CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The top 20 pros and co-anglers took off from Redbud Park at dawn to begin the semifinal round of EverStart Series Western Division competition at Clear Lake.
Normally, the top catch weights can be expected to drop once the fields have been pared down for the second half of EverStart competition. But this is Clear Lake, where the bass are big and plentiful no matter how many boats are on the water. Last year, the leading pros at this tournament respectively caught over 23 and 25 pounds on Friday and Saturday.
Not only that, the skies have cleared for Friday’s fishing. If the sun stays out for most of the day, look for the sight-fishing pros with bedding bass locked in their GPS units to go for their big ones today.
“I have one that’s a 6-(pounder) and one that’s 10 (pounds) on the bed that both could be catchable,” said pro Gabe Bolivar of Ramona, Calif., who took off in boat No. 3 Friday.
Pro Art Berry of Hemet, Calif., who blew some minds with his leading 29-pound, 4-ounce limit Thursday that included a 12-pound kicker fish, knows that his work is only half done here. The Western points leader is gunning for his first title – he already has two runner-up finishes in the past two years – and, despite his dominating performance yesterday, today everybody restarted the day at zero.
“I truly believe that it’s going to take 38 or 39 pounds (over two days) to win this tournament,” he said. “I’m going to give it my best shot.”
Friday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 15960 Dam Road in Clearlake beginning at 4 p.m.
Weights are cleared for the semifinal round, and anglers compete for one day to determine who will advance to Saturday’s final round. Only the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers compete Saturday, and the winner is determined by the heaviest two-day weight.
Friday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 6:32 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 40 degrees
Expected high temperature: 58 degrees
Wind: from the south-southwest at 12 mph
Maximum humidity: 59 percent
Day’s outlook: afternoon showers