Evers’ winning day

Follow along as Edwin Evers wins the Zippo BASSfest at Kentucky Lake presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps

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Edwin Evers started fast on Day 5 of the Zippo BASSfest at Kentucky Lake presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Edwin Evers started fast on Day 5 of the Zippo BASSfest at Kentucky Lake presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
His first keeper of the day came in his first few casts.
Photo: Steve Bowman - His first keeper of the day came in his first few casts.
And while it wouldn't have wide shoulders.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And while it wouldn't have wide shoulders.
And provide a lot of weight.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And provide a lot of weight.
It would get the day started,
Photo: Steve Bowman - It would get the day started,
Not only for him, but for the viewers as well.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Not only for him, but for the viewers as well.
He would quickly add a second keeper.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He would quickly add a second keeper.
One that would dance at the front of the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - One that would dance at the front of the boat.
Providing a show for the armada of spectator boats surrounding him.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Providing a show for the armada of spectator boats surrounding him.
And giving Evers himself a moment of excitement.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And giving Evers himself a moment of excitement.
That fish would carry him to the side of the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - That fish would carry him to the side of the boat.
And completely around the motor.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And completely around the motor.
Before Evers would get him to the passenger seat,
Photo: Steve Bowman - Before Evers would get him to the passenger seat,
And in a position to get his hands on the fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And in a position to get his hands on the fish.
Evers waits for the right moment,
Photo: Steve Bowman - Evers waits for the right moment,
Before making a grab at the bass,
Photo: Steve Bowman - Before making a grab at the bass,
And bringing up the head of big bass.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And bringing up the head of big bass.
The bass, though, was having nothing to do with that.
Photo: Steve Bowman - The bass, though, was having nothing to do with that.
Forcing Evers to make another stab,
Photo: Steve Bowman - Forcing Evers to make another stab,
And getting a second hand on the fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And getting a second hand on the fish.
He turns to the camera as the hefty keeper comes over the gunwales.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He turns to the camera as the hefty keeper comes over the gunwales.
And Evers works his way to putting the second keeper in the livewell.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And Evers works his way to putting the second keeper in the livewell.
And few casts later and the third keeper is hooked up.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And few casts later and the third keeper is hooked up.
Like the second, it wanted to dance at the front of the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Like the second, it wanted to dance at the front of the boat.
And made an attempt at tail-walking.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And made an attempt at tail-walking.
Before Evers fought the fish around the boat,
Photo: Steve Bowman - Before Evers fought the fish around the boat,
And to the side.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And to the side.
Where he was able to pull in another hefty keeper.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Where he was able to pull in another hefty keeper.
This one was captured perfectly for the Bassmaster Television Show.
Photo: Steve Bowman - This one was captured perfectly for the Bassmaster Television Show.
And it gave Evers a great start.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And it gave Evers a great start.
Photo: Steve Bowman
A few minutes later and he was hooked up again.
Photo: Steve Bowman - A few minutes later and he was hooked up again.
This one was swung aboard and Evers had about 15 pounds for four fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - This one was swung aboard and Evers had about 15 pounds for four fish.
The action was captured from cameras in the boat and drones from the outside.
Photo: Steve Bowman - The action was captured from cameras in the boat and drones from the outside.
None of it kept Evers from working over the ledges of the Tennessee River.
Photo: Steve Bowman - None of it kept Evers from working over the ledges of the Tennessee River.
By 7:45 a.m., Evers finished his limit.
Photo: Steve Bowman - By 7:45 a.m., Evers finished his limit.
This one would be one of the smallest of the day.
Photo: Steve Bowman - This one would be one of the smallest of the day.
Evers, though, would keep casting for a bigger bite.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Evers, though, would keep casting for a bigger bite.
At times he would move from one spot to the other.
Photo: Steve Bowman - At times he would move from one spot to the other.
Make a long cast,
Photo: Steve Bowman - Make a long cast,
And occasionally bring in a keeper that wouldn't help a great deal.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And occasionally bring in a keeper that wouldn't help a great deal.
He would cast,
Photo: Steve Bowman - He would cast,
And catch one, but make no real big moves from his original 17 pounds.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And catch one, but make no real big moves from his original 17 pounds.
At mid-morning, he hooked up with a huge fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - At mid-morning, he hooked up with a huge fish.
Unfortunately, it was a catfish that provided Evers with a shower.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Unfortunately, it was a catfish that provided Evers with a shower.
Actually more than one shower, before Evers could get his bait back.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Actually more than one shower, before Evers could get his bait back.
Then he would be back to working the ledges.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Then he would be back to working the ledges.
And every once in a while catch one.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And every once in a while catch one.
But none of them really moved the needle.
Photo: Steve Bowman - But none of them really moved the needle.
By 11 o'clock, though, the average size started to grow.
Photo: Steve Bowman - By 11 o'clock, though, the average size started to grow.
And the fish brought to the boat began to make a difference.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And the fish brought to the boat began to make a difference.
Even though they weren't make big differences, Evers was catching better fish regularly.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Even though they weren't make big differences, Evers was catching better fish regularly.
He went through a flurry that provided 21 keeper bites in a little more than hour.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He went through a flurry that provided 21 keeper bites in a little more than hour.
He even caught them while other fishermen came in close.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He even caught them while other fishermen came in close.
Some of them close enough to know intimate details of every cast.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Some of them close enough to know intimate details of every cast.
And he cast constantly.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And he cast constantly.
Switching from a swimbait, a spoon or a hair jig, he worked over key places.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Switching from a swimbait, a spoon or a hair jig, he worked over key places.
Sometimes he would catch one.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Sometimes he would catch one.
Sometimes, he would just unhook one, like this catfish that bit his swimbait.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Sometimes, he would just unhook one, like this catfish that bit his swimbait.
But he spent a healthy amount of time fighting fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - But he spent a healthy amount of time fighting fish.
He would swing them aboard,
Photo: Steve Bowman - He would swing them aboard,
Then run to the back where he would cull.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Then run to the back where he would cull.
The repeat the process in front of the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - The repeat the process in front of the boat.
And in back of the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And in back of the boat.
Catch one and swing it in.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Catch one and swing it in.
Get his hands on it.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Get his hands on it.
Then decide whether or not it helped the cause.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Then decide whether or not it helped the cause.
As the day wore on the fish seemed to grow by ounces.
Photo: Steve Bowman - As the day wore on the fish seemed to grow by ounces.
Every swing in the boat seemed to grow.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Every swing in the boat seemed to grow.
And Evers would begin to study every fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And Evers would begin to study every fish.
Then he would be back at swinging them over the gunwales.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Then he would be back at swinging them over the gunwales.
Getting the fish close enough to grab.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Getting the fish close enough to grab.
And closer so he could study. It was process that stayed the same for a while.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And closer so he could study. It was process that stayed the same for a while.
Then they started growing more.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Then they started growing more.
And the side-by-side comparisons became harder.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And the side-by-side comparisons became harder.
Evers didn't care. The fish just kept biting.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Evers didn't care. The fish just kept biting.
You could tell he had a fish that would really cull, when his knees would bend while he was fighting it.
Photo: Steve Bowman - You could tell he had a fish that would really cull, when his knees would bend while he was fighting it.
Then he would switch sides with the rod.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Then he would switch sides with the rod.
And he would work hard at keeping the fish down below the surface.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And he would work hard at keeping the fish down below the surface.
Of course that didn't always work.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Of course that didn't always work.
Fish like to jump.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Fish like to jump.
Those kind of fish would force Evers to the deck.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Those kind of fish would force Evers to the deck.
And while the fish was making a splash,
Photo: Steve Bowman - And while the fish was making a splash,
Evers would dig deep.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Evers would dig deep.
And in this case bring up yet another hefty keeper.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And in this case bring up yet another hefty keeper.
That one took him to the back deck for a side-by-side comparison.
Photo: Steve Bowman - That one took him to the back deck for a side-by-side comparison.
And then he was back at it on the front deck.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And then he was back at it on the front deck.
Hooking up fish and fighting them close.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Hooking up fish and fighting them close.
Watching fish dance across the water.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Watching fish dance across the water.
And getting them close enough to compare before they ever got to the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And getting them close enough to compare before they ever got to the boat.
At times it appeared as if fish were flying in the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - At times it appeared as if fish were flying in the boat.
This one was heavy enough to make someone's day, but not make the cut for Evers.
Photo: Steve Bowman - This one was heavy enough to make someone's day, but not make the cut for Evers.
He was hoping to make the perfect cast for a really big fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He was hoping to make the perfect cast for a really big fish.
As more and more keepers came in the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - As more and more keepers came in the boat.
He just knew he would eventually hook up with a really big fish.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He just knew he would eventually hook up with a really big fish.
But most of them seemed to be straight out of a cookie cutter.
Photo: Steve Bowman - But most of them seemed to be straight out of a cookie cutter.
Big enough to make the heart pound a second.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Big enough to make the heart pound a second.
And big enough to study a moment, but not big enough for insurance.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And big enough to study a moment, but not big enough for insurance.
As the day wore on, Evers would make moves with the big motor down and little motor up to save time.
Photo: Steve Bowman - As the day wore on, Evers would make moves with the big motor down and little motor up to save time.
And those moves would pay off with bites from fish that wouldn't help his cause.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And those moves would pay off with bites from fish that wouldn't help his cause.
And one bite that definitely helped his cause.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And one bite that definitely helped his cause.
This fish worked him from the front of the boat to the back of the boat.
Photo: Steve Bowman - This fish worked him from the front of the boat to the back of the boat.
And all the way to the passenger seat as boat wakes washed along the side.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And all the way to the passenger seat as boat wakes washed along the side.
Evers yelled out
Photo: Steve Bowman - Evers yelled out "It's a mule" as he moved to get ah hand on the fish.
He made a big stab deep.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He made a big stab deep.
And comes up with a monster.
Photo: Steve Bowman - And comes up with a monster.
He jumps to front deck with a fish pump and a yell of excitement.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He jumps to front deck with a fish pump and a yell of excitement.
He showed it to the cameras and all the spectators before putting it in the livewell. The fish bit at 1:30 p.m.
Photo: Steve Bowman - He showed it to the cameras and all the spectators before putting it in the livewell. The fish bit at 1:30 p.m.
Evers would get back to work catching a few more fish. But at the point with 25 pounds in the boat, the tournament was well within his hands.
Photo: Steve Bowman - Evers would get back to work catching a few more fish. But at the point with 25 pounds in the boat, the tournament was well within his hands.