Ringo’s star on the rise
California co-angler wins 2003 EverStart Championship, $10,000 and new Ranger
GALLATIN, Tenn. – There’s not a single angler in all of California happier than Mario Ringo that FLW Outdoors brought the EverStart Series out west this year. The Western Division angler from Arcadia, Calif., won the Co-angler Division of the 2003 EverStart Series Championship this week after failing to make a single cut in regular-season competition all season long.
For the win, Ringo took home $10,000 and a brand new Ranger Boat from Old Hickory Lake.
His winning catch Friday didn’t weigh much, but that’s not news at Old Hickory Lake right now, which has been pretty tough on anglers all week. Using an olive-colored Mann’s Minus One crankbait, he reeled in two bass weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces for victory.
“I’ve been getting a couple of good bites all week,” he said. “I was really comfortable with the pattern my pro was fishing today.”
Friday, Ringo fished with pro Dan Mansky of Youngstown, Ohio, and, throughout the week, has had the good fortune of being paired up with leading pros. On day one, he fished with Art Ferguson of St. Clair Shores, Mich., who led the Pro Division that day. On day two, he fished with Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, who led the opening round.
But it wasn’t all luck that led Ringo to the title. While he didn’t make a cut all season in Western Division competition, he did fish consistently well enough to qualify for this championship in 17th place in the standings. He definitely earned his way here.
The 39-year-old city employee said it was definitely worth the 2,000-mile road trip. He and his wife celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary last week, and she and their 1-year-old daughter greeted him with an emotional embrace following Friday’s weigh-in.
“I’m very proud of this,” he said. “I wanted to represent the West as best I could.”
That he did. Ringo’s win in Tennessee is a sign that western bass fishing is certainly a force to be reckoned with no matter what the venue.
“This is a dream come true, man. I’ve been watching this stuff on TV all my life,” he said. “It couldn’t have happened without (FLW Outdoors). In another five years, I’ll be fishing from the opposite end of the boat.”
Top five finishers
Danny Phillips of Temecula, Calif., was the next big western winner. He finished second and collected $7,000 for two bass weighing 3 pounds, 14 ounces.
Ken Crumpler of Marianna, Fla., finished third and collected $6,000 with two bass weighing 2 pounds, 13 ounces.
Mike Freeman of Oxford, Ala., who won the 2003 Eastern Division standings, finished fourth and collected $5,000 with two bass weighing 1 pounds, 14 ounces.
Fifth place went to Lewis Southard of Chandler, Ariz., for one bass weighing 1 pound, 8 ounces. He collected $4,000.
For the Co-angler Division’s final top 10 results from the 2003 championship, click the link below.