Kennedy leads final round of EverStart Series event on West Point Lake

LANETT, Ala. - Pedigree pro Steve Kennedy of Auburn caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces to lead the final round of the EverStart Series Southeast Division event on West Point Lake presented by Yamaha. Friday and Saturday combined weights will decide who will take home the fully rigged Ranger 519VX powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and Everstart Batteries plus $10,000 cash. Ranger also awards an additional $10,000 to the winner if he is a qualified Ranger owner.

The weather played a vital role Friday as strong storms rumbled through the area. Several anglers, such as Kennedy, felt the rainy weather improved the bite. Weights, however, were down from previous days.

“I started out on a deep drop like I have every morning,” Kennedy said. “But by 7:30 a.m. I had three bites on a drop-shot but wasn’t able to land any of them, so I went to shallow water. In the first place I stopped, I landed three keepers.

“I found one tree where I caught two 4-pounders today. We were running up and down the river dodging the storms, and every time we passed the tree, I would stop and fish. And I lost a 5- or 6-pounder there. I’m going straight to the tree in the morning.”

Rounding out the top-five pros are Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn. (five bass, 12 pounds, 4 ounces); Mike Keel of Auburn (five bass, 12 pounds, 1 ounces); Jared Parmer of Roanoke (four bass, 11 pounds, 6 ounces); and Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, S.C. (five bass, 11 pounds, 2 ounces).

Tim Vanegmond of Gay, Ga., caught three bass weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division. Vanegmond, who is fishing for the first time as a co-angler, was paired with pro Tony Wood of Bowdon, Ga.

“I can’t believe that 6 pounds is leading this,” Vanegmond said. “I was just junk fishing and felt that it was one of those days that every co-angler would come in with 12 or 13 pounds.”

Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Tommy Gunn of Cusseta (two bass, 5 pounds, 12 ounces); Matthew Parker of Whitesburg, Ga. (one bass, 3 pounds, 9 ounces); Michi Oba of Tokyo, Japan (one bass, 3 pounds, 3 ounces); and James Barnick of Pembroke Pines, Fla. (two bass, 2 pounds, 15 ounces).

Anglers caught 51 bass Friday weighing 119 pounds, 8 ounces. Five limits were caught.

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.

+For more infomation, click www.FLW Outdoors.com.

Posted by DODGE at May 20, 2005 03:56 PM in Tournament (FLW)