Sweet Svebek
Sam Rayburn native uses second largest stringer of the day to vault into the lead of EverStart Central Division tourney at Kentucky Lake
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Bolstered by a 16-pound, 11-ounce stringer, including the largest fish of the tournament to date – a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass – Carl Svebek III took control of the leaderboard in the hotly contested Pro Division heading into tomorrow’s all-important semifinal round.
Svebek, the diminutive and gregarious angler fishing for the Land O’ Lakes team, said he was more than happy with the day’s events.
“It’s awesome. It feels great,” said Svebek, who caught the majority of his fish using the ‘Swacky Worm’ – a Gambler lure named after the Texas native last year. “I can’t wait to call my wife and tell her I’m leading.”
While Svebek acknowledged that his wife would be pleased, he said it was important not to get too caught up in the standings after only the second day of the tournament.
“It feels good. But by the same token, we’re all starting again from zero tomorrow,” he said. “What I do Friday and Saturday is what really counts.”
Svebek, who plans on running approximately 70 miles to his starting location tomorrow, said he feels good about his chances of advancing to the next round.
“I have a good starting place tomorrow. It’s the same place I caught three of my fish today and I made sure that I didn’t use it up,” said Svebek, who also pocketed a check for $750 for winning the Big Bass award in the Pro Division. “There should be some fish there. After that, I have two or three other spots I’m going to check out. But this key for me is patience. I have to stay focused during those dry spells.”
Unlike most tournaments, Svebek said there isn’t anything specific he is looking for when searching for fish this time around.
“Generally, I’m fishing pockets off major creeks in the main part of the lake,” he said. “But for the most part, there’s nothing particular I’m looking for which is kind of weird. If I see any kind of pocket at all, I’m going in and fishing it.”
Although his goal is to be crowned champion of the Kentucky Lake tournament, Svebek said that he is happy to have made it this far.
“That’s the good thing about making the top 30,” he said. “You know you’re going to go home with something.”
Svebek has had six top-10 finishes in the EverStart Series and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in the last three seasons. He also won the first Operation Bass Texas Tournament Trail event in his hometown of Sam Rayburn earlier this year.
Best of the rest
Greg Hackney of Oak Ridge, La., used a total catch of 29 pounds, 1 ounce to grab second place in the Pro Division heading into tomorrow’s semifinal round. Cody Bird of Granbury, Texas, finished in third place by one ounce with a total catch of 29 pounds. Rounding out the top five were Koby Krieger (fourth) of Osceola, Ind., with a total catch of 28 pounds, 13 ounces; and Stephen Johnston (fifth) of Hemphill, Texas, with a total catch of 28 pounds, 12 ounces.
Huggins captures lead in Co-Angler Divison
Fishing in only his second EverStart Series Tour event of his career, Dennis Huggins of Broken Arrow, Okla., catapulted into the lead with an impressive two-day catch of 23 pounds, 7 ounces. Buoyed by the largest of the day – a whopping 17-pound, 1-ounce performance – Huggins joined the elite 30 members of the semifinal round.
“It feels good. My pro partners were very good to me,” said Huggins, who finished in 33rd place in the Sam Rayburn EverStart tourney last month. “Those guys fished my pattern and that helped a lot. If my partners had been sight fishing, I would have been in big trouble.”
Huggins, who has been using a Carolina rig with a Gene Larew Hoo-daddy for most of the tournament, said that tomorrow’s strategy will once again be determined by his pro partner.
“How I’ll fish tomorrow all depends on the luck of the draw,” said Huggins. “I think 8 pounds should be enough to make it to the finals. And if my pros fish the way I want to fish, I should have a good shot.”
Despite the anxiety of tomorrow’s draw, Huggins said he is just happy to be here.
“If you can’t have fun fishing, you don’t need to be here,” he said. “I’m very happy right now, especially knowing that I’ll have a pay day no matter what happens.”
Day-one leader Tyrone Phillips of Little Rock, Ark., took the number-two spot with a total catch of 20 pounds, 15 ounces. Jerry Wade of Indianapolis, Ind., finished third with a two-day catch of 17 pounds, 11 ounces. Rounding out the top five were Clark Morris (fourth) of Gentry, Ark., with a total catch of 16 pounds, 7 ounces; and Wesley Burnett (fifth) of Hot Springs, Ark., – winner of the 2000 EverStart Co-Angler Challenge – with a total catch of 15 pounds, 2 ounces.
Richard Rhodes of Calvert City, Ky., won the division’s Big Bass award and a check for $250 after landing a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass. Rhodes is currently in ninth place.
The top 30 anglers in both divisions will all start from zero in the semifinals. Tomorrow’s takeoff is scheduled to take place at 6 a.m. at Moors Resort located on Moors Camp Road in Gilbertsville, Ky.
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