Gregg co-angler king of Kentucky

EverStart championship winner scores another victory

BENTON, Ky. – When you’re hot, you’re hot, and Steve Gregg of Florissant, Mo., is just that, claiming the EverStart Series Central Division co-angler victory on Kentucky Lake with a three-day weight of 31 pounds, 9 ounces.

Gregg is headed to the Forrest Wood Cup in August thanks to an EverStart Series championship victory, and he sweetened the pot today with another mark in the win column that earned him a Ranger boat, motor and trailer.

Gregg ended day one in second place with 15 pounds, 12 ounces and stayed in contention the remainder of the tournament, ending day two in third with a pair of bass weighing 4-12. He caught the final day’s only co-angler limit – one of only three limits brought in by any competitor today – worth 11 pounds, 1 ounces that brought his three-day total to 31-9.

“I couldn’t have asked for better partners,” Gregg said. “They help you out, and it doesn’t get any better. Today, once again, my partner helped me out on the technique, and it paid off.”

Gregg fished with pro runner-up Mike Hollingshead today, primarily using a Strike King Red Eye Shad in the sexy shad color. He spent the first day fishing humps and ledges in the mouths of spawning coves with a 1/2-ounce Omega football jig trailed with a Reaction Innovations green goby Sweet Beaver. On day two his primary bait was a Heddon blade bait, the same one his partner used to catch a limit.

“This is only my second time at this lake, and I’ve finished seventh and first,” he said. “I’m thinking about moving!”

Henderson holds on to No. 2 spot

Finishing second on the co-angler side is Joey Henderson of Mayfield with a three-day catch of 27 pounds, 3 ounces that earned him $4,282. He ended day one in 44th with 4-9 but leapt to second yesterday with 16-13. He brought in a pair of bass today weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces.

Henderson fished the last two days with No. 4 pro finisher Travis Fox, and he says everything he caught the last two days was brought in on a deep-diving crankbait.

“Most of my fish were caught on a 3/4-ounce Chompers football jig, Missouri craw color,” he said. “I caught a few the last two days on a Strike King 6XD in chartreuse sexy shad.”

While Henderson and his pro partner fished shallow the first day, he and Fox headed out a little deeper the last two days.

“Travis was fishing a little deeper, in 6 to 8 feet of water,” he said. “When we went out together again today, I knew what we were going to be doing. This is the first EverStart I’ve ever fished, and it was an honor to be able to fish with some of these guys. I had a good tournament. I’ll be back.”

Hollowell takes third

Terry Hollowell of Anderson, Ind., brought in 23 pounds, 5 ounces of bass over three days to take third place on the co-angler side and earn himself a check worth $3,806. He might owe some of that to his son, sixth-place pro finisher Todd Hollowell, who not only begged his dad to fish the tournament but paid his entry fee as well.

Hollowell entered the top 10 in the final spot after leading the first day but zeroing on day two. He had better luck today, catching three bass weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

“The jig came into play and helped me get back on the stage,” he said. “A jig is always good here.”

Hollowell fished with third-place pro Brent Anderson today, and he estimates that the two of them caught a hundred fish today.

“We went to New Johnsonville, and he was spanking me with a blade bait,” he said. “Anderson said, `Get you one,’ and on the first cast, bam, I caught a keeper.”

Quick, Emery round out top five

Day-two leader Alan Quick of Springfield, Mo., took fourth-place honors despite zeroing on the final day. His 9-3 day-one catch and 13-2 day-two haul were enough to earn him a check for $3,331.

Behind him in fifth is Gary Emery of Eastpointe, Mich., with a three-day total catch of 22 pounds, 5 ounces, worth $2,855.

“I got lucky yesterday,” Emery said. “At 3:32 I tied on a Chatterbait and got one that weighed 6 pounds – we had to be in at 3:40.”

Emery said he caught the majority of his bass this week on a French pearl Megabass jerkbait.

Best of the rest

The remaining top 10 co-angler finalists included:

6th: Tommy Lowery of O’Fallon, Mo., 21-13

7th: Alan Woodford of Winslow, Ind., 20-7

8th: Rod Yoder of West Lafayette, Ind., 20-1

9th: Russell Sproessig of Columbus, Ind., 18-14

10th: David Matual of Chicago, Ill., 17-8

EverStart Series Central Division action resumes July 14-16 on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich.