Chasing waterfalls

EverStart Central anglers take advantage of falling water on Kentucky Lake

BENTON, Ky. – A bass-fishing free-for-all could be shaping up on Kentucky Lake this week as EverStart Series anglers departed this morning from Moors Resort to kick off the Central Division’s second event. Good timing, decent weather conditions and falling water levels should all combine to create a fisherman’s paradise today on Kentucky/Barkley.

“We’re going to see some good weights,” said Billy Schroeder of Paducah, Ky., who finished seventh at this event last year. “I’m thinking two 16-pound bags will make the cut.”

Thanks to falling water levels, the fish are scattered and pulling off the banks, and according to Schroeder, that will be an advantage.

“You can catch them any way you want to catch them,” he said. “You can catch them in 6 inches of water to 20 feet of water, and that’s because it’s falling. It’s Kentucky Lake – there are a lot of fish.”

Schroeder expects to see any number of presentations to work this week, mentioning jigs, jerkbaits and crankbaits among those that will likely haul in the bass.

“There are a lot of different ways people will catch them, and the weather is supposed to improve every day,” he said. “It’s been so cold, though, that you’ve got to have more clothes than fishing equipment.”

Indeed, a recent warm spell snapped in the days prior to the event, ushering in cooler-than-average temperatures that resulted in a takeoff chill in the 30s. But other than making for some cold hands on the steering wheel, it should matter not.

“The water is scheduled to keep on dropping,” Schroeder said. “It’s still not at winter pool. I’ll have a better chance if it keeps falling, and I’m looking forward to it. It should be playing right into my hands. I like this water falling.”

Tourney format

During EverStart Series competition, pros supply the boats, fish from the front deck against other pros and control boat movement. Co-anglers fish from the back deck and compete against other co-anglers. Anglers are permitted to weigh in their best five bass each day. Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points that determine angler standings. The full field competes on days one and two, with the top-10 pros and top 10 co-anglers advancing to Saturday’s final round of competition based on their two-day accumulated weight. Winners ultimately will be determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all three days.

Anglers will take off from Moors Resort and Marina, located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville, Ky., at 6:30 each morning. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 2:30 p.m. daily. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at Walmart, located at 310 West Main Street in Benton, at 3:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Pros will fish for a top award of $35,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with 200-horsepower outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger 177TR with 90-horsepower outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.

The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of four tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the Strike King Angler of the Year title along with $5,000 for the pro and $2,000 for the co-angler. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each respective division will qualify for the EverStart Series Championship that will be held on Kentucky Lake in Buchanan, Tenn., Oct. 27-30.

Bass-fishing fans take note

Want to watch the weigh in live but can’t make it in person? Then tune into FLW Live on FLWOutdoors.com shortly before 2:30 p.m. Central Time to watch live streaming video and audio of today’s opening-round weigh in.

Vital statistics:

Sunrise: 6:41 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 35 degrees

Expected high temperature: 55 degrees

Water temperature: 52-56 degrees

Wind: From the northwest at 4 mph

Humidity: 89 percent

Day’s outlook: morning drizzle