GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (May 3, 2003) - David Young of Mayfield, Ky., collected $61,900 in cash and prizes Saturday as the winner of the four-day, $256,825 EverStart Series Central Division bass fishing tournament on Kentucky Lake. His winning catch of five bass weighing 20 pounds, 15 ounces earned him $10,000 cash plus an Evinrude- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 519VS Comanche bass boat.
Young caught his bass Saturday on a tube in shallow water. "Winning this tournament is a relief," said Young, who has come up short in the past fishing the EverStart Series. "I was beginning to think I was jinxed."
As the original owner of a Ranger boat, he was awarded an additional $10,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as well as another $3,000 as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup contingency program. Garmin awarded him a $1,000 bonus for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
Rounding out the top five pros were Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn. (five bass, 17 pounds, 11 ounces, $10,000); Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn. (five bass, 17 pounds, $9,000); Troy Eakins of Nixa, Mo. (five bass, 16 pounds, 13 ounces, $8,000); and Keith Lanier of Cabot, Ark. (five bass, 16 pounds, 9 ounces, $7,500).
Richard Wyrick of Frankfort, Ill., claimed his first tournament victory Saturday thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 10 ounces. He collected $5,000 cash for the win, and because he is the original owner of a Ranger boat, he was also awarded a new Ranger 519VS Comanche bass boat.
"Winning this event is truly awesome," said Wyrick, who caught his bass skipping a tube in shallow water on Barkley Lake. "I am living large with this win in the EverStart Series."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Larry Regina of South Bend, Ind. (three bass, 12 pounds, 9 ounces, $4,000); Jim Miller of Dayton, Ohio (four bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $3,500); Ken Keys of Evansville, Ind. (three bass, 9 pounds, 3 ounces, $2,500); and Mark King of Gurdon, Ark. (three bass, 8 pounds, 13 ounces, $2,000).
A total of 65 bass were caught Saturday, including 7 five-bass limits. More than 99 percent were released alive.
The EverStart Series Central Division will make its fourth and final regular-season stop June 25-28 on the Red River near Natchitoches, La. Four divisions - Eastern, Central, Northern and Western - comprise the $3.88 million 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.
A full field of 201 pros and 201 co-anglers took off from Moors Resort and Marina in Gilbertsville Wednesday to kick off the event. The field was cut to 20 following Thursday's competition. Weights were cleared for Friday's semifinal round, and the top 20 pros and 20 co-anglers competed Friday for one of 10 slots in Saturday's final round. Weights were again cleared for Saturday's competition, and the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers competed for position and prize money.
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.