McNeil tops co-anglers at Vermilion
Wins second Northern Division tourney in less than a year
TOWER, Minn. – Like the Pro Division, the Co-angler Division had a barnburner on its hands in Saturday’s final round of EverStart Series Northern Division competition at Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion. Mark McNeil of Ledyard, Conn., came away with a 2-ounce victory over fellow Connecticut native Chris Wade and won $5,000.
“It’s been a blast. I never thought I’d win this thing,” said McNeil, a 37-year-old heavy equipment operator.
The co-angler winner, who fished with pro Jim Tutt Saturday, targeted largemouths in 3 to 6 feet of water using Stalker tubes and jigs. He caught a limit of bass weighing 9 pounds, 13 ounces and said the secret was working around the pro’s pattern all week. Plus, he had some extra help.
“I know how to fish behind these guys,” he said. “You just fish where they don’t fish and you get a few bites. But the main thing was the Stalker baits – that, and the grease we put on them.”
McNeil said it was the green with orange tubes that were key because they emulated Lake Vermilion’s crawfish so well. And his homemade “grease,” or scent, was indispensable.
It was McNeil’s second Northern Division victory in less than a year. He won at Thousand Islands in August 2002.
“You know what it is? It’s the partners I get paired with,” he said. “Jim Tutt is a really nice guy and I had a great day.”
Fishing with loquacious pro runner-up Mark Zona, Wade caught five bass worth 9 pounds, 11 ounces for second place. The Preston, Conn., native collected $4,000.
“Today we just went around fishing shallow water and docks,” Wade said. “He’s a wild man.”
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are Todd Truax of Canton, Ohio, (third place, $3,500) with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 1 ounce; Warren Thomas of Lakewood, Wis., (fourth, $2,500) with five bass weighing 9-1; Richard Wyrick of Frankfort, Ill., (fifth, $2,000) with four bass weighing 8-5; Jess Caraballo of Danbury, Conn., (sixth, $1,900) with five bass weighing 7-13; Troy Schwab of Elk River, Minn., (seventh, $1,800) with five bass weighing 7-6; Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich., (eighth, $1,700) with five bass weighing 7-6; Art Smith of Hector, Minn., (ninth, $1,600) with four bass weighing 5-6; and Judy Israel of Clewiston, Fla., (10th, $1,500) with two bass weighing 2-8.
Ties are resolved by day-two standings.
Coming up
The next EverStart Series tournament is an Eastern Division contest at Guntersville Lake in Guntersville, Ala., June 11-14. The next Northern Division tournament will be held at the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich., July 23-26.
Day-four links: