Myers rallies to top for co-angler win

Wilson falls to third

CLEVELAND – Mark Myers of Minneapolis rallied from third place with 16 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the Co-angler Division of the EverStart Series Northeastern event on Lake Erie with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 14 ounces.

Since Myers is the owner of a Ranger boat, he received a Ranger boat plus $4,700 for his win.

“I’m going to use the money to keep on fishing,” said Myers, who has fished the EverStart Series as a co-angler for three years.

Like many other co-anglers, Myers used a drop-shot to catch his fish this week. His rig consisted of imitation gobies rigged on 8-pound-test line with either a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce weight.

But perhaps his winning move today was switching hooks.

“I normally use a No. 1 or No. 2 octopus hook,” he said. “I lost several fish on it today, so I went to a bigger straight-shank hook and started threading the bait all the way on the hook so the hook stuck out farther back on the bait. And it worked – I caught two of my biggest fish with that hook.”

Jackups second

Ron Jackups of Fairfield, Ohio, brought in 14 pounds, 8 ounces today to finish second with 33 pounds, 3 ounces.

Jackups used a Poor Boy’s Drop-Shot Goby in Balog’s Choice all week. He fished the rig on 10-pound-test Berkley Transition line with a 3/8-ounce drop-shot weight on casting gear.

He wisely rigged up several drop-shots on different rods with varying leader length to adapt to the conditions.

“When the boat was still and I was fishing vertical, I’d go with the shorter leaders,” he said. “But if the boat was moving, or I was casting the bait out, I’d go with the longer leader to compensate for the angle of the line.”

Wilson third

After leading the Co-angler Division for three days, John Wilson of Hazelwood, N.C., left the door open today and fell to third with a two-day total of 27 pounds, 9 ounces.

“I just didn’t get the bites today,” Wilson said. “It’s not like I lost them or anything, I just got two keeper bites.”

Wilson used a mixture of tubes and drop-shot gobies to catch his fish this week.

Allison’s birthday present

Jason Allison of Washington, Pa., finished fourth with 19 pounds even.

His entry into the EverStart Series Northeastern Division event on Lake Erie came in the unique form of a birthday present.

“My wife gave me this tournament for my birthday,” he said. “And it’s been one of the best presents I’ve ever received.”

Not a bad present, indeed, considering Allison turned four days of fantastic smallmouth fishing into a $2,320 payday.

Bradley fifth

Teddy Bradley of Mishawaka, Ind., ended up fifth with a two-day total of 18 pounds, 4 ounces.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the EverStart Series Northeastern:

6th: Wayne Wininger of Waynesboro, Pa., 14-8

7th: Dale Fisher of Watsontown, Pa., 9-14

8th: Alan Hench of Lititz, Pa., 8-5

9th: Bill Gift of Alix, Ark., 7-10

10th: Rick Horner of Bridgewater, Conn., 5-5