Schutz fends off competition to win co-angler title on California Delta
EverStart rookie takes home $4,700 in prize money
BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. – On the eve of the California Delta event, the first EverStart Series tournament of his career, Tom Schutz of Foster City, Calif., had some understandable rookie jitters. When he saw all of the big names who were fishing the tournament, he seriously considered turning around and going home. Luckily for him, however, he stuck it out. In the end, not only did Schutz not embarrass himself, he walked away with an improbable tournament title.
“In the beginning I was pretty intimidated,” said Schutz. “But once I got on the water, I was able to calm down a bit. I just kept telling myself to keep my line wet.”
As the tournament progressed, Schutz kept holding his own. In fact, by the end of the third day of competition, Schutz found himself leading the whole tournament.
“I was pretty nervous this morning, but I just decided to focus on my fishing,” he said. “Coming back to weigh-in, I really didn’t know what to think. I said to myself, `Whatever happens, happens.'”
By the time the final weigh-in had concluded, Schutz’s two-day sack of 21 pounds, 1 ounce was good enough for a tournament title.
“What an event,” said Schutz, who seemed to surprise himself as well as the rest of the competition. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. But I really learned a lot this week. I think this has really helped my confidence level. It’s definitely the biggest win of my lifetime.”
Schutz said he fished a lot of open water, targeting weeds in about 3 to 4 feet of water with a white spinnerbait and a Senko in a watermelon-and-black flake color.
So what’s Schutz planning to do when he gets home?
“I know it sounds crazy, but I’m going to go home and go fishing in my own boat,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting back out on the water without feeling all of this pressure.”
It’s a fishing trip that has been well earned.
Milligan nearly nets back-to-back titles
After wrapping up the tournament title on Lake Mead last month, Lewis Milligan of Roseville, Calif., was oh so close to making it two for two. However, after landing a total catch of 18 pounds, 9 ounces, Milligan came up just short.
“I really can’t complain; today was fantastic,” said Milligan. “It was a great week, and I did learn some new things, which was nice. I’m very happy.”
Milligan said his experience fishing team tournaments really prepared him for the diverse waterways that the EverStart Western Division covers throughout the year.
“Lake Mead and the California Delta are like night and day,” said Milligan, who walked away with $3,700 in prize money. “I think the reason I was able to do so well is because I purposely fished a lot of different water during all of my team events. It’s really important to be versatile to do well.”
Milligan said he landed the majority of today’s catch bed-fishing with 5-inch Senkos in a red-flake and watermelon color.
Haraguchi stays on a roll
Like Milligan, Gary Haraguchi of Half Moon Bay, Calif., has had his own run of success the past two EverStart tournaments. After finishing the Lake Mead event in seventh place, Haraguchi used a 16-pound, 10-ounce catch to claim third place overall today in the Co-angler Division.
“It was actually pretty tough out there today,” said Haraguchi. “I only caught six fish total. But I really did have a great time and a great week.”
For his efforts, Haraguchi took home $3,300 in winnings.
Rios parlays indecision into fourth-place finish
James Rios of Brentwood, Calif., wasn’t even sure he wanted to fish the California Delta event. However, after landing a catch of 15 pounds, 15 ounces in the finals, it’s a sure bet he’s glad he did.
“I wasn’t going to fish this event to begin with,” said Rios, who took home a check for $2,300. “But in the end, I decided I couldn’t miss it. Overall, I was really tired this week. But I had a lot of fun.”
Best of the rest
On the strength of a two-day catch of 15 pounds, 3 ounces, Leroy Bertolero of El Macero, Calif., won a fifth-place finish as well as a check for $1,820.
Rounding out the top 10 co-angler finalists at the EverStart California Delta event:
6th: Tony Pratt of Paso Robles, Calif., 14-12
7th: Shane Morgan of Palmdale, Calif., 13-12
8th: Lance Dudley of Phoenix, 13-2
9th: Ryan Brown of Orting, Wash., 13-0
10th: Steve Sepulveda of Modesto, Calif., 13-0
The top 40 co-anglers in the year-end EverStart Western Division points standings will receive an automatic invite to the 2005 EverStart Series Championship, slated to take place on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala., Nov. 2-5. The total purse for that event is $1 million.