GUICE LEADS DAY THREE AT LAKE OKEECHOBEE
January 07, 2005
CLEWISTON, Fla. – Pro Edward Guice of Decatur,
Ala., caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces to lead
day three of the $262,125 EverStart Series Southeast Division event
on Lake Okeechobee. The tournament concludes Saturday with the winning
pro earning as much as $60,000 and the winning co-angler earning as
much as $35,000.
Anglers have experienced steady weather all week with partly cloudy
skies and highs in the 80s. Several hurricanes during the summer months
removed large amounts of vegetation from the lake and muddied the
typically clear water. Successful anglers this week have been fishing
any remaining vegetation with clear water, which also concentrated
anglers in smaller areas.
“I’m fishing right outside weeds and grass with soft plastics
and topwaters,” Guice said. “I ran an extra 50 miles today
to get on some fish. I had a few boats around me today, but the pressure
wasn’t too severe. “My big-fish hole was still very murky
today, so I had to go find clearer water to catch fish. I’m banking
on the same pattern in the same area for tomorrow.” According
to Guice, his two largest bass of the day weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces
and 6 pounds, 10 ounces.
Rounding out the top five pros are Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla. (five
bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces); David Williams of Maiden, N.C. (five bass,
13 pounds, 14 ounces); Sandy Melvin of Boca Grande, Fla. (five bass,
13 pounds, 3 ounces); and J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md. (five bass,
13 pounds).
The top co-angler of the day, Aymon Wilcox of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.,
caught a five-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 11 ounces. “I caught
one big fish in open water,” Wilcox said. “There was one
stick-up out in the open, and I caught a 6 1/2-pounder off of it on
a spinnerbait. I assume the big bass was on the bed, since I filled
out the rest of my limit closer to cover on jigs and topwaters.”
Wilcox was fishing with pro Daryl Deka of Wellington, Fla.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ed Dixon of Helen, Ga. (five
bass, 9 pounds); Kenneth Owens of Wise, Va. (five bass, 7 pounds,
3 ounces); Edwin Kimbrough of Sebastian, Fla. (five bass, 6 pounds,
9 ounces); and Alan Weiss of Greensburg, Pa. (five bass, 5 pounds,
15 ounces).
A narrowed field of 10 anglers caught 82 bass Friday that weighed
a total of 175 pounds, 6 ounces. Thirteen limits were caught.
Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, located at 920
E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston, hosts Saturday’s takeoff at 7
a.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located
at 1005 W. Sugarland Hwy. in Clewiston, beginning at 4 p.m.
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.
For more information on the EverStart Series or any
of FLW Outdoors’ eight tournament trails, visit FLWOutdoors.com.
