MANNING, S.C. (March 2, 2005) - Rookie pro Allan Glasgow of Ashville, Ala., set a one-day EverStart Series weight record to lead day one of the Southeast Division bass fishing tournament on the Santee Cooper lakes. Glasgow's amazing five-bass limit, which included two 8-pounders, weighed 32 pounds, 13 ounces and beat the old record - set by J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md., at Lake Okeechobee in January - by 1 ounce. Glasgow leads the event by more than 12 pounds and is virtually guaranteed to make the cut with his day-one weight alone.
A field of 200 pros is competing for $10,000 plus a Ranger 519 VX. Ranger also awards an additional $10,000 to the winner if he is a qualified Ranger owner.
The Santee Cooper lakes are known as one of the best fisheries in the nation, with limits weighing 20 pounds common. Anglers expected to find pleasant weather and water temperatures in the high 50s when they arrived at Santee Cooper this week. A strong winter storm, however, blasted through the area earlier in the week bringing freezing temperatures. Consequently, water temperatures fell into the upper 40s. Although Glasgow set a one-day record, the overall field struggled. Only 11 pros managed to catch a limit.
"I had a terrible practice," Glasgow said. "I got here 10 days ago and didn't catch much in practice. I never expected to catch that limit today. This is my first time on the lake.
"I don't know the lake well enough to stay in one area, so I covered as much water as possible. I just fished fast crankbaits and flipped any cover that I came across. My bigger fish came in 7-10 feet of water.
"I'll just go out tomorrow and go fishing again. I'm here to have fun, so we'll see what happens."
Rounding out the top-five pros are Sean Stepp of Stafford, Va. (four bass, 20 pounds, 3 ounces); Hoyt Ivie of Thomaston, Ga. (four bass, 19 pounds, 9 ounces); Kenney (five bass, 18 pounds, 9 ounces); and Warren Wyman of Calera, Ala. (four bass, 17 pounds, 12 ounces).
Larry Hopson of Hamilton, Ala., and Bryant Ailor of Knoxville, Tenn., both caught a 9-pound, 14-ounce bass to split the day's Snickers Big Bass award for the Pro Division and earn $362.50 each.
Keith Iddins of Knoxville, Tenn., caught 17 pounds, 3 ounces on only three bass to lead the Co-angler Division. Iddins' largest bass - an 8-pound, 10-ounce largemouth - earned $245 as the Snickers Big Bass in the Co-angler Division.
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Arch Cornett of Huntsville, Ala. (four bass, 16 pounds, 7 ounces); Derek Schlotterback of Simpsonville (three bass, 12 pounds, 11 ounces); Tim McTyre of Powder Springs, Ga. (two bass, 9 pounds, 4 ounces); and Edward Adams of Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (three bass, 9 pounds).
Anglers caught a total of 354 bass Wednesday weighing 1,070 pounds, 7 ounces.
EverStart Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of two rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 10 pros and co-anglers - based on two-day accumulated weights - advance to the final round. Anglers start at zero Friday, and pro and co-angler winners are determined Saturday based on two-day accumulated weights.