EverStart Series Southeast Division on Pickwick Lake

Boats jockey for takeoff position on day one of the FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on Lake Pickwick. Photo by Rob Newell.

June 3, 2011 • MLF • Archives

FLORENCE, Ala. – The EverStart Series is headed to Pickwick Lake June 9-11 for the final of four fishing tournaments in the Southeast Division. The tournament will feature as many as 300 pros and co-anglers fishing for top awards up to $35,000 plus a Ranger boat with an Evinrude or Mercury outboard for the pro and a Ranger boat with an Evinrude or Mercury outboard plus $5,000 for the co-angler.

“Pickwick is one of the hottest lakes in the country,” said National Guard pro Jonathan Newton of Rogersville, Ala. “It’s going to be a great event.

“Fishing has been a little behind this year because of the crazy weather we’ve had. But the fish are actually moving out now and getting bunched up, and it’s going to be an absolute fun time for a lot of guys. They’re going to really catch a lot of fish.”

Newton said it’s hard to make a prediction for a winning weight, but added that weights have been solid all spring.

“The timing of this tournament is really good,” Newton said. “They’re not going to be as pressured as they would be two to three weeks later.”

Newton said popular baits for the tournament will include Zoom Ol’ Monster worms, large crankbaits, football-head jigs and Carolina-rigged baits.

“All of the typical ledge-fishing stuff that works on the Tennessee River will work there,” Newton said.

Anglers will take off from McFarland Park in Florence, Ala., at 5:30 each morning. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at McFarland Park beginning at 2 p.m. daily. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at Walmart located at 3100 Hough Road in Florence. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Pros will fish for a top award of $35,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger 177TR with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.

The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of four tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the Strike King Angler of the Year title along with $5,000 for the pro and $2,000 for the co-angler. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each respective division will qualify for the EverStart Series Championship that will be held on Kentucky Lake in Buchanan, Tenn., Oct. 27-30.

The EverStart Series tournament on Pickwick Lake is being hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW Outdoors on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWEverStartSeries and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWOutdoors.

About FLW Outdoors

FLW Outdoors is the largest tournament-fishing organization in the world, offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing at FantasyFishing.com, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge.