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FLW Series Western Division anglers seeking Shasta’s biggest

REDDING, Calif. – It’ll be a game of inches and, more importantly, a game of ounces as anglers in the FLW Series National Guard Western Division event on Lake Shasta seek to fill out their limits with the biggest fish in a lake that’s not exactly known for big fish.

“At Shasta, if you can get a quarter-pound more on each fish than everyone else, that’s really key,” Arizona pro Brett Hite said. “Of course, 10 pounds a day is always a great goal.”

Matt Newman of Agora Hills, Calif., breaks it down this way: “I think if you get a 2 1/2-pounder a day, you’re looking big. If you can get that and then fill out your limit with (fish weighing 1 pound, 3 ounces to 1-5), you’ll be strong. A 10-pound limit will be huge, but 7 to 8 pounds a day will get you in the money.”

Today’s outlook for partly cloudy and mostly calm conditions presents a workable scenario, although some may prefer more motion in the tree tops.

“The guys who know where to throw the swimbaits for those giant stringers usually want the stormy (rough) conditions, but I really don’t think it’s going to be the kind of weather that they want. Personally, I’d rather have the clearer, sunnier skies to get the fish down on the bottom.”

Hite will try a variety of depths with a selection of worm rigs – wacky, drop-shot, dart head, Senko – and jigs. He’ll look for veins of rocks coming off the shoreline – nothing too obvious, but something he can follow with his bottom machine. He expects to find most of his fish in the warmer, bottom depths.

Newman said the spotted bass, which dominate the lake, are notoriously sensitive and finicky. Controlled presentations and quick responses will be essential.

“These fish bite so subtly – they bite hard, but they let go with the slightest bit of pressure,” Newman said. “You have to hit them without letting them know you’re there. With windy conditions, you’ll miss a lot more bites than normal.”

Northern California took a good drenching prior to the tournament, but Newman said he observed little runoff influence.

“I didn’t notice the runoff doing much, but I noticed that in some of the more popular areas, there was so much traffic that the boats were making mud lines.”

Mud or no mud, rain is a welcome gift to this area. With the current lake level sitting 117 feet below average pool, tall slopes of reddish tint stand between treelines and waterlines. Trucks park on flats that would be fully submerged during spring’s high water. Suffice it to say that locals and visiting anglers alike are thankful for every drop.

Lower water means less habitat, and that pushes fish and fishermen into tighter quarters. Nevertheless, this sprawling reservoir of the 602-foot-tall Shasta Dam offers plenty of opportunity within its quartet of main arms – Sacramento River, McCloud River, Squaw Creek and Pit River. Numerous smaller creeks – along with coves, flats, islands and deep structure – round out the picture.

National Guard pro Justin Lucas said he’s found fish from 2 feet to 70 feet. He’ll probably focus on the deeper bite with jigs. Chris Neau of Castro Valley, Calif., will split his time between a drop-shot and a tube. If he fares well, he’ll go hog hunting.

“I’ve been catching my bigger fish on the tube, so I’ll use the drop-shot to get my five and use the tube for a bigger one,” Neau said. “As the day goes on, I’ll throw the swimbait for the biggest one I can get.”

Favoring his big-bait tactics, Newman said his practice was largely disappointing, but he remains undaunted: “I never found the swimbait bite, but I’m sure there’s one out there. I’m just going to keep dragging baits, and hopefully I’ll come across a big bite.”

Logistics

Anglers will take off from Bridge Bay Resort, located at 10300 Bridge Bay Road in Redding, Calif., at 7:30 each morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at Bridge Bay Resort beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Mt. Shasta Mall located at 900 Dana Drive in Redding beginning at 3 p.m.

Fans will be treated to a Family Fun Zone at the mall prior to Saturday’s weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. There will be a drawing for a $500 mall gift card, and drawings for rod and reel combos will be held every 30 minutes during the event. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include a trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.

The entire field competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three based on the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.

Wednesday’s conditions

Sunrise: 7:32 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 48 degrees

Expected high temperature: 55 degrees

Water temperature: 48-50

Wind: SW at 6 mph

Max. humidity: 89 percent

Day’s outlook: partly cloudy