Stren Western: Dialing it in on the Delta

Postspawners could play key role as pros shoot for 40 pounds

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. – The hunt for big, shallow bass continues on the California Delta Thursday as Stren Series Western Division anglers fish to make the cut.

Some of the top pros – like day-one leader Shawn Stafford, who caught a near-record 33 pounds, 9 ounces – will likely continue scouring the bank for big spawning beds. But many of the bass that came across the scale Wednesday had spawned out, indicating that the postspawn bite might be coming into prominence.

Another issue for sight-fishermen is the wind, which is blowing a steady 10 to 15 mph and stirring up the shallows, not to mention wreaking havoc with the flipping bite.

“I’m just throwing a drop-shot on bedding areas,” 14th-place pro Justin Kerr said. “I couldn’t flip yesterday because it was just too windy. If it wasn’t this windy, we’d probably see a lot more 25-pound bags.”

Nevertheless, with 20 limits breaking the 20-pound barrier on day one, the pros are going to have to shoot for the vaunted 40-pound mark to have a shot at making the cut today. The co-anglers, too, are going to need something substantial – something in the neighborhood of 23 to 25 pounds – in order to make the top 20.

Both the Pro and Co-angler divisions will be cut to the top 20 apiece, based on two-day combined weight, following Thursday’s action.

Day-two weigh-in festivities begin at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time at Russo’s Marina, which is located at 3995 Willow Road in Bethel Island.

Thursday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:07 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 53 degrees

Expected high temperature: 74 degrees

Water temperature: 59-67 degrees

Wind: WSW at 15 mph

Maximum humidity: 56 percent

Day’s outlook: mostly sunny