California Delta debut
EverStart anglers commence final regular-season tournament of year in Western Division
OAKLEY, Calif. – As dawn broke on the California Delta Wednesday morning, more than 240 anglers departed Big Break Marina shortly after 6 a.m. with the goal of landing the biggest five-fish stringer possible. The reason is simple: On the California Delta, 15- to 20-pound sacks of fish are as unremarkable as the balmy temperatures and sunny conditions that pervade western California in spring.
To be sure, there is a lot on the line for both pros and co-anglers alike. With a total purse of more than $200,000 up for grabs over the next four days of tournament action, anglers will need some monstrous weights to make a serious run at the title and gain enough points in the year-end standings race to solidify an automatic berth into the 2003 EverStart Championship.
However, it won’t be easy. The California Delta, boasting more than 1,000 miles of expansive waterways, is one of the largest bodies of water that EverStart anglers will fish all year. Throw in the fact that the water levels on the Delta are known to fluctuate as much as 4 feet each day and that behemoth stringers are the norm, and you have all the makings of one of the more intriguing tournaments of the year.
The four-day tournament, which runs May 28-31, also represents the first time in history that the EverStart Series has visited the California Delta.
EverStart action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Big Break Marina, located at 100 Big Break Road in Oakley, Calif.
Vital statistics:
Sunrise: 5:48 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 55 degrees
Expected high temperature: 87 degrees
Water temperature: 64 degrees
Wind: from the northeast at 3 mph
Relative humidity: 40 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy