MANNING, S.C. – Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va., collected $65,900 in cash and prizes as the winner of the four-day, $256,825 EverStart Series Eastern Division event on South Carolina’s Santee Cooper lakes. He caught five bass Saturday weighing 23 pounds, 1 ounce to lead the 10 final-round pros and collect his first EverStart Series victory.
Powroznik earned $10,000 cash plus an Evinrude-or Yamaha-powered Ranger 519VS Comanche equipped with EverStart batteries, Garmin electronics and a Minn Kota trolling motor valued at $41,900. Because he is an original owner of a Ranger boat, he collected a $10,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as well as another $3,000 as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He also received a $1,000 bonus from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
“This is a dream come true,” said Powroznik, who caught his bass on a Zoom tube flipping around grass on Lake Marion. “I am planning to save the money from this EverStart win so I can fish the Wal-Mart FLW Tour next year.”
Rounding out the top five pros are Ricky Shumpert of Lexington (five bass, 20 pounds, 8 ounces, $10,000); Lindwood Thornhill of Pineville (five bass, 17 pounds, 2 ounces, $9,000); Bryan Hudgins of Orange Park, Fla. (five bass, 16 pounds, 10 ounces, $8,000); and Wayne Clifton of Goose Creek (five bass, 14 pounds, 5 ounces, $7,500).
Sean Stepp of Dumfries, Va., earned $5,000 as the Co-angler Division winner thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 11 ounces. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a Gambler tube flipping around cypress trees.
“It feels great to win an EverStart event,” said Stepp, who place fifth at Lake Martin. “I have been very fortunate this season and I hope my luck continues.”
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are James Hill Jr. of Ozark, Ala. (five bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces, $4,000); Tee Watkins of East Point, Ky. (three bass, 9 pounds, 11 ounces, $3,500); Jeff Haywood of Troy, N.C. (four bass, 6 pounds, 13 ounces, $2,500); and John Deak of Phillipsburg, Ohio (four bass, 5 pounds, 11 ounces, $2,000).
A total of 96 bass were caught Saturday, including 11 five-bass limits. One hundred percent were released alive.
The EverStart Series Eastern Division will stage its final regular-season event June 11-14 on Guntersville Lake in Guntersville, Ala. Four divisions – Eastern, Central, Northern and Western – comprise the $3.88 million 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.
A full field of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers took off from the John C. Land III Boating and Sportfishing Facility in Manning Wednesday to kick off the event. The field was cut from 200 to 20 following Thursday’s competition. Weights were cleared for Friday’s semifinal round, and the top 20 pros and 20 co-anglers competed Friday for one of 10 slots in Saturday’s final round. Weights were again cleared for Saturday’s competition, and the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers competed for position and prize money.
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.