Stren Western: Digging the Delta

Western Division closer prime for big California spawners

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. – Last month, even as they brought in record numbers of limits at the last event at Lake Shasta, Stren Series Western Division anglers were dreaming about the upcoming tournament at the California Delta. All the talk was about how big they were going to catch them because this event is hitting one of the tour’s baddest tournament bass fisheries almost at the height of the spawn.

Big largemouths will be caught here at the Delta this week, make no mistake about it. This area of California has been pretty much inundated by rain and cool weather for almost a month straight this spring. However, roughly a week ago the rain stopped, like turning off a faucet, and spring – summer, actually – has arrived with bluebird skies and temperatures hovering in the low- to mid-80s.

In short, the conditions are ripe for the big 7- to 10-pounders to move up onto the spawning beds within easier reach of the tournament anglers.

“Oh, they’re up, all right,” one angler said with a gleam in his eye Wednesday morning.

This venue has always been the site of some big catches, but with conditions as ripe as they are this week, it’s very possible we could see some more record-breaking action out of the Western Division. At the very least, it’s certainly going to take a whole lot of weight to do well. Pros are saying they’re shooting for 40 pounds to make the cut and another 40 to win it.

Standings titles on the line

The California Delta is the fourth and final event in the 2006 Western Division, so the standings winners and championship qualifiers will be decided at the end of this week.

Currently, Jimmy Reese of Witter Springs, Calif., still leads the Pro Division standings with 583 points. Reese won the big-bass battle at the Clear Lake Western event and finished in the top 10 at the Lake Havasu opener. He also finished 14th at the last event, Lake Shasta. His closest challenger is William McAninch of Sylmar, Calif., with 561 points.

Mike Iloski of Escondido, Calif., leads the Co-angler Division standings with 572 points.

Tournament logistics

Anglers will compete for two days to determine the top 20 pros and top 20 co-anglers who advance to the final round based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are cleared for the final round, and anglers compete for two more days to determine the winner. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.

Anglers competing in the Pro Division will fish for a top award worth as much as $60,000, including a fully rigged Ranger 519VX powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and EverStart batteries plus $10,000 cash. Pros will have the chance to earn an additional $10,000 bonus award from Ranger if contingency guidelines are met. Ranger will award another $3,000 to the winner if he or she is a participant in the Ranger Cup program, or $1,500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant. Yamaha will match 50 percent of Ranger Cup earnings if the participant meets “Powered by Yamaha” guidelines.

Co-angler competitors cast for a top award worth as much as $35,000, including a Ranger boat and trailer if contingency guidelines are met.

Anglers will take off from Russo’s Marina in Bethel Island at 6 each morning Pacific time. Wednesday and Thursday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina, which is located at 3995 Willow Road, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 4893 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, Calif., beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Competitors will also be vying for valuable points that could earn them a berth into the $1 million Stren Series Championship in Decatur, Ala., for a shot at $140,000 in the Pro Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. The highest finishing pro and the highest finishing co-angler from each division at the championship will qualify for the 2007 $2 million Forrest Wood Cup, where the winning pro will have a shot at bass fishing’s first $1 million prize.

Wednesday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:08 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 54 degrees

Expected high temperature: 77 degrees

Water temperature: 59-65 degrees

Wind: WSW at 15 mph

Maximum humidity: 50 percent

Day’s outlook: mostly sunny