Wind factor shuffles the deck
Changing conditions may challenge Stren Series anglers in Detroit River area
TRENTON, Mich. – It’s anyone’s game, but the rules may be changing. In fishing, all competitors play on the same wet field – it’s the external factors that often make the difference.
Such will likely be the case for day two of the Stren Series Northern Division tournament on the Detroit River. Day one saw mostly calm conditions with light, easterly winds, but a front that pushed through in the afternoon brought light rain and increased wind – a prelude for what will probably become a bumpy second day.
Tournament director Ron Lappin explained: “The wind won’t be extremely high, but it’s coming from a bad direction for this area. A (northerly) wind blows across the lakes, and by the time it gets here, (the water is pretty rough).”
That’s not good news for anyone who came up short on day one. Lake St. Clair to the north is currently on fire with tremendous numbers of quality smallmouths. However, anglers know that the home-run fish more frequently come from Lake Erie. The problem is that windy weather makes for challenging conditions on the Great Lakes.
“There will be a lot of game-plan changes today,” Lappin said. “Yesterday, we heard a lot of anglers say that they needed wind but didn’t get it. So, if the wind blows today, it could catapult some guys with big weights into the top 10.
“Many of the guys who don’t fish this water a lot said they had no problem getting to their fish yesterday, but they’re (concerned about running) if the wind blows. The guys that fish these waters a lot go no matter what the conditions are, because they know that fishing will be as good or better if the wind blows. The guys who don’t fish here a lot may be reluctant to make a long run and not know how to handle the conditions when they get there.”
Going into the second round of competition, Joe Balog of Harrison Township, Mich., sits atop the Professional Division with 22 pounds, 7 ounces, and Robert Sweeney of Baltimore leads the co-anglers with 21-6. At day one’s conclusion, it took 20 pounds to break the top 10. Co-anglers needed 18 for their top 10.
Most anglers reported the best results on drop-shot rigs, tubes and Carolina rigs. Some may also try deep crankbaiting – a tactic that won’t produce as many strikes, but occasionally delivers monster smallies.
Red Oak, Texas, pro Timothy Costa plans to buck the smallmouth preference in favor of what he knows best – largemouth. Local fish don’t grow as big as the ones he’s used to finding in Lone Star waters, but Costa said he’s identified a pattern that could deliver enough weight to increase his position in the standings.
“I’ve located some sizeable largemouths in the canals (off the Detroit River),” he said. “These fish are pretty hefty – they’re really healthy and strong, so I’m excited about it. This is a fantastic smallmouth fishery, but somebody has to try the largemouths.”
Costa expects to find his bass under docks and over grassy patches on the flats that run through the center of residential canals. Flipping jigs under boathouses and working plastic toads over the grass will be his main tactics.
Costa expects the shifting weather to stimulate the fish and provide better opportunities. “Today, the (barometric) pressure’s on the rise, and that may move these fish around and make them easier to catch,” he said. “That front that came in yesterday put them off a little bit and made them harder to catch.”
Tournament rules
The Stren Series event, which runs Aug. 15-18, represents the second of four regular-season Northern Division events. The total purse for the Detroit River event is $275,225. The winning pro could earn as much as $65,000 in cash and prizes if various contingency awards are met, and the winning co-angler could earn as much as $35,000.
Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. EDT at Elizabeth Park Marina, located at 202 Grosse Isle Parkway in Trenton, Mich. To watch the weigh-in and get all the stats in real time, use FLW Live, the next-best thing to being there in person.
Thursday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:41 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 71 degrees
Expected high temperature: 86 degrees
Water temperature: 79-80 degrees
Wind: W at 5 mph, shifting NW
Humidity: 83 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy skies becoming sunny