Bailey banks bass bucks with big first win
Rookie wins co-angler title at Havasu
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – Paul Bailey, a 24-year-old former pro BMX racer from Agoura Hills, Calif., won the Co-angler Division in EverStart Series Western competition at Lake Havasu. Bailey caught seven bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces in the final round and edged out runner-up Tyler Vanderhorst for the title Saturday.
Bailey took advantage of a lucky pairing on the final day to catch his three big-time keepers that weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces.
“(Pro) Justin Kerr (of Simi Valley, Calif.) is a good friend of mine,” Bailey said. “It just so happened that we both placed fifth yesterday and it worked out great.”
Both Bailey and Kerr concentrated on smallmouth bass migrating towards the river for the spawn.
“It was definitely the spot we were fishing. Every hour we would move back in there and each pick one off,” Bailey said. “We’d throw out a drop-shot and not move it for five minutes. If we moved it, it would spook them. But when we let it sit, they’d start to hate it, then circle it and eat it.”
Bailey caught his fish – the only three-bass sack on the co-angler side – by using an oxblood-and-red-flake Roboworm on his drop-shot. He caught all of his fish among tules in shallow water.
Fishing his first EverStart event, he collected $4,850 for the win.
“Oh man, I can’t tell you how happy I am right now!” he said.
Day-three leader Vanderhorst, of Washington, Utah, dropped to second place in the Co-angler Division and collected $3,850 for three bass weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces in the final round.
“I’m kicking myself a little bit,” he said. “I missed a few bites this week, but I had a great tournament.”
Day-one leader Craig Griffin of Lehi, Utah, caught three bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces and finished third. He earned $3,360.
Opening-round leader Jim Wickham of Morristown, Ariz., finished fourth with three bass weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces and collected $2,360.
Fifth place went to Michael Kirk of Redding, Calif., for three bass weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces. He earned $1,860.
Rounding out the top 10 co-angler finishers at Lake Havasu:
6th: Lance Dudley of Phoenix, two bass, 3-8, $1,760
7th: Matt Russ of Peoria, Ariz., one bass, 2-9, $1,660
8th: Greg Pishkur of Flagstaff, Ariz., zero bass, $1,560
9th: Trent Stewart of Palmdale, Calif., zero bass, $1,460
10th: Rod Livermore of Bullhead City, Ariz., zero bass, $1,360
Coming up
The next EverStart Series event is a Central Division contest at Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Jasper, Texas, Feb. 23-26.
The next Western Division tournament will be held at Clear Lake near Lakeport, Calif., March 9-12.
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