MEYER WINS EVERSTART SERIES EVENT ON LAKE HAVASU

January 29, 2005

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – Pro Clayton Meyer of San Diego, Calif., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 10 ounces to win the EverStart Series Western Division event on Lake Havasu presented by Yamaha. Meyer earned $9,600 cash plus a Ranger 519 VX powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Garmin electronics and EverStart Batteries valued at $40,000.

Anglers battled chilly, rainy conditions for the second day this tournament, and the unusual desert weather certainly affected the bite throughout the week. Weights were better on the cloudy days. Meyer was the only angler to consistently catch solid weights all four days of the event. He stood in second place after day one then led the remainder of the tournament.

“I was using a brown on brown jig,” Meyer said. “It was as simple as it gets – too simple. I used a 3/8- and 1/2-ounce jig. I was just pitching at shadows and points. Most of my fish came in about 5 feet of water in or around grass.”

Rounding out the top-five pros were David Kromm of Kennewick, Wash. (eight bass, 20 pounds, 5 ounces); Art Roland of Brentwood, Calif. (six bass, 18 pounds, 5 ounces); Justin Kerr of Simi Valley, Calif. (seven bass, 17 pounds, 10 ounces); and Gary Dobyns of Yuba City, Calif. (six bass, 17 pounds, 7 ounces). Dobyns won the Ranger Cup award for the event worth $1,500.

Paul Bailey of Agoura Hills, Calif., caught a two-day total of four bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces to win the Co-angler Division title and $4,850 cash. “I thought it would take 12 or 13 pounds to win,” Bailey said. “Yesterday was really slow, and I caught one keeper on a crankbait. Today we fished one point with a drop-shot Robo Worm the entire day. The key was dead-sticking the bait. You had to let it sit there for several minutes before you got a bite. If you moved the bait, the fish would spoke. My fish came in less than 15 feet of water. The smallies stay shallow in this cold water, and almost al l my fish this week were smallmouths.”

Rounding out the top-five co-anglers were Tyler Vanderhorst of Washington, Utah (three bass, 7 pounds, 5 ounces); Craig Griffin of Lehi, Utah (three bass, 6 pounds, 10 ounces); Jim Wickham of Morristown (three bass, 6 pounds, 6 ounces); and Michael Kirk of Redding, Calif. (three bass, 5 pounds, 10 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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