EverStart Series Championship set for Ouachita River
Final event slated for Nov. 1-4
MONROE, La. – The EverStart Series closes the 2012 season on the Ouachita River Nov. 1-4 when the top 200 pro and co-anglers from across the country take to the water for the EverStart Series Championship presented by Castrol. The winning pro will walk away with $50,000 and the chance for a new Ranger boat with a 200-horsepower outboard engine plus a berth in the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup. Co-anglers are vying for a new Ranger boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and a chance for $5,000 plus a berth in the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup.
“It’s going to be tough fishing,” said Hawaiian Punch pro Jim Dillard of Monroe, La. “We had a cold front move in very quickly and I think it shocked a lot of fish, I know it shocked me. However, it should start warming up and it looks like conditions will be favorable by the time the tournament gets started.”
One of the biggest challenges during this tournament is going to be learning how to navigate the river. The river is full of stumps and with the added challenge of low water levels it could make for some tricky maneuvering. According to Dillard it’s pretty easy to tear up your equipment quickly and one wrong move could end your day.
“It’s not all that easy to catch keeper fish or 2-pounders,” Dillard continued. “But don’t be fooled. There is an abundance of fish in the river, they may not be the size that you want, but they are there. The best thing to do is keep your bait wet and keep grinding it out. The thing is that you can catch fish anywhere; on the river, in the oxbows or in the back water.
“Most guys are going to be targeting shallow wood with crankbaits, 6-foot divers. You’ll also see some guys flipping jigs and plastics but predominately crankbaits will be key. Consistency is what is going to win the tournament, anglers will need to pull in 15 to 18 pounds a day to have a chance. I think it is going to take 46 or 47 pounds to win.”
The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consisted of four tournaments where competitors earned valuable points from each event to help them qualify for the championship tournament. The top 40 pro and co-anglers from each respective division qualified for the EverStart Series Championship.
Anglers will take off from Forsythe Park located at 2401 Sycamore St. in Monroe, La., at 7:30 each morning. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-in will be held at Forsythe Park beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s final weigh-in will be held at Walmart located at 2701 Louisville Ave. in Monroe beginning at 4 p.m.
Pros will fish for a top award of $50,000 plus a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger Z117 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Outdoors Expo at the Walmart on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and fans can learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.
Coverage of the EverStart Series Championship event will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network when “FLW” airs Jan. 6, 2013, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET. “FLW” is hosted by Jason Harper and is broadcast to more than 559 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
The EverStart Series tournament on the Ouachita River is being hosted by the Monroe/West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the EverStart Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 190 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.