Storms blast opening round at EverStart Eastern
Anglers weather severe thunderstorms in day-one action at Lake Guntersville
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – Tornadoes, hail and torrential rains were all par for the course on the opening day of the 2003 EverStart Series Eastern event at Lake Guntersville. Severe thunderstorms pummeled Lake Guntersville twice Wednesday to make sure every angler was soaked to the bone before calling it a day.
One band of storms blew across the lake during the middle of the fishing day, but the worst weather waited until weigh-in time to make a scene. A series of intense thunder cells rolled across Guntersville at about 4 p.m., temporarily knocking out power to the weigh-in site.
Despite the inclement weather, anglers still toted hefty sacks of Lake Guntersville bass to the scales. Rain and hail did not hinder tournament leader Travis Adams of Danielsville, Ga., from weighing in 23 pounds, including the day’s big bass of 7 pounds, 14 ounces.
Adams caught his fish early on a variety of baits in water 4 feet deep or less.
“I caught eight or nine keepers and got the bulk of my weight, including the big fish, early,” he said. “I think the area has a bunch of fish in it, and there is no one else fishing it, so I’m pretty excited. I don’t think I will go in there at all tomorrow; I’ve got some other places I think I can catch a few small fish to make the cut, and then I’ll go back to my good area on Friday.”
Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tenn., is in second place with 20 pounds, 14 ounces. “I had the best practice I have ever had this week,” he said. “I have a bunch of spots to fish, and I did not go to hardly any of them today. I did not even go to my best spots.”
Deakins caught his fish on jigs and worms throughout the day. “I probably caught 15 fish today,” he said. “I am going to try to get about 10 or 12 pounds tomorrow. I’ll go to my best spot and get one good fish and then finish my limit elsewhere.”
Phillip Nunnelley of Cullman, Ala., is in third place with 20 pounds, 13 ounces. “I need sunshine and the lake to stay down for my bite to continue,” said Nunnelley, who culled twice today. “I am fishing grass, and I need to be able to see it to get my bites. If it’s stormy or the lake comes up over the grass, the fish don’t bite as good.”
Nunnelley says he is going for a limit first thing in the morning to secure his cut weight. “I’m going to try for 10 or 12 pounds,” he said. “I’m going to my best stuff early to get a limit because we are suppose to have more storms tomorrow afternoon. I need to catch them while the sun is shining. If I get a limit early, I will just go practicing.”
In fourth place is Tommy Chumley of Jasper, Ga., with 20 pounds, 2 ounces.
Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., is in fifth with 19 pounds, 12 ounces.
Weather does not hinder co-anglers
The rain may have drenched the back-deck anglers, but it did not dampen their spirits.
In the Co-angler Division, Richard Angel of Surf City, N.C., leads with 19 pounds, 7 ounces.
Reginald Pickett of Greensboro, N.C., is in second with 16 pounds, 12 ounces.
Steve Poland of West Palm Beach, Fla., is in third with 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
Teddie Harrison of Clewiston, Fla., is in fourth with 14 pounds, 13 ounces, and Andy Allison of Woodbridge, Va., is in fifth with 13 pounds, 15 ounces.
In the big-bass department, William Young landed the co-angler big bass of the day that weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces.
Day two begins at 6 a.m. at Lake Guntersville State Park.
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