Bassmaster Elite Power-Pole Citrus Slam: Edwin Evers Wins One in Florida

Why Edwin Evers Won

By Luigi De Rose

Evers cranking one in.
(Photo: Dave Hunter Jones BASS)

Edwin Evers is a super star. Overshadowed by the drama of the Van Dam and Skeet Reese AOL race along with last season's post season quandaries, he has been consistent and determined. His wins are geographically and seasonally diverse. Edwin's last Elite win came dredging up deep smallmouth in Lake Erie. Winning in Florida is a particularly pretty feather in his cap.


Florida Bass 
Florida strain bass are massive yet moody. Add a cold front or fishing pressure into the situation makes matters worse. The spawning cycle is one of the few times of year, giant bass are accessible to the masses of fisherman. Laregemouth typically spawn in calm, quick warming areas with a sand or hard bottom. Stumps, dock posts and other manmade structures will work if bottom substrate is too muddy or silted. Anglers hunt these areas identifying white, fanned out nests. Beds or nest will look different during the stages of the spawn. Identifying the ones that will attract a female is key.


The little things matter
Edwin Evers, like many of the top pros at the Bassmaster Elite tournament on Lake Harris Chain of Lakes last week and the FLW tournament on Lake Okeechobee earlier this year focused on beds that were protected from the wind. Anglers who didn't suffered with poor visibility from the slightest of breezes. Blind sight fishing works, it's not the most effective on time management. A calm spot can be a channel within the pads, along a nook on shore, among eel grass or behind a dock. Being able to see the fish's temperament makes all the difference.

Being flexible

Working hard for the win.
(Photo: Dave Hunter Jones BASS)

Edwin Evers remained flexible. He would continue to search for aggressive bass and larger females. Many pros burned valuable time working over a bass. You cannot blame them for spending hours on a double digit fish. One lunker weighs more than a limit of squeakers. In the line up to the scales, Edwin explained, during a bassmaster.com interview, that he saw many bass in the last few minutes of that fishing day. This was common as bass would move up and enjoy the full heat of the afternoon. Edwin was quick to realize fish were moving into beds throughout the day and the possibility of finding new bass was very high. 

On Saturday, Edwin witnesses many large bass and hoped to visit them on Sunday. When he returned on Sunday, the final tournament day, those big ones were gone. Instead of allowing the panic to deepen, he had the confidence to keep hunting for bass. A positive attitude and keen eyes keep him in the game right until the closing minutes of fishing.


The Bassmaster Elite schedule is out of Florida. It has been a dramatic two tournaments. Sight fishing has been so dominant. Either you did it or you went home early. For most of the Elite anglers, they have had enough with sight fishing for the year.