Feldermann leads opening round of EverStart Series event on Mississippi River

ONALASKA, Wis. - Pro Mike Feldermann of Galena, Ill., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 27 pounds, 13 ounces to lead round one of the EverStart Series Northern Division event on the Mississippi River near Onalaska. Pros are competing for a 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 for a total of $69,000 in cash and prizes.

“I’ve been fishing in shallow water around weeds, mainly hydrilla,” Feldermann said. “I’ve been throwing a Team Supreme jig to get my bites. I’ve probably been catching eight or so keepers per day.”

Feldermann has been making a long, 45-mile one-way run to get to his area, but he said he’s planning on doing the same thing tomorrow. “I’ve got basically the same game plan. You can’t hold much back to make the top 10, but I think I’ve got a few more places in mind to go,” Feldermann said.

Rounding out the top five pros are Jim Jones of Big Bend (10 bass, 27 pounds, 11 ounces); Jim Johnson of La Crosse (10 bass, 27 pounds, 10 ounces); Tom Howland of Riceville, Iowa (10 bass, 27 pounds, 10 ounces); and Jeff Ritter of Prairie Du Chien (10 bass, 27 pounds, 9 ounces).

Johnson earned $650 as the winner of the Snicker’s Big Bass award, thanks to a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass.

Rich Conrad of Eau Claire caught 10 bass weighing 21 pounds, 11 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division. Conrad also led his division on day one. “It’s been a great tournament, and I’ve been paired with some great pros,” he said. “We fished more open water today, so we threw a few topwaters. But I still caught most of my fish around shallow weeds with a black and blue tube.”

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Stephen Copps of La Crosse (10 bass, 21 pounds, 6 ounces); Mark Grahn Sr. of Wautoma (nine bass, 20 pounds, 11 ounces); BJ Nelson of Louisville, Ky., (10 bass, 20 pounds 10 ounces) and Richard Herold of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (nine bass, 20 pounds, 1 ounce).

Herold earned $230 for catching the Snickers Big Bass in the Co-angler Division. The bass weighed 4-pounds, 13-ounces.

Anglers caught a total of 931 bass weighing 2,030 pounds, 14 ounces on the second day of the event.

Daily takeoffs will be at Clinton Street Landing West in La Crosse. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 3107 Marketplace in Onalaska beginning at 4 p.m.

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 August 4, 2005 03:22 PM in Tournament (FLW)