HENDERSON, Nev. (April 6, 2005) – Pro Tim Klinger of Boulder City, winner of the 2004 FLW Tour Wal-Mart Open, caught a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces to lead day one of the EverStart Series Western Division event on Lake Mead near Henderson. A field of 139 pros is competing for a Ranger 519 VX powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and Everstart Batteries plus $8,400 cash. Ranger also awards an additional $10,000 to the winner if he is a qualified Ranger owner.
The weather is great, the lake level is up significantly and the fishing is relatively good on Lake Mead. Bass are in all stages of the spawn, and anglers can use a variety of techniques to catch solid limits from the massive Western impoundment.
“I used a spinnerbait to locate fish today,” Klinger said. “But once I found them, I switched to a variety of plastics and a jig. I threw a drop-shot some with a 6-inch worm. I kept everything in brown colors.
“The fish are pretty shallow – 5-15 feet deep. I caught two 3-pound smallies, two 3-pound largemouths and another keeper smallmouth. I think I have enough fish to last the rest of the week. I’ve been on the fish for about two weeks now.”
Rounding out the top-five pros are Chuck English of Las Vegas (five bass, 12 pounds, 13 ounces); Dennis Kolender of Henderson (five bass, 12 pounds, 13 ounces); Gabe Bolivar of Ramona, Calif. (five bass, 12 pounds, 12 ounces); and Al Robinson of Boulder City (five bass, 12 pounds, 4 ounces).
Kolender caught a 3-pound, 13-ounce bass to earn the day’s $425 Snickers Big Bass award for the Pro Division.
Mike Wokasch of McFarland, Wis., caught five bass weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division.
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Charlie Crawford of Peoria, Ariz. (five bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce); Gary Key of Phoenix, Ariz. (five bass, 9 pounds, 15 ounces); Gary Haraguchi of Half Moon Bay, Calif. (five bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces); and John Bitting of Westminster, Calif. (five bass, 9 pounds, 8 ounces).
Tom Pryor of Kingman, Ariz., caught the day one Snickers Big Bass in the Co-angler Division – a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass – worth $185
Anglers caught 668 bass Wednesday weighing 1,272 pounds, 11 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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