A new beginning
Top 10 EverStart pros, 10 co-anglers battle frosty, foggy conditions during start of semifinals on Santee Cooper
MANNING, S.C. – First there was wind. Then cold. And now fog. As the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers departed John C. Land marina shortly after 7 a.m. to kick off Friday’s semifinal start, anglers could be excused for thinking that the weather gods are against them. With frost completely covering the ground, as well as most of the tournament boats, anglers headed out into the deep mist with temperatures below freezing for the third consecutive day. In short, it seems that these anglers just can’t catch a break.
“I think the bite is going to be tough again today,” said J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md., who is making his second consecutive top-10 appearance in an EverStart Series Southeastern Division event this season. “With these type of conditions, you’re either going to have to fish really fast or really slowly. I think a Rat-L-Trap or a finesse worm will work today. But personally, I don’t think I’m on big enough fish to win this tournament.”
Although anglers have battled everything from 25-mph winds to bone-chilling temperatures to a fickle bass bite all week, today’s finalists must put the continuing uncomfortable conditions behind them if they are to position themselves for a run at the tournament title on Santee Cooper.
Both pros and co-anglers, who had their weights zeroed out to start Friday’s competition, will fish the next two days in an effort to record as much weight as possible with their respective limits. The angler in each division with the most weight over the course of Friday and Saturday’s competition will be declared the winner. First place in the Pro Division could be worth as much as $60,000 while co-anglers will be battling for a top award of $35,000 – assuming various contingency awards are met.
Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, located at 481 W. Boyce St. in Manning, S.C.
Friday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 6:45 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 28 degrees
Expected high temperature: 61 degrees
Water temperature: 46-48 degrees
Wind: from the southeast at 2 mph
Humidity: 71 percent
Day’s outlook: sunny