Here comes the sun
Calmer weather could mean bigger stringers on day two at Lake Erie
DETROIT – While a few anglers may be mailing in their efforts today or have outright withdrawn from competition due to dismal weather and low catch weights yesterday, a large field of boats made their way out onto the Detroit River for day two of competition in the $185,000 EverStart Series Northern Division event here in Detroit. Those who took off today were treated to a morning quite unlike yesterday’s harsh conditions. The wind had calmed, temperatures had risen, and the sun actually made an appearance.
If the wind stays calm throughout the day, the personality of today’s competition could be drastically different from day one. Yesterday, very few anglers were able to catch five-fish limits due to difficulties reaching productive fishing holes on big, windblown Lake Erie. At takeoff today, glassy water and the prospect of much smoother sailing had anglers eyeballing long runs out onto the great lake.
Still, other anglers took their cue from yesterday’s leaders and chose to stay within the shelter of the Detroit River. A significantly larger number of boats were seen working the banks not far from the takeoff point at Elizabeth Park, near where pro Koby Kreiger caught his day-one-leading weight of 19 pounds, 9 ounces.
Yesterday’s low catch weights means that more anglers are in contention to make the cut than usual. Six pounds, 5 ounces captured 30th place on day one, and even if an angler zeroed yesterday, he or she has a legitimate shot at a top-30 showing today with a strong performance.
And with the changing conditions, it really is anybody’s tournament to win.
Weigh-in begins today at 3 p.m. at Elizabeth Park Marina. After today’s competition, both the Pro and Co-angler divisions will be cut to the top 30 anglers for Friday’s semifinal round.
The four-day tournament lasts through Saturday, when the winning pro will receive $15,000 and a Ranger boat plus a $1,000 bonus from Garmin if he or she was using a fixed-mount Garmin sonar product. The winning co-angler will receive $6,000.
Vital statistics
Sunrise: 7:26 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff:48 degrees
Expected high temperature: 59 degrees
Wind: From the west at 8 mph
Relative humidity: 89 percent
Day’s outlook: More clouds than sun
Day-two related links: