Mize leads final round of EverStart Series event on the Columbus Pool

COLUMBUS, Miss. - Pro Matthew Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark., caught five bass weighing 13 pounds, 10 ounces to lead the final round of the EverStart Series Central Division event on the Columbus Pool of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Ten pros are competing for a top award of nearly $50,000 in cash and prizes including a fully rigged Ranger 519 VX powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and EverStart Batteries.

After facing two days of rain and frigid temperatures, anglers were finally offered warmer weather and sunny skies on Friday. Unfortunately, the blue-bird skies made a tough bite even tougher for most of the field. Of the ten pros and ten co-anglers fishing on Friday, only Mize caught a five-bass limit.

"I made the run today," Mize said. "I stayed in the Columbus Pool the first two days but decided to make a run to an area where I found some fish in practice." Mize has been throwing a variety of baits during the tournament but caught all his fish flipping shallow cover Friday. "I stayed off some of my fish today, so I'm going to go back down there tomorrow and hope it all works out."

Rounding out the top-five pros are Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio (four bass, 12 pounds, 9 ounces); Sam Newby of Pocola, Okla. (four bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces); Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz, Ky. (four bass, 6 pounds, 2 ounces); and Bobby Harrell of Biloxi (four bass, 5 pounds, 13 ounces).

Michael Herron of Paris, Texas, caught four bass weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces to lead the final round of the Co-Angler Division.

"I'm just fishing for cold-weather bass with a Zoom Brush Hog," Herron said. "I caught fish on a Senko the first day, but all my fish have come on the brush hog the last two days." Herron had five bites Friday, and he lamented over one huge bass which missed his bait as he was reeling it in to make another cast. "I was getting ready to make another cast and this huge bass blew up on my bait as it was coming across the surface."

Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Steve Graf of Natchitoches, La. (one bass, 4 pounds, 3 ounces); Bill Gift of Alix, Ark. (one bass, 3 pounds, 13 ounces); Mark Guin of Crossett, Ark. (two bass, 2 pounds, 8 ounces); and Tom Medlock of Licking, Mo. (two bass, 2 pounds, 7 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.

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Posted by DODGE at March 18, 2005 12:59 PM in Tournament (FLW)