Lake Havasu blues
Western tourney closes Saturday; sun shines again
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – While forceful thunderstorms passed through the area overnight, EverStart Series anglers awoke to clear skies and another impending day full of sunshine. If Friday’s sun-dampened catch weights are any indication, this 2005 Western Division season opener could end with a whimper today.
Most anglers reported catching the bulk of the few fish they caught Friday either in the morning or later in the afternoon with long dry spells in between. Many of them pined for the cloudy, rainy conditions seen over the first two days of competition, saying the fish bite turned on with the adverse weather. However, with more sun and calm in the forecast for Saturday, the testy-bite pattern could continue.
If that happens, pros Clayton Meyer and David Kromm are sitting pretty in the Nos. 1 and 2 positions. Meyer – with 13 pounds, 8 ounces – and Kromm – with 13-4 – hold at least a 5 1/2-pound lead over the other eight finalists.
Possibly adding to anglers’ frustrations is the advent of a high-speed water-ski race taking place on the water today, which will restrict the anglers’ ability move on lower Lake Havasu in the morning. The race is scheduled to finish by 12:30 p.m., however, which should give the competitors who headed south this morning, like Meyer, plenty of time to maneuver for that crucial afternoon bite.
The bottom line for Saturday: A limit of any kind will be a solid day. A limit weighing in the double digits is a bonus and could very well win the tournament.
The silver lining for competitors is that weights are packed relatively tightly since so few fish crossed the scale the scale yesterday. So everybody realistically has shot to win if they can catch an exceptional limit Saturday. A couple pros, like Kromm and Tim Klinger, were headed way upriver in their aluminum boats this morning in search of that elusive 15- to 20-pound sack.
Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at Windsor Park located at 699 London Bridge Road in Lake Havasu City beginning at roughly 3:15 p.m Mountain time. Friday’s weights carry over to Saturday, and each division’s winner will be determined by two-day combined weight.
Saturday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 7:37 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 48 degrees
Expected high temperature: 61 degrees
Water temperature: 53 degrees
Wind: from WNW at 5 mph
Maximum humidity: 56 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy