Scott’s Texoma triumph

Co-angler winner endures doldrums and big loss

DENISON, Texas – Today was a test of nerves and perseverance for Fort Worth, Texas co-angler Daren Scott, who won the EverStart Texas Division event on Lake Texoma.

Starting the final round in fifth place, Scott caught the co-angler division’s only day-three limit and the day’s heaviest sack. His 9-pound, 7-ounce weight gave him a winning total of 21-15.

“What a roller coaster day this was,” Scott said. “I caught the first two fish pretty quick, then I hooked up again with a 3-pounder, which ran under the boat and popped off. That messes with your head.

“A little while after that, I caught the third and fourth ones and then I went two hours without a bite. At the end of the day, on my last cast of the day – no kidding – I caught my fifth fish.”

Scott caught all of his day-three fish on an Academy H2O squarebill crankbait. His strategy: Employ diverse retrieves.

“I did something different with it all the time,” he said. “Sometimes, I’d reel it and stop it, reel it and stop it; other times, I’d just try to bank it off the rocks that were scattered here and there.”

Second-place swindle goes big

Greg Swindle, of Katy, Texas caught only two fish for 4-13 today and maintained his second-place position to end with a total weight of 18-14. Swindle caught his fish cranking a Norman DD22 and also on a Carolina rig. He opted for a big crankbait, even though he was mostly fishing shallow.

“I was looking for a larger bait with bigger action,” he said. “I was bouncing it off of rocks and they would eat it.”

Rachal bumps up to third

Competing in his first FLW season, Brett Rachal, of Monroe, La., improved from sixth place to third by catching 6-13 today and tallying a three-day total of 18-11.

Rachal fished spinnerbaits and crankbaits around docks on day one. Day two saw him fishing flukes and Texas-rigged Berkley Power worms. He caught his day-three fish on a crankbait and a Power Worm.

Russell Lohman, of Pineville, La., placed fourth with 16-10 and Kenny Moser, of Alba, Texas, was fifth at 15-6.

Best of the rest

Rounding out the top-10 co-angler leaders at the EverStart Series Cal Delta event:

6th: Bill Fussell, of Thibodaux, La., 15-6

7th: Stephen Francis, of Brookeland, Texas, 15-3

8th: Lat Nichols, of Deport, Texas, 14-7

9th: Trevor Rogge, of San Antonio, Texas, 14-6

10th: Aaron Towner, of Anna, Texas, 13-8