After two phenomenal seasons in the EverStart Series Western Division, Berry notched his second FLW Tour top-10 finish this February in only his third try. That kind of success in the hard-luck world of bass fishing is enough to give anyone an attitude.
A tale of two bridesmaids: In eight EverStart Series Western Division tournaments, Art Berry has finished second three times. He was also the runner-up in 2004 Western Division points standings. His most threatening opponent Saturday, Tom Mann Jr., knew just as well how it felt to play second fiddle, having finished second in two FLW Tour events. As Mann stood at the scale with 16 pounds, 2 ounces, the tension was high while he waited to see what Berry had left in the tank. In the end, Berry had no fish left to weigh and was left a bridesmaid once again. ??¦ Ever the consummate pro, Berry took the defeat in stride, telling the crowd he wanted the honor of shaking Mann's hand as the tournament champion. "The sport of bass fishing really brings out the best in you when you're catching some good ones," Berry said. "I grew up watching guys like Dion and Guido (Hibdon), and it's a dream come true to be here."
There's no limit: Although temperatures warmed up considerably in the Kissimmee area Saturday, the bass were still reluctant to bite for most competitors. Although Tom Mann Jr. and Art Berry managed to catch some decent-sized bass, no one caught a limit. In fact, no one caught more than three, with two pros catching no bass at all. |
