HENDERSON, N.C. (June 2, 2005) - Pro Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 13 ounces to lead round one of the EverStart Series Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on Kerr Lake near Henderson. A field of 200 pros is competing for $10,000 plus a Ranger 519VX. Ranger also awards an additional $10,000 to the winner if he is a qualified Ranger owner.
Powers, who won the last EverStart Series event, a Southeast Division tournament on West Point Lake near Lanett, Ala., said he was fishing his trusty Pop-R in a bunch of different areas, which was the same lure and pattern he used at West Point Lake. "Every fish I've caught has been on the same plug," Powers said. "I'm just fishing short pockets within a mile of the launch-site, and I'm getting lots of bites." Powers said his largest bass of the day was close to 5 1/2 pounds.
Rounding out the top-five pros are Brian Wilhoit of Oxon Hill, Md. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 6 ounces); Pete Gluszek of Franklinville, N.J. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 5 ounces); Rodney Sorrell of Stokesdale (10 bass, 30 pounds, 13 ounces); and Bob Plemmons of Kernersville (10 bass, 30 pounds, 9 ounces).
David Diodato of Fort Plain, N.Y., earned $750 as the winner of the Snicker's Big Bass award, thanks to a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass.
Pro anglers caught a total of 621 bass weighing 1,395 pounds, 13 ounces on the second day of the event.
Miller Castle of Abingdon, Va., caught 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 8 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division. Castle said the fish he caught Wednesday fell to a Carolina rig, but Thursday's bass opted to grab a 1-ounce, glimmer-blue spinnerbait with double willow-leaf blades.
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Tony Dorman of Springville, Pa. (10 bass, 23 pounds, 5 ounces); Ryan J. Bowman of Seneca, S.C. (10 bass, 23 pounds, 4 ounces); Shannon Fletcher of Honaker, Va. (10 bass, 22 pounds 11 ounces) and Douglas Grant of Manchester, Conn. (nine bass, 22 pounds).
Andy Staple of Youngsville earned $250 for catching the Snickers Big Bass in the Co-angler Division, a 4-pound, 13-ouncer.
Co-anglers caught a total of 386 bass weighing a total of 719 pounds, 14 ounces on the second day of the event.
Satterwhite Point marina, located at 6470 Satterwhite Point Road in Henderson hosts the daily takeoffs at 6 a.m. Saturday's weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 200 North Cooper Road in Henderson beginning at 4 p.m.
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.