Made in the shade

Western College Regional anglers face hot Cal Delta

STOCKTON, Calif. – They’re the hottest hands in the FLW National Guard College Fishing Series Western Regional Championship, but if they want to fare well on the California Delta, these collegiate anglers will need to locate cool water.

A heat wave has been sitting on the Delta region for several days and, coupled with the lack of significant wind, the scene is really challenging for those seeking a lazy fish that doesn’t like to sweat. In fairness, Delta’s largemouth can exhibit highly-motivated and explosively aggressive feeding – that’s why this morning’s boat decks saw several rods bearing topwater plugs and the occasional buzzbait.

That being said, the window of opportunity will probably be early for the splashy stuff. Surface temperatures will rise as the sun’s celestial angle increases. This warmth reaches into the water column and bass flee the uncomfortable intrusion by pushing into deeper water, or the shady seclusion of tule berms and dense weed mats. Here, the fish can sit in peaceful bliss with their vegetation cover providing shelter from the elements, as well ambush points from which to grab passing meals.

San Jose State angler Alex Thiemann said that he and teammate Nick Burggraff will do their best to work with the conditions. “This is the first heat wave we’ve had in a couple of months out here; even though heat waves aren’t uncommon in the California Delta. We’re going to have to be throwing into the weeds.

“Over the past two weeks we’ve seen some tough fishing, so we’re going to go out there and throw some topwaters in the morning and then switch to a lot of flipping and frog fishing in the afternoon.”

Thiemann said he believes in the old reliable green pumpkin color, but if he finds himself looking at murkier water, he may go with Junebug and baits with chartreuse tails or orange patterns to imitate crayfish.

Sonoma State’s Corey Sheehan was tying on a crankbait prior to launch, but he said he’ll probably end up punching mats most of the day. Stephen LeSieur and his Sacremento State teammate Matthew Paul will work lipless cranks and Zara Spooks early and then shift gears when the heat pushes fish deep into cover.

“When it starts getting hot, we’re going to start punching the mats about 80 percent of the day,” LeSieur said. “We may throw some frogs in between, but we’re going to stick to those mats for the bigger fish.”

Although the Delta holds homerun potential in all but the most severe conditions, teams will do best to work on respectable limits, rather than swinging for the fences.

“Because it’s been so tough this summer on the Delta, you talk to pros, you talk to clubs, you talk to a lot of people and it’s just been really difficult,” Thiemann said. “So, I would assume for us college kids, anywhere from 12 pounds up each day will be a decent bag. That’s not to say that someone won’t pop off a 25-pound bag, but staying consistent and getting a limit in the boat quickly will be the biggest thing for us.”

One factor that can work in the angler’s favor will be tidal flow. Although the Western College Regional’s designated waters are far from the Pacific Ocean, the entire California Delta is a tidal fishery. The sea’s daily advance and retreat raises and lowers the water throughout this labyrinthine network draining California’s central valley. Incoming and outgoing water positions forage and predators in predictable fashion, so staying on the active fish is simply a matter of knowing when and where to fish.

Strong outgoing tides through the morning and early afternoon should present good opportunities, as bass move to points of main waterways.

Ken Sauret, a Stren Series pro sponsored by Lowrance was onhand to assist with the morning launch and help college anglers with the operation of their electronics. Mentoring the young competitors, he said, presents a great opportunity to shape the fishing industry.

“These kinds of events give kids the opportunity to fish in a competitive situation and learn the excitement that it develops,” Sauret said. “The more time they put in on the water in these events really prepares you for the next level of competitive fishing.

“I like (participating in these events). It’s all about getting out there and helping these kids – they’re the future of this sport. We all benefit when kids get excited about fishing. It keeps them safe, off the street, out of danger and involved in a very wholesome activity.”

Tournament logistics

The top five FLW College Fishing teams from each of the four regular-season Western Division tournaments gained automatic entry into the 2009 Western Regional Championship at the University of the Pacific. During the three-day regional event, 20 two-man collegiate angling teams will compete for a top award of $50,000, which includes a 177TR Ranger wrapped in school colors and powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard engine.

Qualified teams include Arizona State University, Chico State, Fresno State, Humboldt State University, Sacramento State, San Jose State University, Sonoma State University, UC – Davis, University of Nevada – Reno, University of Oregon and Washington State.

Collegiate bass anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. Pacific time from Buckley Cove Park at 4311 Buckley Cove Way in Stockton. Weigh-ins begin at 4 p.m. daily at the University of the Pacific Aquatics Center Parking Lot in Stockton. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public.

The top five teams from each of the five National Guard regional championships (Western, Central, Northern, Texas and Southeast) will advance to the National Guard National Championship April 10-12, 2010, in Knoxville, Tenn. The winning team at the national championship will qualify for the prestigious 2010 Forrest Wood Cup.

Saturday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 6:51 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 71 degrees

Expected high temperature: 90 degrees

Water temperature: 72-73 degrees

Wind: from the WSW at 5-8 mph

Max. Humidity: 46 percent

Day’s outlook: Partly cloudy