Edwin Evers well wishers filled his message system after winning the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series Empire Chase.
"This is one of the most awesome days in my whole life," Evers said of the final day. "This is unbelievable.
"It was one of the most awesome fishing days of my life," Evers told the crowd before he weighed in the biggest sack caught in this tournament. "It was a day from Heaven."
Evers has kept his fish in good health, and he may be on the fish to win. But uneasy rests the leader who has caught less bass than his two closest pursuers.
It's a rarity to see more than a couple of fish killed in the course of an Elite Series event, but anglers have had to play marine paramedics constantly on Lake Erie.
While most anglers never fish using deck seats, rough conditions on Lake Erie prompted them to install the seats for the first day of the Empire Chase.
"I ran all the way down to Ticonderoga, went to the rod box. It was locked, and I realized my wife had the keys to it back in the truck. It went downhill from there."
"You can have an idea on Sunday morning but you never know which couple of guys are going to make a leap and change the show."
Takahiro Omori's dreams have come true, winning the 2004 Bassmaster Classic.