How the West was won

EverStart anglers to find out today if they have what it takes to win a tournament title on Lake Pleasant

PEORIA, Ariz. – Shortly after 7 a.m., the remaining top 10 finalists took off from Pleasant Harbor Marina in search of a place in the record books. It has now come down to this: After three grueling days of competition, one pro and one co-angler will go down as the very first Western Division titleholder in the history of EverStart competition.

However, it won’t be easy. Before the competitors even set sail for the open waters of Lake Pleasant this morning, the weights of each and every finalist had been reset to zero – meaning that all anglers, no matter how they faired during the previous three days, will start with a clean slate during the finals. In short, whoever catches the most fish in today’s competition wins – plain and simple.

To be sure, there is a lot on the line. In the Pro Division, one lucky angler could walk away with as much in $60,000 in cash and prizes, including a brand new, fully equipped Ranger boat. At stake in the Co-angler Division is more than $35,000 in cash and prizes as well.

Currently, pros Art Berry of Ramona, Calif., and Brett Hite of Phoenix, Ariz., boast the top qualifying positions heading into the finals. Meanwhile, Jon Griffith of Mesa, Ariz., is the top qualifier in the Co-angler Division. The advantage for anglers who have the top qualifying positions is that they own all tiebreakers over other competitors during the finals.

EverStart action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Pleasant Harbor Marina, located at 8708 West Harbor Boulevard in Peoria, Ariz.

Vital statistics:

Sunrise: 7:26 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 53 degrees
Expected high temperature: 84 degrees
Water temperature: 56 degrees
Wind: From the southeast at 7 mph
Relative humidity: 43 percent
Day’s outlook: Mostly sunny

Related links:
Photos
Day-four pairings
Day-three results