Separating from the pack
Stren Series Western Division anglers attempt to distance themselves from tightly crowded leaderboard on Lake Havasu
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – After Wednesday’s opening-day battle on Lake Havasu, the top-10 pros all found themselves within 2 pounds, 11 ounces of each other – an extremely thin margin to say the least. This was both a testament to the quality of the overall field as well as the consequences of the difficult bite and tough conditions that have manifested on Lake Havasu this week.
However, change is in the air. For starters, a series of storms blew threw the area last night which almost certainly will change the fishing conditions heading into Thursday’s competition.
“We got a lot of rain last night and that’s going to make the water a little dirtier,” said Stren Series pro Jim Elsea. “I think it’s really going to affect the sight fishing today.”
The morning temperatures were also a lot brisker than Wednesday and there will be far less cloud cover throughout today’s competition. Throw in the brilliant lunar eclipse last evening – who knows how the fish will react to that phenomenon? – lower winds and more sun and suddenly you have all the makings of a different tournament.
However, that being said, if big bites continue to be elusive, there is a fairly decent chance the logjam atop the leaderboard will not go away anytime soon.
Currently, Brian Nollar leads all pros with a total catch of 14 pounds, 14 ounces with the top-10 cut coming in at 12 pounds, 3 ounces. Tony Zanotelli has the overall lead in the Co-angler Division with a total catch of 13 pounds. The top-10 cut for co-anglers registered at 8 pounds even at the conclusion of Wednesday’s action.
Tourney format
During Stren Series competition, the full field competes on days one, two and three, with the top-10 pros and top-10 co-anglers advancing to the finals based on their three-day accumulated weight. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.
Pros supply the boats, fish from the front deck, control boat movement and compete against other pros in their division. Co-anglers fish from the back deck and compete against other co-anglers. Anglers are permitted to weigh in their best five bass each day.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points that determine angler standings. Two hundred points are awarded to the winner, 199 points for second, 198 points for third, and so on.
Pros will be fishing on Lake Havasu for a top award of nearly $70,000 assuming contingency guidelines are met, while co-anglers will be angling for a first-place prize of $30,000.
In addition, competitors will be vying for valuable points that could earn them a berth in the $1 million Stren Series Championship, slated for Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo., Nov. 5-8.
Stren Series action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Lake Havasu State Park, located at 699 London Bridge Road in Lake Havasu City
On the Web
For bass-fishing fans unable to attend the festivities in person, you can catch all the weigh-in action live at FLWOutdoors.com with FLW Live. Show time starts at 3 p.m. today.
Thursday’s conditions
Sunrise: 7:17 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 42 degrees
Expected high temperature: 69 degrees
Wind: From the southwest at 10 mph
Water temperature: 50-54 degrees
Maximum humidity: 38 percent
Day’s outlook: Sunny to partly cloudy