Burks breaks through in final round, wins Co-Angler Division at Lake Santee Cooper
MANNING, S.C. – Tom Burks barely survived two tournament cuts to come back and win the Co-Angler Division of the EverStart Series Eastern event on Lake Santee Cooper. While his future in the tournament was in jeopardy during the first two rounds, there was no doubt about his chances for success today. He weighed in a massive 21 pounds, 9 ounces of bass from the back of the boat to dominate the Co-Angler Division.
After the two-day opening round Wednesday and Thursday, Burks just squeaked into Friday’s 30-person semifinal round in a tie for 29th place with a weight of 13 pounds, 10 ounces. Then yesterday he just edged into the 10-man final round with a 10th-place weight of 5 pounds even.
But Burks turned it on today when it counted, and he was fortunate enough to have a pro partner who put him on a whole mess of fish.
“On the second day, I didn’t think I was going to make it,” he said. “I guess I was just saving my fish for today. I had a boater today (Steve Miller of Mechanicsville, Va.) who was just outstanding. The guys in the front of the boat do all the work for us (co-anglers) and I really do appreciate it.”
For Burks, a 67-year-old retired aviation engineer from Okeechobee, Fla., it was his first win on the EverStart Series. He is fishing in his second year on the tour.
He caught four of his five big bass today using a weighted floating worm. The other one he caught on a spinnerbait. He credits Miller, who placed sixth in the Pro Division with a weight of 15 pounds, 3 ounces, for his success today.
“He’s just a super guy,” he said. “The only thing I ask (of the pro) is to have water to fish in.”
And he got it today. The second-place co-angler, David Geeter of Augusta, Ga., came in a distant 8 pounds, 14 ounces behind Burks. Geeter caught three bass weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces and earned $4,000.
After Burks and Geeter, the top five Co-Angler Division finishers were Al Reed of Tequesta, Fla., with three bass weighing 12 pounds worth $3,500; Charles Clemons of Hartselle, Ala., with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces worth $3,000; and Mitch Pierson of Newton, N.J., with three bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce worth $2,500.
Kerr Lake near Henderson, N.C., will be the fourth and final regular-season Eastern Division EverStart Series stop. The tournament will be held May 30-June 2.
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