Kayda clobbers ’em

Day-two lunker buoys EverStart co-angler win on Rayburn

JASPER, Texas – David Kayda, of Crosby, Texas caught the largest co-angler bag of day three and captured the co-angler title at the EverStart Series Texas Division tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

Kayda’s final-round catch of 12 pounds, 3 ounces moved him up from second place with a tournament total of 36-15 and a 6-pound, 6-ounce margin of victory. Notably, Kayda also caught the biggest fish of the tournament on day two – a 10-pound, 6-ounce toad that gave him a 16-10 total and secured his final-round berth by moving him up from 35th to second. Kayda said this fortuitous event nearly slipped through Kayda’s fingers.

“When I caught that big one yesterday, he flopped out of the net and landed in the splash well,” he recalled. “I had to jump on him.”

Kayda caught his day-one fish on a football head jig and switched to a crankbait the following day. In the final round, a Carolina rig and Strike King Series 6 crankbait delivered the winning catch.

“It’s been a really good week,” Kayda said. “Everything worked out, I didn’t make any mistakes and I didn’t lose any fish.”

Herline improves to second

Neil Herline, of Silsbee, Texas caught a limit of 10-7 and moved up from seventh place to second with 30 pounds, 9 ounces. Herline made the biggest move of the tournament on day two when he blasted into the final round after placing 80th on day one.

“I started out throwing a Senko on day one but I only had (4-4),” Herline said. “I learned a little lesson from my pro and the next day I tied on what he had and caught (15-14). That was a Texas-rigged Zoom Magnum Trick Worm in watermelon red. That’s all I threw the rest of the tournament.”

Today’s rough water gave him quite a shaking, but Herline expressed appreciation at having a secure trip back to the docks. “I want to thank Justin Morton for getting me back safely. We had a ride, but that Ranger boat did what it was supposed to do.”

McClendon spins into third

Chad McClendon, of North Richland Hills gained three spots to finish third with 29-10. A diverse approach was his strategy, but he was able to dial in a preference for moving baits.

“I fished a lot of different things as a co-angler because you have to be versatile,” he said. “But the one thing that’s been working for me is a little spinnerbait. I caught fish on it every day. It kind of mimics a baitfish.”

Wilson takes fourth, Bartlett fifth

Dan Wilson, of Pilot Point, Texas caught his biggest bag of the event, 10-6, and improved to fourth with 29-8. The leader on days one and two, James Bartlett, of Crowley, La. found a lone keeper of 1 pound, 6 ounces on day three and slipped to fifth with 27-12.

Best of the rest

Rounding out the top-10 co-angler leaders at the EverStart Series Sam Rayburn event:

6th: Howard Hartley, of Berwick, La., 25-13

7th: Buddy Hicks, of Port Neches, 25-13

8th: Brent Broussard, of Rosenberg, Texas, 24-13

9th: Randy Hicks, of Lumberton, Texas, 22-6

10th: Taylor Brooks, of Edgewood, Texas, 18-15