Oklahoma’s Edwin Evers Storms out to Lead in Bassmaster American
Arkansas’ McClelland Close Behind; Eyes Second Win in Month
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Edwin Evers vaulted to the Day 1 lead in the Bassmaster American presented by Advance Auto Parts on High Rock Lake Thursday. The Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Talala, Okla., boated a five-fish limit weighing 19 pounds, 8 ounces to claim a narrow margin over Brian Snowden of Reed Springs, Mo., who had 18 pounds, 10 ounces.
With many bass in transition after the recent spawning season, High Rock had been fickle for many of the 51 pros during pre-tournament practice. It didn’t show on Thursday as 38 of the competitors gunning for the tournament’s $250,000 top prize brought limits to the scales.
Coverage of the Bassmaster American presented by Advance Auto Parts can be seen on ESPN2 Saturday, May 26 at 9 a.m. ET.
Evers, whose most recent of three BASS wins was on North Carolina’s Lake Norman in 2005, admitted he wasn’t expecting much heading into the first of the season’s three Bassmaster Majors.
“I was going to be tickled to catch 10 pounds,” said Evers, who caught his fish primarily flipping and working crankbaits.
Rounding out the top five were Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., in third with 18 pounds, 7 ounces; Dave Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C., in fourth with 17 pounds, 10 ounce; and Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., in fifth with 17 pounds, 2 ounces.
After the first two days of fishing the top 12 anglers will advance to fish a six-hole “course” Saturday on Lake Townsend, a small water-supply reservoir in Greensboro.
Weights start from zero for the semi-finals, but will carry over for the six anglers who make Sunday’s final.
Evers, who has amassed over $830,000 in career BASS earnings, and other contenders said they tried to save some productive areas for the tournament’s second day, but they won’t have to worry about that Friday as the tournament moves to Townsend for the final two days of competition.
“You can kind of swing for the fences,” said McClelland, whose 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth was the Purolator Big Bass of the Day and earned him a $1,000 premium.
Even though Evers caught a limit early, he decided to abandon a shallow-water pattern he’d found in practice.
“My shallow deal, I didn’t really like those fish,” Evers said of the “cookie cutter” small bass he was boating.
The move paid off as he later caught two 4-pound-plus bass to boost his limit’s weight.
“I was cranking and flipping,” said the 32-year-old, adding that his keepers came from four separate spots.
Everything seemed to go Evers’ way Thursday. Early in the day he lost a crankbait, one of only two like it in his box.
“I went back there later in the day and it was just floating there,” he said, laughing. “I caught some more fish on it.”
He will be throwing it again on Friday.
“I’m going to go run a similar route to what I did today,” he said.
Weigh-ins of the second day of the Bassmaster American presented by Advance Auto Parts will begin Friday at 4 p.m. ET from the Greensboro Coliseum Complex and can be viewed at www.espnoutdoors.com.
For related photos of the event, click here.
Purolator Big Bass
Pro: Mike McClelland; Bella Vista, Ark.; 6-9
Location
and Field
Bassmaster American
High Rock Lake: Days 1 & 2
Lake Townsend: Days 3 & 4
Greensboro, NC
May 17-20, 2007
Field
51 pro anglers
Cut to top 12 after Day 2
Cut to top 6 after Day 3
Launch
Days 1 & 2
Southmont Abbots Creek
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
1 Wildlife Recreation Access Rd.
Southmont, NC 27351
6:15 a.m. ET
Days 3 & 4
Lake Townsend Marina
6332 Townsend Road
Brown Summit, NC 27214
6:15 a.m. ET
Weigh-in
Greensboro Coliseum Complex
1921 West Lee Street
Greensboro, NC 27403
4 p.m. ET
Local Sponsors: Local sponsors include the Greensboro Sports Commission and The Greensboro Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.
Bassmaster Majors Sponsors: Sponsors of the Bassmaster Majors include Toyota Tundra, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Advance Auto Parts, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Costa Del Mar, Ramada Worldwide and Evan Williams Bourbon.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com. Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN's latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation Nation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 530,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
2007 Bassmaster Majors
May 17-20 Bassmaster American, High Rock Lake Greensboro, N.C.
July 26-29 Bassmaster Memorial, Oneida Lake Syracuse, N.Y.
Aug. 23-26 Bassmaster Legends, Arkansas River Little Rock, Ark.
2007 Bassmaster American 5/17-5/20
High Rock Lake, Greensboro NC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 5 19-08 0 0
Day 1: 5 19-08
2. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 18-10 0 0
Day 1: 5 18-10
3. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 5 18-07 0 0
Day 1: 5 18-07
4. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 5 17-10 0 0
Day 1: 5 17-10
5. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 5 17-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 17-02
6. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, FL 5 16-01 0 0
Day 1: 5 16-01
7. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 5 16-00 0 0
Day 1: 5 16-00
8. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 5 15-10 0 0
Day 1: 5 15-10
9. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 5 15-07 0 0
Day 1: 5 15-07
10. Lee Bailey Boaz, AL 5 15-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 15-03
11. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 14-15 0 0
Day 1: 5 14-15
12. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 14-09 0 0
Day 1: 5 14-09
13. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 5 14-06 0 0
Day 1: 5 14-06
14. Alton Jones Waco, TX 5 14-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 14-02
15. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 4 14-01 0 0
Day 1: 4 14-01
16. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 5 13-14 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-14
17. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 5 13-05 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-05
18. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 5 13-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-03
19. John Crews Salem, VA 5 13-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-02
20. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 5 12-13 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-13
21. Ray Sedgwick Cross, SC 5 12-11 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-11
22. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 5 12-07 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-07
23. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 5 12-06 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-06
24. Derek Remitz Madison, TX 5 12-05 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-05
25. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 5 12-04 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-04
26. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 5 11-13 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-13
27. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 5 11-12 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-12
27. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 5 11-12 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-12
29. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 5 11-11 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-11
30. Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 4 11-09 0 0
Day 1: 4 11-09
31. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 5 11-08 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-08
32. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 5 11-04 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-04
33. Randy Howell Springville, AL 5 11-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-02
34. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 5 11-00 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-00
35. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 5 10-13 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-13
36. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 5 10-12 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-12
37. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 10-09 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-09
38. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 5 10-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-02
39. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 10-01 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-01
40. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 5 09-14 0 0
Day 1: 5 09-14
41. Greg Gutierrez Red Bluff, CA 3 08-09 0 0
Day 1: 3 08-09
42. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 4 08-03 0 0
Day 1: 4 08-03
43. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 3 08-01 0 0
Day 1: 3 08-01
44. Chris Lane Winter Haven, FL 4 07-11 0 0
Day 1: 4 07-11
45. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 4 06-06 0 0
Day 1: 4 06-06
46. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 3 05-01 0 0
Day 1: 3 05-01
47. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 2 04-07 0 0
Day 1: 2 04-07
48. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 2 03-00 0 0
Day 1: 2 03-00
49. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 1 01-14 0 0
Day 1: 1 01-14
50. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 0 00-00 0 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
50. Zell Rowland Montgomery, TX 0 00-00 0 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 06-09 $1000
Big Bag
Day
1 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 19-08 $1000
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 38 224 588-15
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38 224 588-15