of the 2002 EverStart Series are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Coleman, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, Fujifilm, GARMIN, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Maxwell House, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Berkley, Eagle Claw, Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.