Big bite worth fight for Day 2 leader

Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., shows off two of the five bass he caught that left him with a one-ounce lead through two days of the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville, Ala.

Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., shows off two of the five bass he caught that left him with a one-ounce lead through two days of the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville, Ala.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., used a strong charge late in the day to take a 1-ounce lead over Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla., at the end of Saturday’s second round of the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville.

Evers caught five bass weighing 20 pounds, 9 ounces to boost his two-day total to 47-6. Tharp, the leader following the first day of competition, lost nearly two hours of fishing Saturday because of an engine breakdown but caught five bass weighing 19-13 ounces for a two-day total of 47-5.

They led the top 25 anglers who made Saturday’s cut for today’s championship round. Ott DeFoe (5/22-11; 43-5) of Knoxville, Tenn.; Jason Christie (5/20-11; 42-14) of Park Hill, Okla., and Paul Mueller (5/32-3; 41-13) of Naugatuck, Conn., rounded out the top five.

Doug Thompson of Mabelvale recovered from a horrific opening day to make the cut in 20th place with five bass that weighed 22-7 for a two-day total of 34-14. Mark Davis of Mount Ida finished the tournament in 43rd place with a two-day total of 22-10, and Stephen Browning of Hot Springs finished 54th with 7-3.

With only three fish in his livewell at about 3 p.m., Everssaid he hooked a fish that fought so hard that he was convinced it wasn’t a bass. It turned out to be a largemouth that weighed 7-12.

“It had one hook in its tail, and I didn’t think there was any way I was goving to land it,” Evers said. “It took forever because I was using pretty light line.”

Evers said he caught his fish with a combination of billed crankbaits and lipless crankbaits.

Tharp started his day by continuing his torrid pace from the opening day. His good fortune lasted until about 10 a.m., when the transmission linkage in his Evinrude outboard motor failed. He said he lost an hour and 45 minutes while a mechanic installed a new transmission case on a boat ramp.

“I don’t think the lost time really hurt me,” Tharp said. “I just never got my rhythm back after that. We all know what this lake is capable of. I think I can go catch a 30-pound bag tomorrow and win this thing.”

Unlike Evers and Tharp, DeFoe’s weights are trending upward. His second fish of the day was a 7-7 largemouth. He caught another big one from the same spot but said bites were sporadic.

“Being consistent like I’ve been is not something I can take much credit for,” DeFoe said. “I don’t have two patterns going. I’m doing what I’m doing and doing it all day. But I know if I get a bite, I know it’s going to be a good one.”

Mueller, who qualified for the Classic by winning the northeast region in the BASS Nation Championship on Lake Dardanelle, made the biggest leap. He set a Classic record for a one-day weight of five fish to jump from 42nd to fifth. He also beat his personal big-fish record with an 8-2.

Mueller said he caught four of his keepers on a chatterbait and the fifth on a lipless crankbait.

“I caught them all day,” said Mueller, a guide on Candlewood Lake in Connecticut. “I caught my last one, a 6-5, which culled a four-and-a quarter, with a hour half to go.”

Sports, Pages 27 on 02/23/2014