Delta, CA - FLW Stren

May 2009

The pre-fish was very uneventful for quality fish. It was hard to catch them over 2 lbs. We saw fry in most every area we went to. It was very unusual because there didn't seem to be as many bucks guarding the fry. It was also hard to catch the females in the spawing areas and the areas adjacent. It gave me the feeling that the bass population may have dwindle. Between the Chris, Tami, and I, the numbers were down and only a few fish per day over 3 lbs. We fished top water, cranking, carolina rigs, jigs, Roboworms, Maverick Worms, senkos, tubes, and drop shot.

At the end of 6 days we concluded that the fish seems to respond more to Robo MM3, Maverick's Magic Blend, and Open Waters Oxblood, fishing them dropshotting, carolina, and shaking a texas rig. We also noticed that fish responded to 5" and 6" senko's wacky rigged, in black and blue, cinnemon purple flake, and watermelon red. The frog produced numbers but never a fish over 2 lbs during our pre-fish. The fish seemed to like black or white. A chatterbait produced numbers and a few larger fish. We elimiinated jigs, topwater, cranking, traps, tubes, and swimbaits, for the tournament.

Thanks to my friend Rich Theil for turning me on to a light shake bite.

Day 1 of the tournament drawing out 159th, I had to adjust my game plan according to the tides, so I could take advantage of the late weigh-in at 4;00. This allowed me to fish the last part of the outgoing tide, which is my favorite for larger fish.

I started in the morning following the cresting of the high tide. I had my limit by 9:00 which weighed about 10 lbs. I caught the fish dropshotting Roboworms and Senkos. During the slack high tide and the beginning of the falling tide, the numbers of fish became fewer and smaller. I hadn't been bit for a couple hours, as I waited for the bottoming out of the low tide. I moved into areas where I located fish over 2 lbs in practice and was able to cull 3 fish which raised my limit up to 15 lbs. That was good enough for 19th place for that day. Also my Co-angler Rodney Brown was able to fill his limit and wound up with 12 lbs 8 ozs. He was a very experienced Delta fisherman. I wanted to thank Rodney for figuring out that the fish wanted a real heavy shake.

Day 2 being 3rd boat out, I followed the same game plan, because the tide difference between day one and two is only about an hour. The only problem I had is that I don't get to fish the last part of the falling tide because of the early weigh-in. My day 2 partner was Dan Cranston, also a good fisherman, weighing in 3 fish.

I had my limit by 8:00 which weighed about 9 lbs. Fishing was very slow for me throughout the day fishing a high tide. Just before weigh in I was able to cull a fish bringing my total to 10 lbs 5 ozs. This put me in 37th place winning $1,080. My fish were caught on senkos and MM3 Roboworms.