Day 2 with Evers - Bassmaster

Edwin Evers started Day 2 of the GEICO BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino Resort in second place. And when we pulled up on him he had already caught his first keeper and was in the process of putting it in the livewell.

The quick start made it easy to think that Evers was going to make fast work in getting a limit.

The local favorite spent several years as a student of nearby Southeast Oklahoma University fishing Lake Texoma.

The defending BASSfest Champion and reigning Bassmaster Classic Champion is considered a heavy favorite in this event.

And after an 18 pound, 8 ounce stringer on Day 1 it appeared as if he would certainly live up to that billing.

The Oklahoma professional is well-versed in how the bass go about their day on the lake. He also knows how tough it can get, not only for him but others.

Cliff Crochet was close by, flipping as much of the flooded cover as possible.

But after a few hours in when a boat approached, this was Crochet making the motion that would ultimately mean he had “zero.”

Most of Evers’ hand motions were focused on covering as many flooded bushes as possible.

But it took almost two hours before he would catch his second keeper.

And it would be no where near the quality of the fish weighed in on Day 1.

Evers, though, in typical fashion covered as much water in as many ways as possible during the day.

In some of the areas, the water level drop was obvious. Like this one, where the lower part of the bushes are dirty and the upper parts are green. The difference was in how much water had fell out in the past 24 hours.

Evers would look at those changes and develop a plan.

Then slip into the intense mode he’s known for.

By mid-morning he had hooked up with keeper number three.

And again, it would be no where near the quality he had hooked the day before.

But with every keeper, he would add enough weight to stay alive in this event.

But keepers were few and far between. This one would be his fourth of the day.

Just the fact he could twirl it on the line indicated these weren’t the type fish Evers wanted to head to the weigh in with.

During the day, he would stop and make adjustments.

And when he moved, he wasted no time, especially on short moves when he would leave the trolling motor down and move 100 yards.

He would hit several places, covering as much of the flooded cover as possible.

While much of his work was flipping or pitching, there were times when he would take his shots by casting a moving bait.

He worked around Oklahoma’s version of off-shore drilling.

Stopping to flip into choice pieces.

Occasionally he would get hung.

And then he’d be back on the search, sometimes hitting some pieces like picnic tables.

Then he would be on the move for the next best looking thing.

By mid-day the search had produced his fifth keeper, but again not the big fish he was hoping for.

We would see him scratch his chin and look even deeper into the cover for the better fish.

But by the end of the day he could only manage 10 pounds, 8 ounces. Good enough to keep him in the top 10, but light enough to push him more than 6 pounds out of the lead.