Armstrong captures co-angler title on Sam Rayburn

Walks away with $5,000 after bold prediction

JASPER, Texas – Fishing in the very first EverStart tournament of his career, Daniel Armstrong of Fayetteville, Ark., did more than just exceed expectations. Armstrong, who finished each of the first three rounds of tournament action in second place, used a two-day catch of 25 pounds, 11 ounces to finally grab the top spot when it mattered most.

“I’ve been in second place all week,” said Armstrong, shortly after the conclusion of Friday’s semifinals. “But tomorrow, I’m getting first.”

In the end, Armstrong not only backed up his prediction, but left Sam Rayburn with the biggest win of his young career.

“It’s amazing. I never imagined I’d be standing here doing this,” said Armstrong. “Before this tournament started, I had no clue I was going to come in here and win this. I can’t really explain my feelings right now. This is just the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Armstrong said that he used a Carolina rig tipped with a green-pumpkin Baby Brush Hog with a chartreuse tail to land the majority of his catch.

“I was targeting pre-spawn females in creek channels and fishing through weed beds,” he said.

Armstrong gave much of the credit for his success to pro partners as well as his grandmother.

“I’m dedicating this tournament to my grandmother,” he said. “She got me into fishing and taught me a lot about the sport. She passed away before I could get here, but I never could have done it without her.”

Divis narrowly misses out on co-angler title

It was so close that Frank Divis could almost taste it. But in the end, Divis came up short, losing out to Armstrong, his fellow Fayetteville, Ark. rival, by exactly 1 pound.

“I’m definitely a little disappointed,” said Divis, who landed a total catch of 24 pounds, 11 ounces after battling Armstrong all week. “I figured I needed about 15 pounds today, but I just didn’t get it. I fished really hard and I hooked everything today. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

Divis, who targeted outside grass lines with a 2-IG Ultra Strike creature bait, won $4,000 for his efforts.

Gift rapped for not landing a full stringer

Bill Gift of Aliz, Ark., used a total catch of 21 pounds, 10 ounces to finish the Sam Rayburn event in third place. However, he acknowledged that his failure to land a five-fish stringer was the key to his inability to compete for the title.

“Today I just swung for the fences,” said Gift, who won a check for $3,500. “I just couldn’t catch that fourth fish.”

Gift said that he used a finesse worm to land the majority of his catch all week.

Everett satisfied with finish

Using a catch of 20 pounds, 2 ounces, Mark Everett of Tyler, Texas, managed a fourth place finish as well as a check $2,500.

“It was an awesome experience,” said Everett. “I had a great time. This is my very first EverStart. And I’m just thrilled to have been a part of it.”

Best of the rest

Stephen Francis of Brookeland, Texas, finished the tournament in fifth place after landing a total catch of 19 pounds, 8 ounces. Francis won $2,000 for his efforts.

Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers are Darren Roberts (sixth) of Nacogdoches, Texas, with a catch of 16 pounds, 10 ounces; Ronny Webb (seventh) of Dyersburg, Tenn., with a catch of 16 pounds, 1 ounce; Charlie Porter (eighth) of Malvern, Ark., with a catch of 8 pounds, 15 ounces; Scotty Villines (ninth) of Compton, Ark., with a catch of 8 pounds, 10 ounces; and William Campbell (10th) of Monticello, Ill., with a catch of 6 pounds.

EverStart Central Division action continues March 3 at Pickwick Lake in Eufaula, Ala.