RED WING, Minn. – Howie Lee of Brooklyn Park, Minn., will lead 20 of the nation’s top professional bass anglers into Friday’s semifinal round at the $210,000 EverStart Series tournament on the Mississippi River with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 20 pounds, 14 ounces.
Lee caught five bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 ounces Wednesday to place first, and his good luck continued Thursday with five more bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces to lead the Pro Division. Friday the top 20 pros and co-anglers will start from zero and fish for one day to determine the top 10 anglers advancing to Saturday’s final round for a shot at a top pro award of more than $50,000 in cash and prizes and top co-angler award of $6,000 cash.
“This is my first EverStart, and I’ve never won a tournament,” said Lee, who caught the majority of his bass on a Gary Yamamoto Senko. “I need to do the same things Friday and try to get 11 to 12 pounds, because I just want to make it to Saturday. I have some stiff competition, but the muddy water is starting to clear, so that’ll help.”
Pro John Johnson of Winnebago, Ill., caught eight bass weighing 19 pounds, 7 ounces over two days to secure the No. 2 spot in the semifinal round. Mike Feldermann of Galena, Ill. (10 bass, 18 pounds, 12 ounces); Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pa., (nine bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces); and Jeff Ritter of Prairie du Chien, Wis., (nine bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces) rounded out the top five pros.
Co-angler Randy Ramsey of Riverside, Ill., claimed the top spot in his division for the second consecutive day with a two-day total of seven bass weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces. He caught the majority of his bass using a Texas-rigged black and blue crawdad.
“There are a lot of good pros and co-anglers here, so to be leading it is awesome for me,” Ramsey said. “I just want to go out there on Friday and try to catch enough to make it to Saturday and then fish my best on Saturday.”
Finishing in second and third place were co-anglers Jason Howland of Albert Lea, Minn., (five bass, 12 pounds, 7 ounces) and Dick Bowman of Thornville, Ohio (eight bass, 12 pounds).
Pros Johnson and Richie Eaves of Nauvoo, Ill., each caught a 3-pound, 11-ounce bass to tie for big bass honors. The catch netted each of them $375. James May of Camp Douglas, Wis., landed co-angler big bass honors and $250 with a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass.
Competition begins at 6 a.m. each morning at Treasure Island Casino and Resort in Welch, Minn. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 225 33rd St. West in Hastings, Minn., also starting at 3 p.m.
Now in its fifth season, the EverStart Series features three divisions – Eastern, Central and Northern – with four events each plus the $325,000 EverStart Series Championship presented by Conseco. The top 50 pros and co-anglers from each division will be invited to the Championship for a shot at top pro awards of more than $60,000 in cash and prizes and top co-angler awards of more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. The top 10 pros and co-anglers from each division also receive priority entry into the 2003 Wal-Mart FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament series – where they could win up to $260,000 and $40,000 in cash respectively.
More than $2.8 million will be awarded to bass anglers through the 2002 EverStart Series.