EverStart Series prepares for Lake of the Pines
Texas Division final event set for Oct. 4-6
LONGVIEW, Texas – The EverStart Series will visit Lake of the Pines Oct. 4-6 for the fourth and final stop of the Texas Division. The tournament will feature as many as 300 pros and co-anglers competing for top awards up to $35,000 plus a Ranger Z518 boat with an Evinrude or Mercury outboard for the pro and a Ranger Z117 boat with an Evinrude or Mercury outboard plus $5,000 for the co-angler.
“This lake is so good anybody could win,” said Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats pro Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas. “No one will have an advantage. I think it is one of the top bass-fishing lakes in the country. The lake is full of grass, lily pads, shallow flats – it has everything.
“The lake is divided in two,” Tutt continued. “The north end has shallow flats, trees and lily pads; the south end is like a low inland reservoir with lots of points, river channels and timber. Anglers will be able to catch bass in a multitude of ways – topwater, frogs, buzzbaits, deep-diving crankbaits and Senkos. It’s really like a mini Toledo Bend.
“The lake has been fishing tough this summer because it has been super hot, however, it is starting to cool down and things are changing. I really hate to guess at what winning weights are going to be. If the lake is on, it is going to take 25 pounds per day to win. If it’s not, probably more like 17 pounds per day. I will tell you one thing. There is a good chance a 10-pounder will be caught at this tournament.”
Tutt said that the lake is about 4 1/2-feet low, which will make the lake fish small. However, there are plenty of bass to be caught. According to Tutt, the key to winning the tournament is going to be finding the right school of fish and sticking with it. “Once you find that school, you should stay put. Don’t go running around the lake,” Tutt said.
Anglers will take off from Lakeside Area Recreation Area located at 2669 FM 726 in Jefferson, Texas, at 7 a.m. daily. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at Brushy Creek Recreation Area beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart located at 515 E. Loop 281 in Longview starting at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Pros will fish for a top award of $35,000 plus a Ranger Z518 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 Z117 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 the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., Nov. 1-4.
The EverStart Series tournament on Lake of the Pines is being hosted by the Longview Convention & Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the EverStart Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.