Meyer leads round one of EverStart Series event on Lake Havasu

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. - Pro Clayton Meyer of San Diego, Calif., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds to lead round one of the EverStart Series Western Division event on Lake Havasu present by Yamaha. The field of 165 boats was cut to 10 for the final round. Weights are zeroed for the two-day final round where pros compete for a top award of nearly $50,000 in cash and prizes.

Wednesday’s weather conditions were cool and rainy - strange for the Lake Havasu area. The rain stopped on Thursday, but temperatures remained very cool with partly cloudy skies. At weigh-in time, the temperature was in the high 40s, while the average high temperature for the area in January is in the high 60s. The bite got tougher for most on Thursday as the sun came out for much of the day. Bass are in the early prespawn stage and still fairly deep. Water temperatures are in the low 50s, and several patterns are being utilized by anglers.

“I’m on the same pattern today as I was yesterday,” Meyer said, “but the bite was actually easier for me today. The sun came up, and my fish seemed to come up shallower when the sun came out. I’m throwing plastics in 5-15 feet of water. I quit fishing in the morning with three keepers and just went looking around for more areas and caught a couple more. The forecast is calling for more sun, so I should be in good shape for the final two days.”

Rounding out the top-five pros are Richard Smith of Santa Clarita, Calif. (10 bass, 25 pounds, 14 ounces); Gary Dobyns of Yuba City, Calif. (10 bass, 25 pounds, 11 ounces); Paul Hodges of Glendale (10 bass, 25 pounds, 8 ounces); and Tim Klinger of Boulder City, Nev. (10 bass, 25 pounds, 4 ounces).

Smith also caught a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass to earn the day’s $575 Snickers Big Bass award for the Pro Division.

Jim Wickham of Marristown caught nine bass weighing 19 pounds, 7 ounces to lead round one in the Co-angler Division.

“I’m catching all my fish of a drop-shot,” Wickham said. “It was a tougher bite for me today. I caught three early, but as soon as the sun came out, it got tough. I’m catching my fish 15-25 feet deep.”

Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Greg Pishkur of Flagstaff (five bass, 15 pounds, 3 ounces); Trent Stewart of Palmdale, Calif. (seven bass, 14 pounds, 15 ounces); Michael Kirk of Redding, Calif. (six bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces); and Matt Russ of Peoria (four bass, 12 pounds, 4 ounces).

Tom Phegley of Lake Havasu City earned $215 for catching the day’s Snickers Big Bass in the Co-angler Division - a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.

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 January 27, 2005 02:47 PM in Tournament (FLW)