California dreamin’

EverStart Western anglers head out onto California Delta with hopes of qualifying for Saturday’s final

OAKLEY, Calif. – What a difference a day makes. As the top 20 EverStart anglers prepared to head out onto the open waters of the California Delta Friday morning to kick off the semifinal round of competition, they quickly discovered that conditions were markedly changed from the first two days of tournament action. Instead of balmy weather and unwavering sunshine, anglers found much cooler temperatures, overcast skies and a significant wind as they departed Big Break Marina shortly after 6 a.m.

However, the weather probably will be the least of their worries. With half of the remaining field scheduled to be sent home after the completion of Friday’s competition, anglers will likely have to pull out all of the stops in an effort to qualify for the top-10 cut and ensure a berth in the finals.

Currently, Rick Rudd of Danville, Calif., leads all pro anglers into the semifinals with a two-day qualifying weight of 43 pounds, 11 ounces. Meanwhile, John Kort of Roseville, Calif., boasts the top qualifying spot in the Co-angler Division after netting a 30-pound, 3-ounce stringer. Both anglers, amazingly enough, had never fished an EverStart event until this week.

In addition to the cash and prizes, the remaining anglers will be fighting today for valuable points in the year-end standings race – the key gauge for qualifying for the 2003 EverStart Championship and the 2004 FLW Tour.

EverStart action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, located at 4893 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, Calif.

Vital statistics:

Sunrise: 5:47 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 55 degrees
Expected high temperature: 80 degrees
Water temperature: 68 degrees
Wind: From the southwest at 10 mph
Relative humidity: 54 percent
Day’s outlook: Partly cloudy

Related links:
Photos
Day-three pairings
Day-two results