OAKLEY, Calif. (May 31, 2003) - Gary Dobyns of Yuba City emerged victorious Saturday at the fourth and final regular-season EverStart Series Western Division bass fishing tournament on the California Delta, with a winning catch of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce. He claimed $7,000 cash for the win as well as a new Ranger 519VS Comanche bass boat. Because he is the original owner of a Ranger boat, Dobyns also received a $10,000 cash bonus from Ranger Boats.
As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Dobyns earned another $3,000 bonus from Ranger Boats. The win was Dobyns's first on the EverStart Series, and he scored victory over his closest competitor by a 3-pound, 8-ounce margin.
Dobyns, who was in first place after the semi-final round, caught his winning bass on a Snag Proof top water frog around banks. "I had my limit today by 7:30 [Saturday]," Dobyns said. "I was able to adjust to the situation and it worked out in my favor."
Rounding out the top five pros were Andre Moore of Scottsdale, Ariz. (five bass, 14 pounds, 8 ounces, $6,800); Brett Hite of Phoenix (five bass, 14 pounds, 7 ounces, $6,100); Zack Thompson of Orinda (five bass, 12 pounds, $5,400); and Bruce Harris of Oakdale (five bass, 11 pounds, 10 ounces, $4,900).
Gary Morris of Tracy scored his first tournament win Saturday with a four-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 7 ounces. He bested the Co-angler Division field by a 1-pound, 3-ounce margin. He earned $3,600 for the win.
"It feels great to win an EverStart Series tournament," said Morris, who caught his bass on a Robo worm in weed pockets. "I feel fortunate to have fished so well this week."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Jim Wickman of Morristown, Ariz. (five bass, 12 pounds, 4 ounces, $2,400); Tim Barrett of Rancho Cucamonga (five bass, 11 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,950); James Gross of Kingman, Ariz. (five bass, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,660); and Louis Fernandes of Nipomo (five bass, 8 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,520).
A total of 87 bass were caught Saturday, including 13 five-bass limits.
One hundred and twenty-one pros and 121 co-anglers took off from Big Break Marina in Oakley Wednesday to kick-start the fourth event of the Western Division of the EverStart Series. Thanks to the tournament series' western expansion, anglers from the West can now compete alongside Central, Northern and Eastern division competitors for a share of a $3.88 million EverStart Series purse. The field was cut to the top 20 pros and 20 co-anglers following Thursday's competition, and anglers started at zero Friday and competed for one of 10 slots in Saturday's final round. Weights were cleared again for Saturday's competition, and anglers competed for position and prize money.
Four divisions - Eastern, Central, Northern and Western - comprise the 2003 EverStart Series. Each division stages four regular-season tournaments leading up to the no-entry-fee $335,975 EverStart Series Championship, which will be held on Old Hickory Lake near Gallatin, Tenn., Oct. 29-Nov. 1.
In EverStart Series competition, pros supply the boats, control boat movement and fish from the front of each boat against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back of each boat and compete against other co-anglers.
FLW Outdoors is named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood.