Vandebiezen, Kreiger share pro lead in $185,000 EverStart event on Lake Ontario
Big day for Richardson family, father and son both advance to finals in Co-Angler Division
CLAYTON, N.Y. – Neil Vandebeizen of Portage, Mich., and Koby Kreiger of Osceola, Ind., both recorded identical catches of 21 pounds, 9 ounces to take over the leaderboard heading into tomorrow’s all-important final round of EverStart competition on Lake Ontario.
Vandebiezen, who jumped from fifth place to first after landing a limit by 7:30 a.m., said he was pleased with his performance as well as the greatly improved weather conditions out on the lake today.
“It feels pretty good. I’m just happy to be here,” said Vandebiezen, who is fishing in his very first season on the EverStart circuit. “I knew I had a good fishing spot, but I didn’t think it would hold up for three straight days. It just seems like the area that I’m fishing keeps replenishing itself everyday.”
Vandebiezen said that he has a good chance of winning the championship as long as the current weather pattern holds.
“I think it’s going to take between 18 and 22 pounds of fish to win the tournament,” he said. “But the wind is my biggest worry. If it stays like it is today, I think I have a good shot tomorrow. I’m feeling pretty good about my chances right now.”
Kreiger continues banner year on EverStart tour
Fresh off his EverStart Central Division victory on Kentucky Lake last May, Koby Kreiger is clearly on a roll. However, despite being perfectly positioned to grab his second title in last three months, Kreiger believes the tournament championship is up for grabs.
“I feel like I’ve got as good of a chance as anyone to win the whole thing. But it’s going to be tough out there tomorrow,” said Kreiger. “A lot of the top guys are all fishing in the same area and it’s probably going to come down to who gets the biggest bites. In my opinion, it’s a toss up right now.”
Kreiger said that the weather will also play an important factor in tomorrow’s competition.
“Hopefully the weather will be good tomorrow. That will make a big difference,” he said. “If the wind is blowing, you’ll probably need 17 or 18 pounds to win the tournament. But if it’s nice out like today, I think you’re going to need somewhere in the area of 20 to 22 pounds to win the championship.”
Although a number of the top competitors are fishing in the same location, Kreiger believes he has an edge if the weather gets rough and/or any of the primary fishing holes dry up.
“After I got my limit today, I did a little extra practice fishing,” he said. “So if things fall apart tomorrow, I still think I can get about 20 pounds in a few other locations. So, in that sense, I might have a little bit of an advantage.”
Vida vies for title
Kevin Vida of Clare, Mich., posted a 21-pound, 8-ounce catch to grab third place heading into tomorrow’s championship round. Although he missed a share of the top spot by a mere 1 ounce, he said he couldn’t have asked for a better day of fishing.
“It was an awesome day. It’s what I’ve been dreaming about,” said Vida, who finished in second place after yesterday’s competition. “If the weather doesn’t change, I think I can catch some good fish. But it’s probably going to take between 20 and 22 pounds to win it all.”
Art Ferguson of Saint Clair Shores, Mich., finished in fourth place with a catch of 18 pounds, 10 ounces while Mark Zona of Sturgis, Mich., affectionately known as the “Z-Man,” came in fifth place with a catch of 17 pounds, 9 ounces.
Michigan anglers flexed their muscle for a third consecutive day, grabbing four of the top-five spots in the pro standings.
Best of the rest
Bob Izumi of Burlington, Ontario, finished in sixth place with a total catch of 16 pounds, 4 ounces. Izumi represented the only Canadian to qualify for the finals.
Rounding out the top 10 were Gerald Beck (seventh) of Lexington, N.C., with a catch of 16 pounds, 2 ounces; David Hayward (eighth) of Sylvania, Ohio, with a catch of 15 pounds, 7 ounces, John Green (ninth) of Lakeville, Ind., with a catch of 15 pounds, 2 ounces; and Ernie Freeman (tenth) of Waldorf, Md., with a catch of 15 pounds, 1 ounce.
Richardson grabs top spot in Co-Angler Division, watches father advance to finals as well
James Richardson, Jr., of Cincinnati, Ohio, had a few reasons to celebrate at the end of today’s competition. Not only did Richardson claim the top spot in the standings after posting a 19-pound, 15-ounce catch, but he also got to witness his father qualify for the finals.
“It’s just been a great day,” said Richardson. “I was hoping to make the finals and I did that. Plus, it’s exciting to have an opportunity to fish against my dad tomorrow. It’s really special.”
Richardson, who is fishing in his full year on the tour, said the tournament has surpassed his wildest expectations so far.
“I was just hoping to make the top 30,” he said. “But I got lucky and drew three great partners. They’ve really helped me a lot. So far, this has been one of the best tournaments of my career. I’ve won some club events before and placed in the top 15 at some Wal-Mart BFL tournaments, but this is probably the best I’ve done in any one particular tournament. I’m really happy.”
As far as tomorrow is concerned, Richardson said he is going to watch and learn.
“I’m confident,” he said. “I’m going to pay close attention to what my pro is doing and try to copy that. If I do that, I think I’ll have a good chance to win tomorrow.”
Dwight Ameling of Fremont, Ind., finished in second place with a catch of 16 pounds, 12 ounces. Carl Tripple of Ilion, N.Y., registered a third-place finish after landing a catch of 16 pounds, 4 ounces.
Mark McNeil of Ledyard, Conn., finished in fourth place with a catch of 16 pounds, 3 ounces while David Paul of New London, Conn., grabbed the fifth spot with a catch of 15 pounds, 4 ounces.
Best of the rest
Rounding out the top-10 finalists were David Smith (sixth) of Edmond, Okla., with a catch of 14 pounds, 12 ounces; Michael Templeton (seventh) of Catlettsburg, Ky., with a catch of 14 pounds, 7 ounces; Franklin Collins (eighth) of Huntington, W.Va., with a catch of 12 pounds, 14 ounces; James Richardson, Sr., (ninth by virtue of a tiebreaker) of Harrison, Ohio, with a catch of 12 pounds, 14 ounces; and Anthony Savino (tenth) of Newburgh, N.Y., with a catch of 12 pounds, 11 ounces.
Tomorrow’s final round of competition begins at 5:30 a.m. at the French Creek Marina located at 250 Wahl Street in Clayton, N.Y. Championship weigh in for both divisions will take place at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located on Arsenal Street in Watertown, N.Y.
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