EUFAULA, Ala. (April 28, 2005) - Pro Tim Peek of Sharpesburg, Ga., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds to lead round one of the EverStart Series Southeast Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Eufaula. The 10 leading pros will compete Friday and Saturday for a Ranger 519VX powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and Everstart Batteries plus $10,000 cash. Ranger also awards an additional $10,000 to the winner if he is a qualified Ranger owner.
"I had five fish in the livewell within 15 minutes of takeoff this morning," Peek said. "I only fished for about six hours. Later in the day, I went around to different areas and used my co-angler (Matthew Parker of Whitesburg, Ga.) to test the spots. I wanted him to do well, so I would give him a rod and say, 'Throw this.' I'd let him catch one fish - enough for me to know how productive the area was - then we'd move to another spot. But he caught a 4-pounder in one spot and 3-pounder in another spot. He's in fifth place.
"I was using an FLW Rabbit Dog spinnerbait. It was actually the one they gave us at registration. I just changed the skirt color to white. The water I'm fishing is stained and offshore but not too deep. I'm fishing an underwater line of hydrilla, and both days I left them biting, so maybe I can do the same thing tomorrow."
Rounding out the top-five pros are Patrick Pierce of Jacksonville, Fla. (10 bass, 33 pounds, 2 ounces); Snickers pro Pat Fisher of Danielsville, Ga. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 15 ounces); Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla. (nine bass, 30 pounds, 9 ounces); and 7 UP pro J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md (nine bass, 29 pounds, 15 ounces).
Bryan Honnerlaw of Wilmington, Ohio, caught an 8-pound largemouth to win the day's Snickers Big Bass award for the Pro Division and earn $725. Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C., caught a two-day total of eight bass weighing 27 pounds, 5 ounces - 6 1/2 pounds more than second place - to lead the Co-angler Division going into the final round. Thrift only caught three bass Thursday, but they weighed 15 pounds, including the day's Snickers Big Bass at 5 pounds, 7 ounces worth $245.
"I was just throwing a 1/2-ounce brown jig up shallow around piers," Thrift said. "I had a limit quick yesterday but just couldn't put them in the boat today. I should have had 25 pounds today."
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Brian Davis of Leesburg, Ga. (nine bass, 20 pounds, 13 ounces); Bill Hulet of Broken Arrow, Okla. (seven bass, 19 pounds, 2 ounces); Greg Wilson of Dothon (five bass, 18 pounds, 4 ounces); and Parker (five bass, 14 pounds, 14 ounces).
Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C., caught the Snickers Big Bass in the Co-angler Division - a 5-pound, 7-ounce largemouth worth $245.
Anglers caught 599 bass Thursday, including 28 limits, weighing 1,530 pounds, 9 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.