ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. – Pro Tony Christian of Hull, Ga., caught five bass Friday weighing 12 pounds, 3 ounces to lead the 10 pros who advanced to Saturday’s final round of the $256,825 EverStart Series Eastern Division event on Lake Martin. The semifinal-round field of 20 pros and 20 co-anglers was cut to 10 in each division for Saturday’s competition.
After two days of cold, wet weather, the rain finally stopped for Lake Martin anglers Friday. But the slight increase in air temperature – and water levels, which rose 8 inches overnight – did not affect the water temperature, which remains in the brisk 50s. However, the consistency of the water temperature was actually beneficial to the semifinal-round competitors, and Christian used a jig and a crankbait in shallow water to claim his catch Friday.
“I’ve been catching mostly largemouths, because I can’t catch those spots too well,” said Christian, who dominated the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division in 2002 and is fishing in only his second EverStart Series event. “They’re smart. This is my first time to lead a day in the EverStart Series, and I wish it was the fourth day. The main thing is to make the cut and then be leading on the last day. I need a good payday; my baby needs shoes!”
Christian expects his largemouth-catching prowess to propel him past the competition. “I’m just going to go to my spot and catch five largemouths like I’ve been doing, and if I do that, I will be in contention because most are fishing for spots, and they don’t seem to be as big,” he said.
Rounding out the top five pros are B.J. Barnett of Alexander City (five bass, 12 pounds); Wayne Waldrop of Alexander City (five bass, 10 pounds, 14 ounces); Jason Quinn of Lake Wylie, S.C. (five bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces); and Johnny Crase of Lexington, Ky. (five bass, 10 pounds).
Bobby Scharber of Pulaski, Tenn., leads the Co-angler Division heading into the final round thanks to his five-bass catch Friday weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces. He caught his bass using a shaky head worm.
“I fished with David Dudley, and I dragged that little worm behind him and caught them shallow,” said Scharber, who is also fishing in only his second EverStart Series tournament. “I take what my pros let me have, and I’ve been lucky to catch a few. This is a dream, to start fishing these things and to be leading. It’s great. My 9-month-old daughter Brianna is my good-luck charm. I’ve got her teething ring in my pocket, and I’m ready to see her!”
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Darin Mitchell of Rutledge, Ga. (four bass, 7 pounds, 9 ounces); Sean Stepp of Dumfries, Va. (five bass, 7 pounds, 4 ounces); Tommy Carpenter of Senoia, Ga. (four bass, 7 pounds, 1 ounce); and Brian Wimmer of Christiansburg, Va. (three bass, 6 pounds, 3 ounces).
A total of 118 bass were caught Friday, including 13 five-bass limits. One hundred percent were released alive.
The final takeoff will be at 7 a.m. from Wind Creek State Park in Alexander City. Saturday’s weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 2643 Highway 280 W. in Alexander City. The community is encouraged to attend the final takeoff and weigh-in.
A full field of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers descended upon Lake Martin Wednesday and fished for two days for one of 20 spots in Friday’s semifinal round. Weights were cleared for Friday’s competition, and the field was cut again to the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers based on Friday’s catch weight. Weights will be cleared again for Saturday’s competition, and anglers will compete for position and prize money.
The winning pro will take home a guaranteed cash award of $10,000 plus a new Ranger 519VS Comanche equipped with Garmin electronics and powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard. If the winner is the original owner of a Ranger boat, he will receive an additional $10,000 cash bonus from Ranger for a total of $61,900 in cash and prizes. Ranger will also award an additional $3,000 to the winner if he is a Ranger Cup participant, and Garmin will award $1,000 to the winner if his boat is equipped with a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/Sounder.
The winning co-angler is guaranteed $5,000 cash. If the winning co-angler is a registered Ranger owner, he will also receive a new Ranger 519VS Comanche for a total of $27,800 in cash and prizes.
Four divisions – Eastern, Central, Northern and Western – comprise the 2003 EverStart Series. Each division stages four regular-season tournaments leading up to the no-entry-fee $335,975 EverStart Series Championship, which will be held on Old Hickory Lake near Gallatin, Tenn., Oct. 29-Nov. 1.
In EverStart Series competition, pros supply the boats, control boat movement and fish from the front of each boat against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back of each boat and compete against other co-anglers.
FLW Outdoors, the world’s leading marketer of competitive fishing, administers the EverStart Series. Other FLW Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour and the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League. FLW Outdoors will award as much as $20 million through 175 tournaments in 2003.