Stren Western: Winding up the West

Cal Delta champs to be decided; Reese leads

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. – Since the rain shut off in Northern California, about the only thing that Stren Series anglers have to worry about as they head out for Saturday’s final round of Western Division competition at the California Delta is the increase in weekend boat traffic. Day-to-day weather conditions couldn’t have been more consistently agreeable all week.

Jimmy Reese leads the pros with a weight of 21 pounds, 5 ounces, but Steve Sapp is close behind with 21-1. Right behind them, sitting between 18 1/2 and 20 pounds, are three dangerous sticks in Matt Lowery, Jon Strelic and Justin Kerr.

So this one is really anyone’s game.

“The boat traffic is my main concern,” Reese said. “My bite is an afternoon thing. I can’t really go to my main area until 1 o’clock or so, and by then there are going to be boats going all over it.”

Still, these guys will catch some fish Saturday. The top 10 pros fishing today seem to have adjusted more to a topwater/swimbait pattern as the week wore on. Look for that trend to continue as they all gun for those double-digit kickers.

Both the pro and co-angler winners will be determined Saturday by two-day combined weight.

Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 4893 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, Calif., beginning at 4 p.m. Pacific time.

Saturday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:05 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 52 degrees

Expected high temperature: 73 degrees

Water temperature: 61-68 degrees

Wind: WSW at 13 mph

Maximum humidity: 61 percent

Day’s outlook: sunny