7 Surpass 20 Pounds Browning Extends Advantage, But Ike Makes Big Move

Friday, March 12, 2010

Photo: ESPN Outdoors/Seigo Saito Stephen Browning topped the 20-pound mark for the second straight day and boosted his lead at the California Delta Bassmaster Elite Series to 5 1/2 pounds.

The California Delta was more like its old self today as it gave up seven 20-plus-pound sacks on day 2 of the season-opening Bassmaster Elite Series event. The only angler who caught one of those on day 1 came in a couple of pounds heavier and boosted his lead to 5 1/2 pounds, but that’s nothing to rest on around here.

Stephen Browning of Arkansas topped his 21-11 haul from day with a 23-09 stringer today for a 2-day total of 45-04. His position appears strong because he’s fishing pretty much by himself in an area that he believes replenishes each day and isn’t much influenced by the ever-changing weather.New Jersey’s Mike Iaconelli caught a tournament-best 25-12 and climbed 18 spots to 2nd with 39-12. He also has sole dominion over his water and his massive bag today kept Browning with one big bite’s reach.

Virginian John Crews moved up four places with a 21-13 sack that gave him a 36-15 total. Native Californian and current Texas resident Gary Klein, who has decades worth of experience here, sacked 21-10 and catapulted from 19th place to 4th with 35-03.

California’s Skeet Reese, who’s always a factor here, completed the Top 5 as he moved up six spots on the leaderboard with an 18-13 bag for a 33-14 total.

1. Stephen Browning: 45-04
2. Mike Iaconelli: 39-12 (5-08)
3. John Crews: 36-15 (8-05)
4. Gary Klein: 35-03 (10-01)
5. Skeet Reese: 33-14 (11-06)
6. Shaw Grigsby: 33-06 (11-14)
7. Greg Vinson: 33-02 (13-02)
8. Greg Hackney: 31-14 (13-06)
9. Derek Remitz: 31-05 (13-15)
10. Jeff Kriet: 31-04 (14-00)
11. Scott Rook: 30-02 (15-02)
12. Russ Lane: 29-07 (15-13)

Today’s rainy skies certainly had a positive effect on the bite as weights were up considerably throughout the field. The sun is scheduled to reappear tomorrow, though, and it’ll bring a stiff north wind with it, so at least somewhat of a drop-off is anticipated.

Half of the Top 12 from day 1 carried over to today. The newcomers were Iaconelli, Klein, Shaw Grigsby (15th to 6th with 18-14 today), Greg Vinson (26th to 7th, 20-06), Jeff Kriet (17th to 10th) and Scott Rook (68th to 11th, 25-11).

They supplanted Dave Wolak (2nd to 28th with two fish for 4-07 today), Dennis Tietje (5th to 48th, two fish for 4-06), Mark Davis (6th to 25th, 9-14), Kota Kiriyama (tied for 7th to 20th, 12-11), Guy Eaker (tied for 7th to 18th, 12-14) and Tim Horton (7th to 65th with an empty bag).

The field was cut to the Top 47 (just over half of the 93 anglers who fished the first 2 days) following today’s weigh-in. Only 12 will advance to Sunday and the winner will be determined by highest 4-day weight.

Browning Switched Baits

Browning fished the same area he plied on day 1, but he made a bait change that paid off.

“It was just one of those gut feelings,” he said. “I caught a 3-pounder and a 6 on it about 5 minutes apart and that gave me the confidence to stick with it the rest of the day, and I ended up adding a 7 1/2 and a 4.

“It was just one of those days when I was able to take advantage of a few bites, When you can catch a 7-09 and a 6 within an hour, it makes your day.”

He had six bites and got all of them into the boat. He had one angler slide into his area for awhile, but that competitor quickly moved out once he saw Browning’s boat.

“I’m learning a little bit more about the area every day – I caught a few of them today from a different spot within that area. That 4-pounder came on almost my final cast, and that led me to believe I might be able to expand on it some more.

“I think the only thing that could mess it up would be if the wind blew really hard – that might make fishing it a little difficult. I wouldn’t say it’s totally weather-proof, but it’s closer to that than a lot of places.”

His target weight will be 20 pounds for each of the next 2 days. He hasn’t been to his backup area during the tournament and hopes he won’t have to go.

“I don’t think you can fish both places effectively in the same day, so I’ll go back to my main place and put down some squatter’s rights on it.”

2nd: Ike has ‘Special Area’

Iaconelli hasn’t seen another competitor’s boat in 2 days in his primary area and he’s averaging 20 bites a day.

“From practice I had two areas where I could get bites,” he said. “One of them fizzled, but the one I’m fishing now is really a special area. It’s a perfect combination of clearer water, lots of grass, nice current flow and big spawning flats, and that’s a good mix for this time of year.”

He had 21 keeper bites today and missed only two of them. His bag was topped by a 6-pounder and he weighed nothing smaller than 4.

“I can say that I’m power-fishing – there’s no finesse at all. I’m creating a reaction strike in an area that’s really unique.

“I was a little bit worried because yesterday I went through a lot of bites just to get that 14 pounds, but today I got another 20 bites and that makes me think they’re continually coming. And I think this weather really did turn on those bigger fish – I knew they lived there, but these conditions were conducive to getting them to eat.”

He’s skeptical that he can catch that kind of weight in there again, but he thinks he has plenty of fish left to remain in contention.

“I’m confident that I’m going to work a lot of fish again tomorrow and I think the area’s good for 15 or 20 pounds. Today’s bag was cloud- and rain-driven, but they’re there and the biggest thing is confidence.

“If you can get one of those 10- or 12-pound bites that are in here, then your day’s changed.”

Notable

> Day 2 stats – 55 limits (25 more than yesterday), 10 fours, 11 threes, 12 twos, 3 ones, 2 zeroes (seven fewer than yesterday).

More details of this tournament will be posted soon.

Day 2 Standings

1. Stephen Browning — Hot Springs, AR — 10, 45-04 — 310
Day 1: 5, 21-11 — Day 2: 5, 23-09

2. Michael Iaconelli — Pitts Grove, NJ — 10, 39-12 — 295
Day 1: 5, 14-00 — Day 2: 5, 25-12

3. John Crews — Salem, VA — 9, 36-15 — 290
Day 1: 4, 15-02 — Day 2: 5, 21-13

4. Gary Klein — Weatherford, TX — 10, 35-03 — 285
Day 1: 5, 13-09 — Day 2: 5, 21-10

5. Skeet Reese — Auburn, CA — 10, 33-14 — 280
Day 1: 5, 15-01 — Day 2: 5, 18-13

6. Shaw E Grigsby — Gainesville, FL — 10, 33-06 — 276
Day 1: 5, 14-08 — Day 2: 5, 18-14

7. Greg Vinson — Wetumpka, AL — 10, 33-02 — 272
Day 1: 5, 12-12 — Day 2: 5, 20-06

8. Greg Hackney — Gonzales, LA — 10, 31-14 — 268
Day 1: 5, 14-14 — Day 2: 5, 17-00

9. Derek Remitz — Grant, AL — 10, 31-05 — 264
Day 1: 5, 15-13 — Day 2: 5, 15-08

10. Jeff Kriet — Ardmore, OK — 10, 31-04 — 260
Day 1: 5, 14-03 — Day 2: 5, 17-01

11. Scott Rook — Little Rock, AR — 7, 30-02 257
Day 1: 2, 04-07 — Day 2: 5, 25-11

12. Russ Lane — Prattville, AL — 9, 29-07 — 254
Day 1: 5, 18-10 — Day 2: 4, 10-13

13. Denny Brauer — Camdenton, MO — 10, 29-06 — 251
Day 1: 5, 12-05 — Day 2: 5, 17-01

14. J Todd Tucker — Moultrie, GA — 10 29-06 — 248
Day 1: 5, 13-05 — Day 2: 5, 16-01

15. Dustin Wilks — Rocky Mount, NC — 10, 29-01 — 245
Day 1: 5, 14-11 — Day 2: 5, 14-06

16. Rick Clunn — Ava, MO — 9, 28-12 — 243
Day 1: 4, 09-13 — Day 2: 5, 18-15

17. Zell Rowland — Austin, TX — 7, 28-11 — 241
Day 1: 2, 05-07 — Day 2: 5, 23-04

18. Guy Eaker — Cherryville, NC — 10, 28-00 — 239
Day 1: 5, 15-02 — Day 2: 5, 12-14

19. Kevin Wirth — Crestwood, KY — 10, 27-15 — 237
Day 1: 5, 14-09 — Day 2: 5, 13-06

20. Kotaro Kiriyama — Moody, AL — 9, 27-13 — 235
Day 1: 5, 15-02 — Day 2: 4, 12-11

21. Bill Lowen — North Bend, OH — 9, 27-01 — 233
Day 1: 4, 09-09 — Day 2: 5, 17-08

22. Clark Reehm — Russellville, AR — 9, 26-10 — 231
Day 1: 4, 07-04 — Day 2: 5, 19-06

23. Jeff Connella — Bentley, LA — 9, 26-06 — 229
Day 1: 5, 13-01 — Day 2: 4, 13-05

24. Jason Quinn — Lake Wylie, SC — 8, 25-05 — 227
Day 1: 3, 05-14 — Day 2: 5, 19-07

25. Mark Davis — Mount Ida, AR — 10 25-01 — 225
Day 1: 5, 15-03 — Day 2: 5, 09-14

26. Peter E Thliveros — St Augustine, FL — 10, 24-07 — 223
Day 1: 5, 13-08 — Day 2: 5, 10-15

27. Steve Kennedy — Auburn, AL — 10 24-05 — 221
Day 1: 5, 12-10 — Day 2: 5, 11-11

28. Dave Wolak — Wake Forest, NC — 7, 23-15 219
Day 1: 5, 19-08 — Day 2: 2, 04-07

29. Kevin VanDam — Kalamazoo, MI — 9 23-14 — 217
Day 1: 4, 09-06 — Day 2: 5, 14-08

30. Kevin Short — Mayflower, AR — 9, 23-13 — 215
Day 1: 4, 09-02 — Day 2: 5, 14-11

31. Matt Herren — Trussville, AL — 10 23-02 — 213
Day 1: 5, 08-05 — Day 2: 5, 14-13

32. Brian Snowden — Reeds Spring, MO — 9, 22-07 — 211
Day 1: 4, 09-11 — Day 2: 5, 12-12

33. Vince Fulks — Purcell, OK — 9, 22-04 — 209
Day 1: 4, 07-04 — Day 2: 5, 15-00

34. Pete Ponds — Madison, MS — 10 21-15 — 207
Day 1: 5, 09-15 — Day 2: 5, 12-00

35. Alton Jones — Waco, TX — 10, 21-14 — 205
Day 1: 5, 13-05 — Day 2: 5, 08-09

36. Edwin Evers — Talala, OK — 7, 21-14 — 203
Day 1: 2, 10-00 — Day 2: 5, 11-14

37. Pat Golden — High Point, NC — 7 21-11 — 201
Day 1: 2, 05-08 — Day 2: 5, 16-03

38. Mark Tucker — Saint Louis, MO — 9 21-09 — 199
Day 1: 4, 09-10 — Day 2: 5, 11-15

39. James Niggemeyer — Van, TX — 6, 21-01 — 197
Day 1: 1, 02-08 — Day 2: 5, 18-09

40. Jami Fralick — Martin, SD — 8, 20-11 — 195
Day 1: 3, 04-14 — Day 2: 5, 15-13

41. Bradley Hallman — Norman, OK — 10 20-09 — 193
Day 1: 5, 08-10 — Day 2: 5, 11-15

42. Chad Griffin — Cresson, TX — 8, 20-07 — 191
Day 1: 3, 03-15 — Day 2: 5, 16-08

43. John Murray — Phoenix, AZ — 6, 20-02 — 189
Day 1: 3, 14-06 — Day 2: 3, 05-12

44. Dean Rojas — Lake Havasu City, AZ — 9, 20-01 — 187
Day 1: 4, 11-10 — Day 2: 5, 08-07

45. Paul Elias — Laurel, MS — 8, 20-01 — 185
Day 1: 5, 13-05 — Day 2: 3, 06-12

46. Todd Faircloth — Jasper, TX — 9, 19-15 — 183
Day 1: 5, 12-15 — Day 2: 4, 07-00

47. Mike McClelland — Bella Vista, AR — 8, 19-11 — 181
Day 1: 3, 05-03 — Day 2: 5, 14-08

48. Dennis Tietje — Roanoke, LA — 7, 19-10 — 179
Day 1: 5, 15-04 — Day 2: 2, 04-06

49. Ish Monroe — Hughson, CA — 6, 19-04 — 177
Day 1: 2, 05-13 — Day 2: 4, 13-07

50. Bradley Roy — Lancaster, KY — 8, 18-14 — 175
Day 1: 3, 06-06 — Day 2: 5, 12-08

51. Cliff Pace — Petal, MS — 5, 18-12 — 173
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 5, 18-12

52. Kelly Jordon — Mineola, TX — 5, 18-03 — 171
Day 1: 2, 05-05 — Day 2: 3, 12-14

53. Wade Grooms — Bonneau, SC — 10, 17-00 — 169
Day 1: 5, 06-02 — Day 2: 5, 10-14

54. Aaron Martens — Leeds, AL — 9, 16-14 — 167
Day 1: 4, 05-00 — Day 2: 5, 11-14

55. Gerald Swindle — Warrior, AL — 7, 16-14 — 165
Day 1: 2, 03-01 — Day 2: 5, 13-13

56. Grant Goldbeck — Gaithersburg, MD — 8, 16-13 — 163
Day 1: 3, 05-04 — Day 2: 5, 11-09

57. Matt Greenblatt — Palm Beach Gardens, FL — 8 16-11 — 161
Day 1: 5, 10-12 — Day 2: 3, 05-15

58. Bobby Lane — Lakeland, FL — 7, 16-08 — 159
Day 1: 2, 04-02 — Day 2: 5, 12-06

59. Casey Ashley — Donalds, SC — 7, 16-02 — 157
Day 1: 2, 06-06 — Day 2: 5, 09-12

60. Jared Lintner — Arroyo Grande, CA — 6, 16-00 — 155
Day 1: 1, 02-07 — Day 2: 5, 13-09

61. Rick Morris — Virginia Beach, VA — 6, 15-14 — 153
Day 1: 1, 01-03 — Day 2: 5, 14-11

62. Marty Robinson — Lyman, SC — 8, 15-07 — 151
Day 1: 3, 05-12 — Day 2: 5, 09-11

63. Brent Chapman — Lake Quivira, KS — 7, 15-06 — 149
Day 1: 3, 08-04 — Day 2: 4, 07-02

64. Billy McCaghren — Mayflower, AR — 6 15-06 — 147
Day 1: 3, 08-01 — Day 2: 3, 07-05

65. Timmy Horton — Muscle Shoals, AL — 4, 15-02 — 145
Day 1: 4, 15-02 — Day 2: 0, 00-00

66. Kenyon Hill — Norman, OK — 5, 14-12 — 143
Day 1: 2, 05-09 — Day 2: 3, 09-03

67. Britt Myers — Lake Wylie, SC — 4, 14-12 — 141
Day 1: 1, 05-07 — Day 2: 3, 09-05

68. Morizo Shimizu — Osaka, Japan — 4, 14-08 — 139
Day 1: 1, 01-01 — Day 2: 3, 13-07

69. Mark Burgess — Norton, MA — 7, 14-00 — 137
Day 1: 3, 05-02 — Day 2: 4, 08-14

70. Yusuke Miyazaki — Forney, TX — 5, 13-11 — 135
Day 1: 3, 06-04 — Day 2: 2, 07-07

71. Takahiro Omori — Emory, TX — 7, 13-01 — 133
Day 1: 2, 03-09 — Day 2: 5, 09-08

72. Terry Scroggins — San Mateo, FL — 5 12-15 — 131
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 5, 12-15

73. Terry Butcher — Talala, OK — 9, 12-11 — 129
Day 1: 4, 04-06 — Day 2: 5, 08-05

74. David Smith — Del City, OK — 7, 12-10 — 127
Day 1: 2, 02-11 — Day 2: 5, 09-15

75. Charlie Hartley — Grove City, OH — 4 11-08 — 125
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 4, 11-08

76. Marty Stone — Fayetteville, NC — 5, 11-06 — 123
Day 1: 3, 06-12 — Day 2: 2, 04-10

77. Matt Reed — Madisonville, TX — 4, 11-05 — 121
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 4, 11-05

78. Cliff Crochet — Pierre Part, LA — 4, 11-03 119
Day 1: 2, 07-06 — Day 2: 2, 03-13

79. Chris Lane — Guntersville, AL — 6, 09-13 — 117
Day 1: 4, 05-15 — Day 2: 2, 03-14

80. Scott Ashmore — Broken Arrow, OK — 3, 09-05 — 115
Day 1: 1, 01-13 — Day 2: 2, 07-08

81. Byron Haseotes — Centerville, MA — 4, 08-13 — 113
Day 1: 2, 04-12 — Day 2: 2, 04-01

82. Byron Velvick — Del Rio, TX — 3, 08-12 — 111
Day 1: 1, 02-08 — Day 2: 2, 06-04

83. Randy Howell — Springville, AL — 6, 08-01 — 109
Day 1: 3, 04-02 — Day 2: 3, 03-15

84. Tommy Biffle — Wagoner, OK — 2, 08-00 — 107
Day 1: 1, 05-10 — Day 2: 1, 02-06

85. Fred Roumbanis — Bixby, OK — 4, 07-11 — 105
Day 1: 2, 04-09 — Day 2: 2, 03-02

86. Mark Tyler — Vian, OK — 4, 07-07 — 103
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 4, 07-07

87. Jason Williamson — Aiken, SC — 4, 06-07 — 101
Day 1: 1, 01-12 — Day 2: 3, 04-11

88. Boyd Duckett — Demopolis, AL — 2, 05-07 — 99
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 2, 05-07

89. Davy Hite — Ninety Six, SC — 3, 05-00 — 97
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 3, 05-00

90. Mark Menendez — Paducah, KY — 2, 03-12 — 95
Day 1: 1, 02-01 — Day 2: 1, 01-11

91. Bernie Schultz — Gainesville, FL — 2 03-03 — 93
Day 1: 1, 01-14 — Day 2: 1, 01-05

92. Jeremy Starks — Charleston, WV — 2 02-04 — 91
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 2, 02-04

93. Keith Poche — Troy, AL — 0, 00-00 — 0
Day 1: 0, 00-00 — Day 2: 0, 00-00

Nine Zeroes
Browning Bolts To The Top With Lone 20-Pound Sack

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Photo: ESPN Outdoors/Seigo Saito Stephen Browning said he three nine different baits en route to compiling his 21-11 bag.

The cold front-plagued California Delta proved to be every bit as tough as many anglers said it would be on opening day of the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series season. Just one 20-pound bag came to the scale from the giant maze of channels where many thousands of 5-pound-plus fish reside and nine competitors – including some Delta stalwarts – showed up empty-handed.

Arkansas’ Stephen Browning, a moving-water expert who’s never afraid of a little bit of mud, clubbed a 21-11 bag that was the best of the day by more than 2 pounds. He said he had a decent practice, but his bites today were bigger than he expected.

Dave Wolak of North Carolina grabbed the No. 2 slot with a 19-08 sack. He relied on his knowledge of tidal fisheries and did all his damage after 10:00.

In third was Alabama’s Russ Lane, fresh off a strong performance in the Bassmaster Classic. He boated only five fish, and the final one was an 8 1/2-pounder with about an hour left in the day.

Derek Remitz of Alabama, who was 2nd here 3 years ago as his rookie campaign got off to a fabulous start, settled into the No. 4 position with 15-13. Newcomer Dennis Tietje of Louisiana rounded out the Top 5 with 15-04.

Here’s a look at the current Top 12 (red numbers in parentheses indicate deficit margin from leader):

1. Stephen Browning: 21-11
2. Dave Wolak: 19-08 (2-03)
3. Russ Lane: 18-10 (3-01)
4. Derek Remitz: 15-13 (5-14)
5. Dennis Tietje: 15-04 (6-07)
6. Mark Davis: 15-03 (6-08)
7. (tie) Kota Kiriyama: 15-02 (6-09)
7. (tie) Guy Eaker: 15-02 (6-09)
7. (tie) John Crews: 15-02 (6-09)
7. (tie) Tim Horton: 15-02 (6-09)
11. Skeet Reese: 15-01 (6-10)
12. Greg Hackney: 14-14 (6-13)

Air temperatures in the northern part of the Central Valley are on the upswing, but today brought the quintessential post-frontal conditions that many anglers dread – high skies with almost no wind. It came on the heels of an unseasonably cold and windy practice period (by California standards, anyway) and kept most of the field frustrated.

Everybody knows the quality that swims here, but getting them to bite is a difficult proposition at the moment. A strong chance of rain is in tomorrow’s forecast, and most think that can only help.

Photo: ESPN Outdoors/Seigo Saito Dave Wolak said his knowledge of tides served him well today.

Just 30 of the 93 anglers weighed a limit, and the list of blankers included notables such as Terry Scroggins, Davy Hite, Boyd Duckett and California native Mark Tyler, who caught the biggest fish ever weighed in BASS competition here in 1999 (14-09).

The field will be cut to the Top 50 after tomorrow’s weigh-in, and only the Top 12 will advance to Sunday. The winner will be determined by highest 4-day weight.

Browning a Bit Surprised

Browning thought he had a shot at a 15- or 16-pound sack, but 21-plus was beyond his expectations.

“I surprised myself with that weight, to be honest with you,” he said. “It just seemed like the bites were bigger than they were in practice. I was catching 2 3/4-pounders up to maybe 3 or occasionally 3 1/2, but today everything was 4 pounds or more.”

He landed six fish, including a 6-pounder. He worked four different areas and connected at least once in each of them.

“When I found these fish on Monday, the heavy wind was keeping the tide up. The water was a little bit lower and clearer today, and I think it helped me that it cleared up.

“I have nine baits tied up and every one got used today, and it’ll probably be the same thing again tomorrow. I’m really fishing with an open mind and I’ve got certain stretches where I fish one thing and certain stretches where I fish another.”

He has a backup area, but it’s a long ride from his main spot.

“The best thing about it is I only played in one of them today, so I have a little something to go to if need be. They’re pretty big slough areas and I think they definitely have the ability to replenish themselves. They aren’t any secret places by any means.”

He has no trepidation about the predicted weather change for day 2.

“When I first caught those fish in practice, it was cloudy and really windy, so it’s one of those deals where I don’t think it’ll hurt. It might make them bite a little better.”

2nd: Wolak Busting Females

Patience was the key for Wolak – he didn’t get his first bite until 10:00.

“It was just an awful morning – it was a dead-slack tide and it was sunny with high pressure. I was getting worried about a zero there for a little while.

“It went about the same way practice did – I’m not getting a lot of bites, but they’re quality bites. They’re females and I’m not really getting any small ones.”

He got seven bites and put five in the boat. One was a little over 5 pounds and another was a little under 3.

“I had two opportunities to cull that little one, but I missed them both. The bite was funny – they were kind of mouthing it and not eating it.

“I think the main thing for me was I do know tidal fisheries and I’ve learned my lessons the hard way about getting frustrated and leaving places too soon. You have to be around the productive water on the best tide. You might only have a 1-hour window, but if you stick it out, things can happen really quick.”

He caught fish on a variety of baits and said he has a couple of backup areas if his main spot dries up.

“I’ve got a little pattern going, but my other stuff is a long ways away and they’re all far apart. If I tried to run between all the spots, I’m not sure how much gas I’d need. I spent a couple of hours on the big motor with just what I did today.”

Photo: ESPN Outdoors/Seigo Saito This 8 1/2-pounder caught by Russ Lane took big-fish honors for the day.

3rd: Late Hawg Lifted Lane

If not for one late bite, Lane would’ve ended the day somewhere between 30th and 40th place with a bag that was lighter than 10 pounds. Instead, just two anglers stand between him and the top slot.

He cranked and flipped all day and caught the day’s biggest fish at about 3:00 on a Big Bite YoMama.

“That one scared me,” he said. “It had gotten so boring that I was about to fall asleep.”

He landed five of his seven bites and said the two he lost likely wouldn’t have helped him.

“I knew it was possible to have a good bag because out here, you’re always just one bite away from that. But I didn’t get many bites in practice and today wasn’t much different – it was just that a couple were the right ones.

“I don’t know that I’ve got anything special figured out. I just fished hard and I was able to get five in the boat, and I’ll try to do the same thing tomorrow.”

He said he had no company in the area where he caught his two biggest fish.

“In a couple of the other places I saw several boats, but I don’t think those guys caught much. It’s just a grind – that’s for sure.”

5th: Fine Debut for Tietje

Tietje, the rookie from Lousiana, had a great first day as a tour pro.

“I’m fired up,” he said. “This was a dream come true right here.

“I had a real good practice and I felt like I could catch 13 pounds, but I did a little better than that. I’m going about it quite a bit differently than everybody else – I’m making a pretty long run and I never saw another boat all day.”

He started fishing at 8:15 and had a limit by 10:00. His biggest fish weighed a little over 5 pounds.

He has no fear of rain tomorrow.

“It shouldn’t change too much with what I’m doing – the tide is the only thing that really affects it. I think there’s still a lot of fish there.”

7th: Crews Stayed Put

After a lackluster practice, Crews felt he had no option but to camp in his best spot today and make the best of it. He weighed just four fish, but one of them was worth two average keepers.

“I settled into a pretty large area and just kept myself there all day,” he said. “I got five bites and put four in the boat, and I was a little lucky to catch a 7-pounder. I’ll take that any day.”

He said the one he lost was a 2-pounder.

“I still wish I’d caught it, though. I didn’t really do anything wrong – it just came off.”

He’ll go back to the same general area tomorrow and he’ll throw whatever seems good to him at the time.

“I literally had 13 rods on the deck and another four rigged up in the back, and I fished almost every one of them. I caught the first keeper of the year on a (Spro) Little John crankbait, and after that it was a smorgasbord.”

Photo: ESPN Outdoors Prior to launch this morning, Skeet Reese wouldn’t have believed that a 15-pound bag would put him in the Top 12.

11th: Reese Mystified

Reese was one of several California natives who were perplexed by how tough the Delta bite has been this week.

“I’m still shocked because this is not the Delta I’ve known in the past,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s all because of the cold front, but it’s very strange.

“I know that I’ve seen seals in a lot of places where I’ve never seen them before, and I’ve seen them eating bass. It might be something that the fisheries biologists need to take a look at. It’s pure speculation, but in 20-plus years out here I’ve never seen this many seals in this many places.”

He was surprised that today’s bag put him as high on the leaderboard as it did.

“It was about as good as I thought I could do without getting a big bite and I was pleased that I caught it. When I saw that I’m only 12 ounces out of 4th, I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ I should be sitting down in 30th.

“I caught them all doing pretty much the same thing in a couple of different places. I’ll just go out and fish tomorrow and see if I can catch 20-plus pounds and move up.”

53rd: Monroe Clueless

Ish Monroe of nearby Hughson, Calif., who’s won a healthy pile of money in lower-level events on the Delta over the last couple of years, weighed just two fish for 5-13.

“Everybody’s been asking me what happened and I’m telling you, I have no clue,” he said. “I’ve seen conditions on the Delta change in a day’s time, but I had muddy water that turned clear and clear water that got muddy.

“Some of the best Delta sticks ever aren’t doing so hot. Mark Tyler zeroed – if I wasn’t going to win, I would’ve picked him.”

He had seven bites, but only two of them saw the inside of his livewell.

“Two were basically swimming away with my (Paycheck Baits) Punch Skirt and then I blatantly missed another one. Then I had two hit a spinnerbait that just hit it – they didn’t eat it. In practice they were choking it down.”

He doesn’t think he can afford to change much tomorrow.

“If I catch a limit, that might give me the opportunity to fish on Saturday. And if I do get five, then I can go hunting a big bite in the same area.

“Where I’m fishing, I know what lives there. Fifteen pounds should’ve been almost automatic today.”

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 93 anglers, 30 limits, 14 fours, 14 threes, 15 twos, 11 ones, 9 zeroes.

> Although he fared better than all but one angler today, Wolak still hopes the bite turns on tomorrow. “I could’ve come in with three or four fish like a lot of other guys,” he said. “I’d rather it not be a total grind-it-out deal.”

> Kevin VanDam was one of the 63 anglers who failed to catch a limit – his four-fish, 9-06 bag left him in 37th place.

Weather Forecast

Here’s the weather forecast for the remaining tournament days.

> Fri., March 12 – P.M. Rain – 57°/40°
- Wind: From the S at 11 mph

> Sat., March 13 – Partly Cloudy – 61°/39°
- Wind: From the N/NW at 14 mph

> Sun., March 14 – Mostly Sunny – 67°/44°
- Wind: From the N/NW at 6 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Stephen Browning — Hot Springs, Ark. — 5, 21-11
Day 1: 5, 21-11

2. Dave Wolak — Wake Forest, N.C. — 5, 19-08
Day 1: 5, 19-08

3. Russ Lane — Prattville, Ala. — 5, 18-10
Day 1: 5, 18-10

4. Derek Remitz — Grant, Ala. — 5, 15-13
Day 1: 5, 15-13

5. Dennis Tietje — Roanoke, La. — 5, 15-04
Day 1: 5, 15-04

6. Mark Davis — Mount Ida, Ark. — 5, 15-03
Day 1: 5, 15-03

7. Guy Eaker — Cherryville, N.C. — 5, 15-02
Day 1: 5, 15-02

7. Kotaro Kiriyama — Moody, Ala. — 5, 15-02
Day 1: 5, 15-02

9. John Crews — Salem, Va. — 4, 15-02
Day 1: 4, 15-02

9. Timmy Horton — Muscle Shoals, Ala. — 4, 15-02
Day 1: 4, 15-02

11. Skeet Reese — Auburn, Calif. — 5, 15-01
Day 1: 5, 15-01

12. Greg Hackney — Gonzales, La. — 5, 14-14
Day 1: 5, 14-14

13. Dustin Wilks — Rocky Mount, N.C. — 5, 14-11
Day 1: 5, 14-11

14. Kevin Wirth — Crestwood, Ky. — 5, 14-09
Day 1: 5, 14-09

15. Shaw Grigsby — Gainesville, Fla. — 5, 14-08
Day 1: 5, 14-08

16. John Murray — Phoenix, Ariz. — 3, 14-06
Day 1: 3, 14-06

17. Jeff Kriet — Ardmore, Okla. — 5, 14-03
Day 1: 5, 14-03

18. Michael Iaconelli — Pitts Grove, N.J. — 5, 14-00
Day 1: 5, 14-00

19. Gary Klein — Weatherford, Texas — 5, 13-09
Day 1: 5, 13-09

20. Peter Thliveros — St Augustine, Fla. — 5, 13-08
Day 1: 5, 13-08

21. Paul Elias — Laurel, Miss. — 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05

21. Alton Jones — Waco, Texas — 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05

21. J Todd Tucker — Moultrie, Ga. — 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05

24. Jeff Connella — Bentley, La. — 5, 13-01
Day 1: 5, 13-01

25. Todd Faircloth — Jasper, Texas — 5, 12-15
Day 1: 5, 12-15

26. Greg Vinson — Wetumpka, Ala. — 5, 12-12
Day 1: 5, 12-12

27. Steve Kennedy — Auburn, Ala. — 5, 12-10
Day 1: 5, 12-10

28. Denny Brauer — Camdenton, Mo. — 5, 12-05
Day 1: 5, 12-05

29. Dean Rojas — Lake Havasu City, Ariz — 4, 11-10
Day 1: 4, 11-10

30. Matt Greenblatt — Palm Beach Gardens, Fl — 5, 10-12
Day 1: 5, 10-12

31. Edwin Evers — Talala, Okla. — 2, 10-00
Day 1: 2, 10-00

32. Pete Ponds — Madison, Miss. — 5, 9-15
Day 1: 5, 9-15

33. Rick Clunn — Ava, Mo. — 4, 9-13
Day 1: 4, 9-13

34. Brian Snowden — Reeds Spring, Mo. — 4, 9-11
Day 1: 4, 9-11

35. Mark Tucker — Saint Louis, Mo. — 4, 9-10
Day 1: 4, 9-10

36. Bill Lowen — North Bend, Ohio — 4, 9-09
Day 1: 4, 9-09

37. Kevin VanDam — Kalamazoo, Mich. — 4, 9-06
Day 1: 4, 9-06

38. Kevin Short — Mayflower, Ark. — 4, 9-02
Day 1: 4, 9-02

39. Bradley Hallman — Norman, Okla. — 5, 8-10
Day 1: 5, 8-10

40. Matt Herren — Trussville, Ala. — 5, 8-05
Day 1: 5, 8-05

41. Brent Chapman — Lake Quivira, Kan. — 3, 8-04
Day 1: 3, 8-04

42. Billy McCaghren — Mayflower, Ark. — 3, 8-01
Day 1: 3, 8-01

43. Cliff Crochet — Pierre Part, La. — 2, 7-06
Day 1: 2, 7-06

44. Vince Fulks — Purcell, Okla. — 4, 7-04
Day 1: 4, 7-04

44. Clark Reehm — Russellville, Ark. — 4, 7-04
Day 1: 4, 7-04

46. Marty Stone — Fayetteville, N.C. — 3, 6-12
Day 1: 3, 6-12

47. Bradley Roy — Lancaster, Ky. — 3, 6-06
Day 1: 3, 6-06

48. Casey Ashley — Donalds, S.C. — 2, 6-06
Day 1: 2, 6-06

49. Yusuke Miyazaki — Forney, Texas — 3, 6-04
Day 1: 3, 6-04

50. Wade Grooms — Bonneau, S.C. — 5, 6-02
Day 1: 5, 6-02

51. Chris Lane — Guntersville, Ala. — 4, 5-15
Day 1: 4, 5-15

52. Jason Quinn — Lake Wylie, S.C. — 3, 5-14
Day 1: 3, 5-14

53. Ish Monroe — Hughson, Calif. — 2, 5-13
Day 1: 2, 5-13

54. Marty Robinson — Lyman, S.C. — 3, 5-12
Day 1: 3, 5-12

55. Tommy Biffle — Wagoner, Okla. — 1, 5-10
Day 1: 1, 5-10

56. Kenyon Hill — Norman, Okla. — 2, 5-09
Day 1: 2, 5-09

57. Pat Golden — High Point, N.C. — 2, 5-08
Day 1: 2, 5-08

58. Zell Rowland — Austin, Texas — 2, 5-07
Day 1: 2, 5-07

59. Britt Myers — Lake Wylie, S.C. — 1, 5-07
Day 1: 1, 5-07

60. Kelly Jordon — Mineola, Texas — 2, 5-05
Day 1: 2, 5-05

61. Grant Goldbeck — Gaithersburg, Md. — 3, 5-04
Day 1: 3, 5-04

62. Mike McClelland — Bella Vista, Ark. — 3, 5-03
Day 1: 3, 5-03

63. Mark Burgess — Norton, Mass. — 3, 5-02
Day 1: 3, 5-02

64. Aaron Martens — Leeds, Ala. — 4, 5-00
Day 1: 4, 5-00

65. Jami Fralick — Martin, S.D. — 3, 4-14
Day 1: 3, 4-14

66. Byron Haseotes — Centerville, Mass. — 2, 4-12
Day 1: 2, 4-12

67. Fred Roumbanis — Bixby, Okla. — 2, 4-09
Day 1: 2, 4-09

68. Scott Rook — Little Rock, Ark. — 2, 4-07
Day 1: 2, 4-07

69. Terry Butcher — Talala, Okla. — 4, 4-06
Day 1: 4, 4-06

70. Randy Howell — Springville, Ala. — 3, 4-02
Day 1: 3, 4-02

71. Bobby Lane — Lakeland, Fla. — 2, 4-02
Day 1: 2, 4-02

72. Chad Griffin — Cresson, Texas — 3, 3-15
Day 1: 3, 3-15

73. Takahiro Omori — Emory, Texas — 2, 3-09
Day 1: 2, 3-09

74. Gerald Swindle — Warrior, Ala. — 2, 3-01
Day 1: 2, 3-01

75. David Smith — Del City, Okla. — 2, 2-11
Day 1: 2, 2-11

76. James Niggemeyer — Van, Texas — 1, 2-08
Day 1: 1, 2-08

76. Byron Velvick — Del Rio, Texas — 1, 2-08
Day 1: 1, 2-08

78. Jared Lintner — Arroyo Grande, Calif. — 1, 2-07
Day 1: 1, 2-07

79. Mark Menendez — Paducah, Ky. — 1, 2-01
Day 1: 1, 2-01

80. Bernie Schultz — Gainesville, Fla. — 1, 1-14
Day 1: 1, 1-14

81. Scott Ashmore — Broken Arrow, Okla. — 1, 1-13
Day 1: 1, 1-13

82. Jason Williamson — Aiken, S.C. — 1, 1-12
Day 1: 1, 1-12

83. Rick Morris — Virginia Beach, Va. — 1, 1-03
Day 1: 1, 1-03

84. Morizo Shimizu — Osaka, Japan — 1, 1-01
Day 1: 1, 1-01

85. Boyd Duckett — Demopolis, Ala. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Charlie Hartley — Grove City, Ohio — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Davy Hite — Ninety Six, S.C. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Cliff Pace — Petal, Miss. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Keith Poche — Troy, Ala. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Matt Reed — Madisonville, Texas — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Terry Scroggins — San Mateo, Fla. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Jeremy Starks — Charleston, W.Va. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Mark Tyler — Vian, Okla. — 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

www.bassfan.com

Scouting Report/Watch List
Bite Tougher Than Normal At Chilly California Delta

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Photo: BassFan Native Californian Aaron Martens picked up his first Elite Series victory the last time the circuit visited the California Delta.

It’s been a colder-than-usual winter across much of the country, and Northern California hasn’t been exempt from that phenomenon. For the most part, February and the early part of March have been relatively cool, wet and windy.As a result, the region’s big-bass factories that are set to host the first two Bassmaster Elite Series events of 2010 are a little bit behind their normal schedules. Both the California Delta and Clear Lake have been in stingy moods recently as they await a prolonged spate of warm weather that’ll heat up their water and get the pigs headed for the food trough in preparation for the annual spawning ritual.

The Delta is first up this week, and some pros have lamented that the fishing is tougher than they’d anticipated. Whether they drove across three time zones to get here or are California natives preparing for a rare “home” event, most say they aren’t getting the quantity of bites that they expected.

Of course, five bites are all that’s needed to fill out a daily limit. And at this place, there’s a good chance that at least one of those will come from a very large fish. That alone will make for respectable weights, even if the possibility of anyone compiling a 100-pound total for 4 days remains as remote as it seems right now.

Before getting into more bite info, here are some particulars about the fishery itself.

BassFan Lake Profile

> Name: California Delta
> Type of Water: Tidal network of channels and tributaries fed by five rivers that surrounds a series of agricultural islands
> Surface acres: 61,000 (approx. 1,000 miles of navigable water)
> Primary structure/cover: Tules, weeds and grassbeds, some rock (levees) and wood
> Primary forage: A veritable smorgasbord that includes bluegills, golden shiners, threadfin shad, crawdads, crappie, baby steelhead, baby stripers, Delta smelt, etc.
> Average depth: 10 feet
> Species: Largemouths
> Length limit: 12 inches
> Reputation: A longtime giant-bass Mecca with a prolific number of fish over 5 pounds
> Weather: A mix of sun, clouds and possibly a few showers; high temperatures a little on the cool side for this time of year.
> Water temperature: Low to mid 50s
> Water color/visibility: Slightly stained to muddy, depending on location/zero to 2 feet or more
> Water level: Fluctuates about 3 feet per day this time of year due to the tides
> Fish in: 0 to 10 feet
> Fish phase: Late winter/early pre-spawn
> Primary patterns: Flipping plastics and jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, Senkos, maybe some sight-fishing.
> Winning weight: 80 pounds
> Cut weight (Top 50): 31 pounds
> Fishing quality (1=poor, 5=great): 2 for the Delta
> Biggest factor: Weather – if the water temp goes up just a few degrees, it could turn on the big ones
> Wildcard: Monster bites – one could come on any cast

Much Different than Last Time

Conditions for this event are markedly different than the last time the Elite Series showed up here in 2007, even though its placement on the calendar is almost identical. Aaron Martens won that event by averaging a little more than 21 pounds a day.

Back then, water temperatures throughout much of the huge labyrinth of channels had already surpassed the 60-degree mark. Right now, that benchmark hasn’t even been approached in most places.

Most of the water is in the 52- to 56-degree range, which is about 3 degrees cooler at the upper end than the magic number that will push a big wave of fish to the spawning beds. The region is in the early stages of a warming trend, so a big migration could happen before the tournament ends on Sunday.

Photo: BassFan Ish Monroe has excelled in lower-level events on his home water over the past couple years.

If it doesn’t, the natives might have an advantage. Or they might be at a disadvantage because, while they’re focused on places they know, they’re less likely to stumble across a random cluster of quality fish.Another condition that’s been created primarily by the weather is off-colored water. The region hasn’t gone more than a few days in a row without rain in the last month and a half and the wind has often blown violently.

With few fish on the nests and the ones that are there difficult to see, sight-fishing will likely be less of a factor than on previous visits. That won’t stop a lot of anglers from looking around, though.

Tides not Ideal

The tide is a factor that must always be taken into account at the Delta, regardless of the weather. It hits high and low extremes twice each day, with a fluctuation of between 3 and 4 feet at this time of year, and the peaks and valleys are about 45 minutes later on each successive day.

Most of this event will be conducted on an incoming tide, which isn’t the preferred state. The majority of the field would prefer to have the last couple hours of the outgoing tide in the afternoon because it positions the fish on the edges of cover, but that won’t occur this time.

But no matter how much less than ideal the conditions are, big fish will be caught. Those who fare best will be the anglers who can mix an 8-pounder with a quartet of 3s, and then go out and do it again the next day.

And considering the favorable weather pattern, things could bust wide-open by the weekend.

Notes from the Field

Here are practice notes from some anglers who’ll be fishing this week.

Ish Monroe
“The fishing’s so-so, and I’m glad I know the Delta. It’s one of those deals where it’s not as good as in previous years and you can’t just go anywhere and catch them. There’s a lot of good water where I haven’t been able to catch them.

“My last few good finishes on the Delta were from places where I never really fished hard before. I went looking for new water this time, but it wasn’t working and I’ve had to rely on old-school stuff where I knew I could catch a few.

“I think 18 pounds a day will be pretty strong, but obviously there’s going to be some big bags with so many 8- and 9-pounders in here. But I didn’t even catch a 5 in my first 2 days of practice.”

Aaron Martens
“Normally this time of year the Delta would be awesome, but it’s cold and it hasn’t been good. The fish are still there, but you have to work for them. All the same stuff will work, but just not as good because you have to fish a lot slower and you’ll get fewer bites in the colder water.

“It was a lot easier to get bit last time. Now you could go right by a bunch of fish and not know it because you were fishing too fast. I’m still confident, but I’m not overconfident by any means.

“Everything looks really good – it’s amazing how thick and healthy the grass is here in the wintertime. This place has the healthiest hydrilla I’ve ever seen.”

Brent Chapman
“I’m getting a few bites, but I’m not overly excited about what I’ve caught. It’s definitely not like the last two times I was here. This place has had a lot of weather and it’s been so windy that we could hardly fish.

“I found one area that I feel okay about, but I really don’t know what to expect as far as weights because I’ve never fished here in these conditions. I think in another week or 2 things are going to be a lot better, but regardless of how tough it is, somebody’s going to win.

“The frustrating thing is we only get a few opportunities to come to places like this and you’re always hoping it’ll be at its best so you can really enjoy it.”

Mike McClelland
“Last time here there were certain areas where the fish were concentrated and those got quite a bit of attention. Now it seems you can get a bite here and a bite there, and that could keep people scattered out. Unless other guys are doing something different that I am, it’s hard to get multiple bites in the same area.

Photo: BassFan Greg Hackney’s maiden visit to the Delta 3 years ago went well, and he’s looking for another high finish this week.

“To me it looks like the biggest problem with these ponds is the wind has been blowing so much that it’s muddied up a lot of the water. That might be a big factor in why we’re not getting as many bites as we ought to be.”"This is going to be a tournament where I’m going to have to put my head down, cover a lot of water and try to catch fish that are wanting to eat.”

Grant Goldbeck
“I haven’t been able to get on any consistent pattern. I think the majority of fish are still in the winter pattern and having fished the Potomac River my whole life, I know three or four places there where I can go and catch them in the winter.

“But I don’t know any places like that here, and to find one I’d have to get real fortunate.

“I burned two tanks of gas the first 2 days, just running and gunning, and I need to slow down. My problem is it’s hard to get any confidence in any one area. I always feel like the best spot is just around the corner, but I haven’t found the Mother Lode.”

Top10 to Watch

With the above in mind and more, here are BassFan’s recommendations for the Top 10 to watch in this event.

1. Skeet Reese – He has a long history of high finishes here and he’s got some hot blood flowing after a dismal performance at the Bassmaster Classic. With his versatility and knowledge, the tough bite should play to his advantage.

2. Ish Monroe – He’s torn up lower-level events on home water for the last couple of years and could use a strong start after a sub-par 2009 campaign. The Hughson, Calif. resident likely knows this place as well as anyone in the field.

3. Gary Klein – He was schooled in the intricacies of the Delta long ago by the legendary Dee Thomas and always relishes his opportunities to return. He’s been very consistent as of late but hasn’t won since 2003, and this would be a fine time to rectify that.

4. Aaron Martens – He won here last time to notch his initial Elite Series triumph and could certainly pull it off again. He’ll go places and try things that few others will, and one of them might prove to be the ticket to the top.

5. Greg Hackney – He started talking about the Delta as soon as he missed the cut at the Classic. Finished 10th last time on his maiden voyage to this place. This is his kind of fishery.

Photo: ESPN Outdoors/Seigo Saito Skeet Reese’s Delta record is littered with single-digit finishes.

6. Tommy Biffle – The flipping bit is supposedly off, but that doesn’t mean much to him. He’s long made his living from shallow, muddy water and this tournament sets up nicely for him.7. Kevin VanDam – There simply are no conditions that the defending Angler of the Year (AOY) and recently crowned Classic champion can’t overcome. Plus, his record here is excellent (6th in 2007, 8th in ‘03).

8. Mike Iaconelli – He has so many single-digit finishes over the last 2 years that it’s difficult to pick against him anywhere. Didn’t do particularly well here last time (54th), but he’s fishing a lot better now.

9. Stephen Browning – Another guy who excels in cold, muddy water. A hot start last year propelled him to a good season and he’d certainly like to get off on the right foot again.

10. Jared Lintner – A bit of a darkhorse pick because he hasn’t fished to his potential the last 2 years (just one Top-20 finish since the 2008 Classic). But he comes into the campaign with a fresh attitude and gets to employ it at a place he knows well.

Launch/Weigh-In Info

The field will launch at 6:20 a.m. PT each day from Morelli Park Boat Launch (828 W. Weber Ave. in Stockton). Weigh-ins will commence at 3:30 p.m. at the Weber Point Events Center (221 N. Center St., Stockton).

Weather Forecast

Here’s the weather forecast for the tournament days.

> Thurs., March 11 – Sunny – 66°/44°
- Wind: From the SW at 4 mph

> Fri., March 12 – Cloudy – 63°/41°
- Wind: From the S at 9 mph

> Sat., March 13 – Mostly Sunny – 63°/41°
- Wind: From the NW at 12 mph

> Sun., March 14 – Mostly Cloudy – 68°/46°
- Wind: From the NW at 10 mph