Northern exposure

Using a dominating catch of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, co-angler Richard Wyrick out-fished his nearest competitor by more than 3 pounds, netting a $5,000 first-place prize and a brand new Ranger boat valued at $25,000 in the process. Photo by Gary Mortenson. Angler: Rich Wyrick.

May 3, 2003 • Gary Mortenson • Archives

Wyrick bests co-angler field to win first place on Kentucky Lake

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – A veteran of the EverStart Northern Division, Richard Wyrick of Frankfort, Ill., admitted that he just came to Kentucky Lake to gain some valuable experience fishing Southern waters. As it turned out, he did much more than that. Using a dominating catch of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, Wyrick out-fished his nearest competitor by more than 3 pounds, netting a $5,000 first-place prize and a brand new Ranger boat valued at $25,000 in the process.

Not bad for a Yankee.

“I fish the Northern Division and I’ve never been on this water before,” said Wyrick. “I came to Kentucky Lake so the guys down here could show me how it’s done. I guess I’m just a quick study.”

Wyrick targeted flats in 1 to 4 feet of water using a Venom Sling stick bait in watermelon and green-pumpkin colors to land the majority of his catch. However, while Wyrick acknowledged that he fished a great tournament, he also credited his pro partners for much of the victory.

“I had great partners all four days,” he said. “Every pro I had put me on fish. I was really fortunate because my pros fished the kind of techniques that worked out best for me. It’s really nice when everything falls into place like that.”

Wyrick, who turned in his best-ever finish on the EverStart trail, said he was equally impressed with Kentucky Lake.

“I can’t say enough about this body of water,” he said. “There’s fish everywhere you go.”

Overall, Wyrick said he couldn’t be more pleased with how things worked out.

“It’s just a nice payday for coming out and doing something that you really love,” he said. “It’s been an awesome experience.”

Rookie angler takes second

Fishing in only his first full season on the EverStart Series, Larry Regina of South Bend, Ind., ensured that the Kentucky Lake tournament would be a memorable one. Using some skillful angling and a catch of 12 pounds, 9 ounces, Regina netted the runner-up trophy as well as a check for $4,000.

“This is my first season on the EverStart tour, so this is just phenomenal,” he said. “I had a great day today and awesome time here on Kentucky Lake.”

Regina, who turned in a fourth-place finish at Sam Rayburn earlier this season, netted his best performance of the year fishing a Texas-rigged Senko in about 2 feet of water.

“I just wasn’t able to get those other two fish today,” said Regina, who only managed a three-fish stringer at the scales. “But overall, I had some great pros and a really good time. Hopefully, with this finish, I’ll be able to win the (division’s) year-end points championship.”

After entering the Kentucky Lake tournament in seventh place overall in the standings, Regina is almost guaranteed an invitation to the no-entry fee 2003 EverStart Championship, slated for Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, Tenn., this November.

The top-40 pros and co-anglers from each of the EverStart divisions will be invited to the championship.

Miller time

Using a catch of 9 pounds, 10 ounces, Jim Miller of Dayton, Ohio, finished the day in third place. And he couldn’t have been happier.

“I had a great day today,” said Miller, who netted $3,500 for his efforts. “I also had some great partners. Every time I come down here I get treated really well.”

Miller used a combination of Pop-Rs and spinner baits to land the majority of his catch in today’s competition.

Best of the rest

Ken Keys of Evansville, Ind., used a 9-pound, 3-ounce catch to finish the tournament in fourth place and win a check for $2,500.

“I really thought it was tough fishing today,” he said. “But obviously from some of the stringers I’ve seen, it wasn’t.”

Mark King of Gurdon, Ark., took home a fifth-place finish as well as a check for $2,000.

“I now have two top-10 finishes in a row,” he said. “So I’m pretty happy right now.”

Rounding out the top-10 co-angler finalists were: Greg Pugh (sixth) of Cullman, Ala., with a catch of 8 pounds, 6 ounces; Dean Morgan (seventh) of Port Arthur, Texas, with a catch of 5 pounds, 3 ounces; Mitch Greenwood (eighth) of Beechmont, Ky., with a catch of 5 pounds, 3 ounces; Daniel Cramer (ninth) of Van Wert, Ohio, with a catch of 0 pounds, 0 ounces; and Ron Bricker (tenth) of Indianapolis, Ind., with a catch of 0 pounds, 0 ounces.

EverStart Central Division action resumes June 25-28 on the Red River in Natchitoches, La.