TAYLOR CONTINUES TO DOMINATE, LEADS FINAL ROUND OF EVERSTART SERIES EVENT ON CLEAR LAKE

LAKEPORT, Calif. (March 11, 2005) – Rookie pro Sieg Taylor of Clearlake caught a four-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 10 ounces to lead day three of the EverStart Series Western Division event on Clear Lake near Lakeport. Taylor, who weighed in four bass for 30 pounds, 5 ounces on day one, is in the verge of one of most impressive showings in bass tournament history. If added together, his total tournament weight after day three is 74 pounds, 2 ounces with only 12 bass – an average of more than 6 pounds per fish. His largest bass Friday weighed 9 pounds, 11 ounces.

Unofficially, the tournament on Clear Lake this week has produced more bass weighing 8 pounds or more than any other EverStart Series event and possibly any tournament in FLW Outdoors history. Furthermore, the event rivals any tournament in FLW Outdoors history in terms of average weight per fish. Bass are in the prespawn mode and the fishing has been absolutely superb. EverStart Series officials estimate that 100 bass were caught in round one that weighed more than 7 pounds, with numerous bass weighing more than 9 pounds.

“I did the same thing today as I did the first two days,” Taylor said. “I’m just throwing reaction baits on a ledge in 4-8 feet of water. I think I have enough fish to win this, but the one thing that could get me is the shad. The shad are moving up to spawn in massive amounts in some parts of the lake. When that happens the fish have so much food to pick from, you can’t catch a thing. I just hope that doesn’t happen in my best area tomorrow.”

Rounding out the top-five pros are Fred Rex of San Jose (four bass, 23 pounds, 9 ounces); Jerry Ballesteros of Burbank (four bass, 16 pounds, 8 ounces); Jimmy Reese of Witter Springs (four bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces); and Bernie Gaunt of West Sacramento (four bass, 15 pounds, 1 ounce).

Kyle Clement of Anderson caught a four-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce to lead the Co-angler Division. “I’m ripping a bait faster than the other guys and getting a strong reaction bite,” Clement said. “No one else is fishing quite like I am. I fished a tournament Sunday and caught five bass that weighed 40.36 pounds, and I was told that was a lake record. So I think I can win with this pattern.”

Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Douglas Davis of New Castle, Col. (four bass, 14 pounds, 14 ounces); Ron Mace of Kennewick, Wash. (four bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces); Kirk Beardsley of Huntington Beach (four bass, 11 pounds, 14 ounces); and Gary Key of Phoenix, Ariz. (four bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces).

EverStart Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of two rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 10 pros and co-anglers – based on two-day accumulated weights – advance to the final round. Anglers start at zero Friday, and pro and co-angler winners are determined Saturday based on two-day accumulated weights.

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