The ‘current’ leader
Kromm moves ahead in FLW Series Western Division action
TRI-CITIES, Wash. – A mechanical problem limited his day two run, but David Kromm reached his desired location on day three and found favorable conditions that lifted him to the top spot in the Walmart FLW Series Western Division event on the Columbia River.
Running downriver, the Kennewick, Wash. pro locked through at the McNary Dam and fished mostly rock piles and breaks in about 15-20 feet. “I’m starting out shallow and catching what I can. When that dies, I go deep.”
Kromm threw spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps and flukes for the shallow fish, while his deeper bites came on
dropshots, Carolina rigs and tubes – all in watermelon and green pumpkin.
Essential to Kromm’s success was moving water. Current generated by the hydro-electric dam’s release schedule created a discernable pattern that Kromm leveraged to his advantage.
“Yesterday, I had boat problems and I didn’t make it down below McNary, but I went for it today,” he said. “I got down there and they were (pulling water through the dam) and that made the fish bite a little better today.
“The current positions the fish on the leading edge of most pieces of structure,” he said. “I didn’t even fish the whole structure; I just fished the leading edge of each spot and then went to the next one. I was only down there for about three hours and I probably fished 20 spots.”
Change of scenery yields second for Russell
Day one leader Neil Russell caught a limit weighing 12 pounds and slipped one spot with a 41-10 total. 
After two days of fishing in the Columbia River, the Nampa, Idaho pro tried a change of venue with hopes of securing his top-10 spot, while preserving some potential for the final round.
“I locked up in the Snake River and left all my primary water alone,” Russell said. “I didn’t get the bag I would have liked, but we have tomorrow and I gave my bass a rest. Maybe tomorrow I can get the (winning bag).”
Russell started his day with a big fish that ate a pearl colored Super Fluke worked on the surface around 7 a.m. The rest of his 12 fish were caught on dropshots.
“I haven’t been catching a lot of bass – I’ve just been getting the good bites,” Russell said.
Bennett bumps up to third
After spending two days in the four place spot, Roseville, Calif. pro R.J. Bennett advanced one place to
third. He caught a limit weighing 13-6 and registered a 39-11 total. He fished a dropshot with Berkley Gulp! Minnows on 6-pound Berkley Trilene 100-percent fluorocarbon line on a Fenwick dropshot rod.
Fishing in upriver from the McNary Dam, Bennett targeted main current breaks in 15-25 feet of water. The majority of his fish have come between 10 a.m. and noon. “It’s scary until 10, then I catch them all and it goes dead after that.”
Of his location, Bennett said: “I have three (areas) where I’m catching my fish and I’ve been fishing there all week. I’ve been trying to rotate through these areas and throw in a couple of new spots each day.”
Fourth place went to Paul Hall of Soap Lake, Wash. who weighed 14-3 for a 39-8 total. In fifth place, Ronald Hobbs Jr. caught a limit weighing 14 pounds, 5 ounces and ended with 39-5.
Best of the rest
Rounding out the top-10 pros at the FLW Series Columbia River event:
6th: Clint Johanson of Benton City, Wash., 34-5
7th: Ken Wick of Star, Idaho, 34-4
8th: Cameron Smith of Dana Point, Calif., 34-3
9th: Wade Headrick of Draper, Utah, 34-3
10th: Roy Hawk of Salt Lake City, Utah, 34-0
Cody Meyer of Redding, Calif. took Big Bass honors with a monstrous 6-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth. Meyer caught his big fish at 3 p.m. on a green pumpkin tube in 35 feet of water.
Day four of FLW Series action on the Columbia River continues at Saturday’s takeoff, scheduled to take place at 6:30 a.m. (PT) at Columbia Point Marina located at 660 Columbia Point Drive.