Everstart Series Western Division Headed to Lake Shasta California
OutdoorHub 01.18.12
The EverStart Series opens the 2012 season on Lake Shasta Jan. 26-28 when as many as 300 pros and co-anglers take to the water for the first of four stops in the Western Division.
“We are expecting a dramatic weather change this week that is predicted to double the amount of the annual rainfall for the season,” said FLW EverStart pro Jason Milligan of Shasta Lake, Calif. “Water levels are going to be fluctuating substantially and color will be added decreasing the clarity. Some of the fish will move up with the rising and staining water while others will stay at their current depths; the big ones tend to stay deep. Overall the rain will help improve the bite.
“The key to this tournament is going to be finding the quality 2-pounders with an added 4-pound kicker,” Milligan continued. “The fish are all over the map right now and can be found in anywhere from 5 to 55 feet of water. It’s just a matter of finding the right pocket of bass. I think Senkos, Damiki Stingers and Neko rigs in natural browns and greens will be key baits.
“The weather has been stable all winter long, (but) this major system that is moving in will change the game completely. I think it is going to take the local advantage out of the tournament and make it a more level playing field. It’s anybody’s game.”
Anglers will take off from Bridge Bay Resort located at 10300 Bridge Bay Road in Redding, Calif., at 7:30 each morning. Daily weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Pros will fish for a top award of $35,000 plus a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger Z518 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.
The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of four tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the Strike King Angler of the Year title along with $5,000 for the pro and $2,000 for the co-angler. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each respective division will qualify for the EverStart Series Championship that will be held on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., Nov. 1-4.
The EverStart Series tournament on Lake Shasta is being hosted by the Redding Convention & Visitors Bureau and Shasta Lake Chamber of Commerce.
