Bailey blows away co-angler field at Toledo Bend

Carolina rig delivers another big margin

MANY, La. – Scott Bailey, of Longview, Texas carried a 7-pound, 12-ounce lead into the final round of co-angler completion in the EverStart Series Texas Division tournament on Toledo Bend Reservoir. By the end of the day, he had expanded that margin to nearly 9 pounds with his commanding victory.

Bailey’s 24-pound, 6-ounce day-two bag was the heaviest of the event’s co-angler division. Combined with his 9-12 on day one and 11-15 on day three, Bailey tallied 46-1 for the win. In the windy conditions of the final round, Bailey found his Carolina rig was most productive.

“It was pretty bad this morning, but (my pro and I) managed to hang in there,” he said. “We did something very similar to what I caught the 24 pounds on yesterday with the Carolina rig. We sat (on our spot) as long as we could and I caught four there.

“We decided to roll the dice and we ran about 30 miles to south end of the lake and started dropping in grass. I caught my fifth one and culled twice down there. It was a good and everything worked out.”

Bailey built his Carolina rig with an ounce weight, a 4-foot leader and a Zoom Dead Ringer (redbug). In the south-end grass, he fished a Texas-rigged Gene Larew Salt Craw in watermelon blue flake with a ¾-ounce tungsten weight.

Aylor rigs and jigs for second

Benny Aylor, of Round Rock, Texas led day one with a 16-pound, 4-ounce bag, slipped to third on day two and regained a notch to finish second on day three with 37-2. In the final round, Aylor fished Carolina-rigged 8-inch lizards in green pumpkin. He also threw a Yum Pumpkin Head jig with a 10 1/2-inch green pumpkin worm on the back.

“That (Pumpkin Head jig) is an option to the Carolina rig,” Aylor said. “You can drag that jig and it will stand that worm straight up in the water and those fish just eat it up when it does that.”

Third through fifth

Kerry Barnett, of Waldron, Ark. caught 6-13 on day three and slipped one spot to third with 33-3.

James Callaghan struggled on day three and found only two keepers for 3 pounds, 2 ounces. However, the De Berry, Texas co-angler positioned himself well on day two with a limit of 21-1, which elevated him from 46th place to fourth. Callaghan finished day three in fourth with 29-1.

Neil Herline, of Silsbee, Texas continued his upward climb in the final round by finishing fifth with 27-8. Herline placed 16th on day one and rose to tenth on the second day.

Best of the rest

Rounding out the top-10 co-angler leaders at the EverStart Series Toledo Bend event:

6th: Randy Hicks, of Lumberton, Texas, 26-15

7th: Kenny Moser, of Alba, Texas, 26-13

8th: Buddy Hicks, of Port Neches, Texas, 25-8

9th: Mark Howard, of Mesquite, Texas, 23-8

10th: Bennie Anderson, of Grand Prairie, Texas, 22-9