ESCANABA, Mich. (Aug. 27, 2005) - Pro David Gliebe of Benton, Ky., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42 pounds, 14 ounces to win the EverStart Series Northern Division event on Lake Michigan near Escanaba. Gliebe earned a fully rigged Ranger 519VX, powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and EverStart batteries plus $8,200 cash for his win.
Gliebe has been fishing an area he marked during practice on his GPS system near Washington Island. "I searched the shoreline in practice and marked that area. When I went out there, I caught a 5-pounder and another smaller one," Gliebe said. "I never fished anywhere else during the tournament."
While the veteran pro had some problems with losing hooked fish before getting them to the boat during the first three days, the final day went well for him. He caught his limit and culled twice. All of his bass were smallmouths, including one trophy fish that weighed nearly 6 pounds. "I lost one 5-pounder, but I caught all the rest," Gliebe said. He's been throwing a green-pumpkin tube with gold flake, rigged on a 3/8-ounce jighead to catch his bass.
Rounding out the top five pros are Richard Lowitzki of St. Charles, Ill. (10 bass, 37 pounds, 5 ounces, $8,200 plus $2,250 for Ranger Cup and Powered by Yamaha awards); Rick Taylor of Holland (10 bass, 32 pounds, 3 ounces, $7,800); Robert Sherry of St. Charles, Ill. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 7 ounces, $7,300); and Scott Dobson of Clarkston (nine bass, 28 pounds, 12 ounces, $6,800).
Homer Stephens of Noblesville, Ind., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds 7 ounces to win the Co-angler Division. Stephens earned a fully rigged Ranger 519VX plus $4,325 cash. "I've been catching them on a green-pumpkin tube and 1/8-ounce jigheads," Stephens said. "Today, you just had to cast it out there and slowly drag it back in." Stephens fished around Washington Island with pro Richard Lowitzki on the last day.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mark Sturgill of Wyandotte (nine bass, 29 pounds, 12 ounces, $3,325); Jim Jones of Big Bend, Wis. (five bass, 21 pounds, 4 ounces, $3,050); Scott Jones of Louisville, Ky. (six bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces, $2,220) and Dave Goodwin of Marseilles, Ill. (eight bass, 18 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,720).
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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