OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (April 20, 2005) - Pro George Jeane Jr. of Evans, La., caught five bass weighing 21 pounds, 1 ounce to lead day one of the EverStart Series Central Division bass fishing tournament on Lake of the Ozarks. A field of 199 pros is competing for the top prize of a Ranger 519 VX plus $10,000 cash.
Tournament anglers were greeted with beautiful weather conditions Wednesday, and the fishing was described as fantastic. Temperatures climbed into the 80s under mostly sunny skies and anglers found lots of 3- to 4-pound bass willing to bite a variety of baits as they staged on points and began guarding beds. Sight fishermen enjoyed accommodating conditions, but a pros fishing for staging bass found themselves in the driver's seat on Wednesday.
"I caught one bass off a bed Wednesday," Jeane said, "but I'm fishing for staging largemouths 12- to 18-feet deep."
Jeane is throwing his own creation - a Jeane Tackle Jig in black and blue - around main-lake points and secondary points in the mid-lake area. Thursday's forecast is calling for overcast conditions and rain. While this will undoubtedly make sight fishing more difficult, Jeane was happy when he heard the forecast. "The rain and cloudy skies will help me a lot," he said.
Rounding out the top-five pros are Lloyd Pickett Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn. (five bass, 20 pounds, 13 ounces); Dave Donham of Highlandville (five bass, 20 pounds, 12 ounces); Paul Tormanen of Lees Summit (five bass, 19 pounds, 9 ounces); and Steve Ruff of Wentzville (five bass, 18 pounds, 14 ounces).
Mark Taylor of Mansfield caught five bass weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division.
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Ron Seabaugh of Barnhart (five bass, 15 pounds, 2 ounces); Mark Guin of Crossett, Ark. (four bass, 12 pounds, 2 ounces); Shane Patterson of Alexander City, Ala. (three bass, 11 pounds, 9 ounces); and Dan Booth of Muskegon, Mich. (four bass, 11 pounds, 8 ounces).
David Seaton of Buchanan, Tenn., caught a 6-pound, 4-ounce largemouth to win the $725 Snickers Big Bass Award in the Pro Division while Robert Bogard Jr. of Conway, Ark., caught a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass to win $245 for big bass in the Co-angler Division.
Anglers caught 869 bass weighing 2,374 pounds, 1 ounce.
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.
For more information on the EverStart Series or any of FLW Outdoors' eight tournament trails, visit FLWOutdoors.com.