Davis leads round one of EverStart Series event on Kentucky Lake

BENTON, Ky. - Pro William M. Davis of Russellville, Ala., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 11 ounces to lead round one of the EverStart Series Central Division event on Kentucky Lake presented by Yamaha.

Ledge laboring continued on day two of the tournament. “You didn’t need a map out there today to read the structure,” said Stratos Pro Dan Morehead of Paducah. He was referring to the number of boats following creek-channel contours offshore between the Moor’s Marina takeoff site and the Kentucky Lake dam. “It looked like you could walk from boat to boat all the way to the dam.”

The day one leader, Davis, continued his deep water assault on day two. “I had one spot where I caught 30 fish on Wednesday, but I pulled in there Thursday and only caught three bass,” he said. His day-two limit of 13 pounds, 15 ounces paled in comparison to his tournament-heaviest, day-one limit weighing 21 pounds, 12 ounces, but his spirits were still high going into the final round. “I’m still optimistic,” he said. “I can go out there and really catch them, or I might not. But I’ll sure have fun trying!”

Rounding out the top-five pros are Kelly Albert of Goodlettsville, Tenn. (10 bass, 33 pounds, 15 ounces); Billy Schroeder of Paducah (10 bass, 33 pounds, 11 ounces); Larry Frasier of Owensboro (10 bass, 33 pounds, 3 ounces); and Shawn Penn of Eddyville (10 bass, 37 pounds, 1 ounce).

Melinda Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 13 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division.

Mize caught her bass on day two a bit differently than she did with a jig on day one. “I caught my fish on a Carolina rig Thursday,” Mize said. “I didn’t switch rods all day.” Mize is the younger sister of pro Matthew Mize, who won the EverStart Central Divison tournament on the Columbus Pool earlier this year. He joked about his sister’s success on stage after not making the top 10 in this event. “I guess I’ll have to stick around a couple more days,” he said.

Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Chuck Rounds of Benton, Ky. (10 bass, 27 pounds, 8 ounces); Brad Taylor of Catlettsburg (10 bass, 25 pounds, 11 ounces); Keith Newsome of Memphis, Ark. (10 bass, 23 pounds, 9 ounces); and Emmet Barnett of Waldron, Ark. (10 bass, 23 pounds, 6 ounces).

Mike Ward of Springville, Tenn., caught a 6-pound, 2-ounce largemouth to earn the $725 Snickers Big Bass Award in the Pro Division on day two, while Eric Shelton of Erin, Tenn., caught a 5-pound, 13-ounce largemouth to win $245 for big bass in the Co-angler Division.

Anglers caught 923 bass Thursday weighing 2,238 pounds, 3 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 June 16, 2005 02:49 PM in Tournament (FLW)