MANNING, S.C. – Pro Mark Mauldin of Cleveland, Tenn., caught a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces to lead the final round of the EverStart Series Southeast Division event on the Santee Cooper lakes presented by Evinrude. Friday’s and Saturday’s combined weights will decide who will take home the fully rigged Ranger 519 VX powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and Everstart Batteries plus $10,000 cash. Ranger also awards an additional $10,000 to the winner if he is a qualified Ranger owner.
The weather is slowly improving in South Carolina. A strong cold front dropped temperatures early in the week and the temperatures have slowly warmed each day. Friday, however, appeared to be the toughest day of the tournament. The 10 co-angler finalists, for example, caught a total of seven keepers. With warm, sunny skies forecast for Saturday, the catch will likely improve.
“I really didn’t think 15 pounds would be leading it today,” Mauldin said. “But I’ve got an area that is producing some really big fish. I had six hits out of that area today and landed three of the bass. Yesterday I caught three bass from that spot that weighed 21 pounds, and my four best from that area this week weighed 30 pounds. I just hope I can go in there tomorrow and put three fish in the livewell because they’re going to be good fish.
“I’m just flipping cypress tress in 3-4 feet of water and throwing a spinnerbait.”
Rounding out the top-five pros are Alex Ormand of Bessemer City, Ala. (four bass, 14 pounds, 4 ounces); Allan Glasgow of Ashville, Ala. (three bass, 13 pounds, 7 ounces); Richard Szczerbala of New Hill, N.C. (three bass, 13 pounds); and 7 UP pro J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md. (five bass, 11 pounds, 3 ounces).
Brian Thrift of Shelby, N.C., caught two bass weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces to lead the Co-angler Division. Thrift was paired with Mauldin Friday.
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Derek Schlotterback of Simpsonville (two bass, 3 pounds, 7 ounces); Cliff Cantey of Olanta (one bass, 3 pounds, 1 ounces); Arch Cornett of Huntsville, Ala. (one bass, 2 pounds, 5 ounces); and Calvin Jones of Raeford, N.C. (one bass, 2 pounds).
Anglers caught 34 bass Friday weighing 112 pounds, 11 ounces.
EverStart Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of two rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 10 pros and co-anglers – based on two-day accumulated weights – advance to the final round. Anglers start at zero Friday, and pro and co-angler winners are determined Saturday based on two-day accumulated weights.