Stockton, CA – It’s always tempting, when the Elite Series is going to a big-fish factory, to try and get big eyed and star-struck when trying to predict what the winning weight will be before the thing even starts. At Amistad for example, after the first day’s weigh-in, it looked like it was going to be a land-run on the record for sure…but hang on a minute, Mother Nature pitched a slider and things changed driving the weights down substantially on the second day of the tournament.
Coming to the California Delta for the second stop of the 2007 Elite Series, it was almost a pre-determined fact that the winner would have to have over 100 pounds...once again, back the truck up because conditions changed. Actually, change isn’t really the right descriptor to use as really the conditions aren’t too much different than what the 108 Elite Series anglers experienced during practice…save one thing – the wind.
Thursday had only say only two anglers cross the 23-pound mark, when prior to the event most assumed we would see some 30-pound bags cross the scales that first day. Blame it on the winds that ripped through the area Wednesday, many of the prime areas were like chocolate milk Thursday. Friday didn’t find them in much better shape forcing many in the field to bunch into what few fishable “community” holes remained.
48-degree air temperatures greeted the field Friday morning at launch, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Once again there was barely a hint of a breeze all day Friday, which was bad news for the gunners who were counting on some wind to break up the surface of the water column. Obviously though, with Mark Tyler’s 10+-pound hawg serving as the ultimate reminder, we’re talking about the California Delta so anything’s possible.
The “anything’s possible” obviously came down to kicker fish. The key to any tournament is catching the biggest fish, and no where is it more important than this week at The Delta. Friday, it simply came down to those anglers who had a good kicker or two. Those who did were able to move up…way up. Those who didn’t boat a kicker either went home failing to make the top 50, or at best put themselves in a bad way for making Saturday’s Top 12 cut.
Elite Series rookie, and Battle on the Border winner, Derek Remitz showed everyone the way it supposed to be done by bringing in another solid limit to the scales Friday weighing 27-9. The limit gave Remitz the narrowest of leads with 50-14, but he’s in the cat bird’s seat heading into Saturday nevertheless. Remitz just can’t seem to do any wrong two events into his rookie year, and he’s going to need to continue to fish flawlessly in order to hold off the veteran contingent below him.
In second place Thursday was native Californian Aaron Martens, whose second-day limit weighed 30-14 – anchored by the day’s big bass weighing 11-2. A-Mart started Friday in 25th place, but used the eye-popping limit to storm into contention with a two-day combined weight of 50-11. A distant third place belonged to sophomore pro Jared Lintner – also a California native – who brought 21-0 to the scales Friday running his total weight up to 42-0.
Fourth place Friday was held down by day one leader Mark Tyler, who brought five bass to the scales weighing 16-9, bringing his combined weight to 40-8 overall. Rounding out the top five was Rick Morris, who brought a tournament limit to the stage weighing 19-1, bringing his combined weight to 39-8.
Here’s how the remainder of the top 12 looks:
6. James Charlesworth 10 38-10
7. Brent Chapman 10 38-9
8. James Niggemeyer 10 38-8
9. Kevin VanDam 10 38-0
10.Stephen Browning 10 37-5
11. Tommy Biffle 10 36-12
12. Jeff Reynolds 10 36-5
Remitz:
Burn Baby Burn.........The Roof is On
Fire!
Rookie mistakes are a given – you know they’ll be there, it’s just a matter of how bad they get. For Remitz, his rookie mistakes seem to always lead to doing better. Maybe the rest of the field should hope that he doesn’t make one from here on in. “I lost my tide chart the first day of practice,” he said. “I didn’t bother getting another one because this is the first time that I’ve fished tidal waters, so I really don’t know what to look for anyway.”
Okay…maybe
this guy has a secret routine has gone a little too far. It’s obvious that this rookie is anything but green. While his tidal chart may not matter much in the end, it’s clear that Remitz learned enough from it to recognize a good thing when he saw it. “I’m fishing out in the open where the water level matters very little,” he explained. “The tide matters only as far as where it positions them, but other than that I don’t know if the there’s any impact on the tide or not.”
Remitz explained that getting to
27 pounds Friday was a grind. “It was really slow and grueling,” he said. “I would get one every half-hour or 20 minutes or so.” |
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Remitz isn’t quite junk fishing, but he’s not quite running a pattern either. Basically, he’s reading water and if it looks right, he fishes it. “It worked out today to go into new water again,” he said. “I’m basically practicing every day – just looking at new water.”
Derek started the day in water that he’d found in practice, only to move a short while later in search of new horizons. “I only had one good fish out of my old water,” he said. “The new water that I fished gave up and eight and a couple other ones. It’s in the same general area that I practiced in, just out a little bit further.”
Each day is a learning process for the young angler. He’s obviously a quick study because he’s boiled this tournament down to a two-man race. “I feel like I’ve learned a little bit more everyday,” he explained. “I’m targeting staging fish, so I’ve been able to pick out some specific types of grass that are holding the better fish.”
Remitz told The BASS ZONE that in order for him to have a good tournament – based on his practice – it would have to be an act of God. “I guess someone was praying for me,” he jokingly admitted. “sounds weird, but I’m just covering as much water as I can as slowly as possible.”
A-Mart: Goes Fishing
Martens started the day in way down in 25th, but knew that if he could get on the quality fish he knew were around him, he could make a run at the top. To do it, he was going to have to gamble, and at the end of the day his wager paid off. “I fished a totally different area today,” he said. “I just went fishing…that’s it.”
Martens explained that he’s running a specific pattern, and obviously didn’t want to divulge anything beyond that; however, the pattern held throughout the day and the big motor got a big-time workout in pursuit of his big bag. “I just kept changing areas throughout the day,” he said.
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“I would catch the fish that were there, and move to another spot. It’s a pretty strong pattern that I’m on, and I know the Delta pretty well so I just cycled through a lot of different spots and areas picking up one here and one there trying to fish water that’s not getting pounded.”
Tides: “I’m watching the tide, but it’s only affecting them in terms of how they take it. They’re all bed fish so regardless of the tide, they’re there. I’m not seeing them, but I know that they’re bed fish.”
Big fish: “When I hooked my big fish, I knew that it was a giant immediately. My partner was asking me what he should do and I just told him to pray. He knelt down and I just told him to grab it. It was hooked in the mouth too…thank God!” |
Aaron has a tremendous incentive to win this event – his wife gave birth to their son Spencer Tuesday. Unfortunately, Aaron was practicing for this event and wasn’t able to be there for the birth, which came 10 days earlier than planned. “Not being there when he was born is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he explained. “My wife told me that I’d better do good in this one, so to have a terrible tournament wouldn’t be fair to anyone.”
Marten explained that while he has a lot of history here, and has won more than his share of money on the vast fishery, it all boils down to this event for him. “I have a lot of history here for sure,” he explained, “but of all the tournaments you want to win this one’s it. If I can keep doing what I’m doing right now, I feel pretty good about my chances.”
Lintner: Scramble Mode
Sophomore pro Jared Lintner, like Martens, knows the Delta well. When he first saw the schedule for 2007, he knew that the Western Swing was his time to shine. However, with back-to-back 21-00 limits, Lintner seems to be stuck. Ultimately, sitting in third place heading into Saturday, he knows that things could be so much worse. “It’s going a lot better than what I thought after practice,” he revealed.
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“I’m just scramble mode throwing reaction baits right now, but everything seems to be working. I’m not getting that many bites really, but the ones that I’m getting are good quality keepers.”
Blame it on good clean living, or whatever you want, but either way Linter explained that he couldn’t really do any wrong Friday. |
“I just fished all day – really junk fishing I guess,” he said. “Everything I tried worked, but I wasn’t ever able to get the big kicker that I needed.
“On the way in to weigh-in I pulled up 1,000 yards from the weigh-in with a trap and boom – four pounder. That’s just how it’s working right now…it’s scarring me.”
After Saturday, the field gets cut down to 12, and Lintner knows that in order to fish Sunday his luck will have to hold. “I don’t really have much going, other than a lot of areas that I can get bit doing a lot of different things,” he said. “My plan is going to stay the same for Saturday, I can tell you that much. I’m just running from spot to spot, and burning a lot of gas in the process. I could very easily go out there and bomb tomorrow, or I might have 30 pounds, you know, it’s just one of those deals.”
Tyler Doing the Right Thing
The day one leader actual didn't have that bad of a day. He got off to a great start catching a 5 pounder right off the bat. "Today I ran all new water today," said Tyler. "I actually had a better fishing day today than yesterday."
"I just didn't get the 10 pound bite. I'm looking for the big bite. I feel like I'm fishing for 5th place if I don't find something better."
Tyler said that he is doing the right thing in the right area of the Delta. "There is a definite dead spell mid-morning," said Tyler. "The last two hours of the day are the most critical time of the day. Like I said, I have to get on the big bite to have a chance to win. Can I bust a thirty pound bag? No doubt. But the afternoon will be the key."
Tyler was presented a replica of his BASS record bass caught on the Delta in 1999 by Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders during the day 2 weigh-in. The idea to present the replica was generated by Mark's girlfriend, Stacey.
Slick
Rick Livin' Large on the Delta
Virginia pro Rick Morris is looking for this tournament to be a needed turn-around after a tough 2006. He’s on pace to have a strong showing this week, but knows that he’s going to have to go lights out Saturday to have a chance. “I only caught 10 keepers today, so it’s really important to get a good kicker everyday,” he said.
“I don’t feel like I’m on winning fish, so I feel real fortunate. If I can get couple quality bites tomorrow I’ll fish Sunday, and that’s about the best I can hope for I think.”
Morris explained that he has two primary patterns working right now – a Musky Chatterbait and a flipping technique. For both, solitude is a basic requirement. “I caught a three pounder flipping, and then caught a five on a Muskie Chatterbait,” he said. “I’m real familiar with tidal waters, and there’s a lot of grass out here so flipping is a basic must. I’m not fishing in crowds – I just can’t stand being grouped up.”
Morris is riding on his tidal-water experience to make the top 12 he’s aiming for. “What I’ve learned in fishing the Potomac is really playing a big roll here by using the water level as a key indicator in your presentation,” he siad. “I’m moving a little bit, but there’s not that much tidal movement here.” |
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Charlesworth: Could’ve Been Better
James Charlesworth got off to a slower start than he would have preferred. In his assessment however, the near 22-pound bag he brought in Friday was the same one he carried to the scales Thursday – same one thing…the kicker. “There’s no difference between today and Thursday,” he said. “I just didn’t get a five-pound bite yesterday.
“I actually had a better fishing day today. Today actually went real good – I caught a five-pounder right off the bat.”
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Charlesworth regrets the ones that got away as he knows with him he would have a little bit more momentum heading into Saturday. “I lost two big ones today,” he said. “They were there, just waiting for me, but I couldn’t get them into the boat.”
James was on the run all day Friday trying to find the critical kickers he knows that he needs. “I ran all new water today,” he said. “I’m looking for something to win this tournament with. I feel like I’m fishing for fifth place if I can’t improve what I’m doing. As long as I’m in the tournament, I feel like I have a shot. I culled through a lot of fish today. Numbers wasn’t a problem for me at all…I just need to get some kickers in there.” |
Charlesworth has the tide pegged and knows that in order to fish Sunday, he’ll need to execute when it matters most. “There’s a period in the day where the fishing just stinks,” he said. “First thing in the morning seems to be okay, but the middle part of the day is really tough. Once the tide starts pulling out the fishing improves. I feel like for me, the first two hours and the last two hours of the day are critical.”
Monroe: First Man Out
To say that Ish has history here would be an understatement. He’s so close to home that he’s slept in his own bed each night of the tournament. However, as everyone knows, being a hometown hero carries with it a load of pressure – and sometimes it’s that pressure than causes a lapse.
Monroe admits that he didn’t fish his tournament – instead, he tried to pull out the whoppin’ stick and make things happen. “I just had a really bad tournament,” he explained. “What more can you say – there were a few missed opportunities, and one really big one that cost me the cut.”
The big one that Monroe mentioned was that one-pound “Late Penalty” that he was assessed Friday. “I said this morning that it would take 28 pounds to make the cut,” he said. “Right at the end of the day I was scrambling and trying to get one more bite and pulled off into a little cut on the way in.
“I would’ve made it in, but there was some wakes that slowed me way down.”
A very dejected Monroe would like to have a Mulligan on Friday, but knows that his decision to slow down to avoid dangerous boat wakes was the right one to make. “It looks like the one-pound late penalty came back to bite me,” he said. “After it’s all said and done, I just cut it too close by making one last-minute stop. I would much rather have a late penalty and still be around to talk about it versus the alternative.”
KVD
Taking on Water
VanDam had to have another boat brought out to him mid morning after realizing that in route to his starting spot he’d punched a hole in his boat’s hull. “First thing this morning I was running to my first area and, due to all the debris that the wind had stirred up, I knocked a hole in the bottom of my boat,” he explained.
“I knew that I had a big problem almost immediately. It was the first time it’s ever happened to me, so I called Trip and he immediately trucked down to where I was at and brought me another boat. I’m real fortunate that BASS and Triton/Mercury had some sponsor boats here. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to get the stringer that I brought in.”
“The fish were biting early, and I missed most of the early bite,” he added, “but that’s what this sport is about. You have to be able to overcome adversity.”
DAY
TWO Standings
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Total |
Total |
| Place |
Pro
Angler |
Hometown,
State |
# |
Weight |
| 1. |
Derek
Remitz |
Hemphill,
Texas |
10 |
50-14 |
| 2. |
Aaron
Martens |
Leeds,
Ala. |
10 |
50-11 |
| 3. |
Jared
Lintner |
Arroyo
Grande, Calif. |
10 |
42-00 |
| 4. |
Mark
Tyler |
Vian,
Okla. |
10 |
40-08 |
| 5. |
Rick
Morris |
Virginia
Beach, Va. |
10 |
39-08 |
| 6. |
James
Charlesworth |
Saint
Cloud, Fla. |
10 |
38-10 |
| 7. |
Brent
Chapman |
Lake
Quivira, Kan. |
10 |
38-09 |
| 8. |
James
Niggemeyer |
Van,
Texas |
10 |
38-08 |
| 9. |
Kevin
VanDam |
Kalamazoo,
Mich. |
10 |
38-00 |
| 10. |
Stephen
Browning |
Hot
Springs, Ark. |
10 |
37-05 |
| 11. |
Tommy
Biffle |
Wagoner,
Okla. |
10 |
36-12 |
| 12. |
Jeff
Reynolds |
Idabel,
Okla. |
10 |
36-05 |
| 13. |
Alton
Jones |
Waco,
Texas |
10 |
36-01 |
| 14. |
Marty
Robinson |
Landrum,
S.C. |
10 |
35-07 |
| 15. |
Ben
Matsubu |
Hemphill,
Texas |
10 |
35-04 |
| 16. |
Bernie
Schultz |
Gainesville,
Fla. |
10 |
35-01 |
| 17. |
Morizo
Shimizu |
Murrieta,
Calif. |
10 |
34-11 |
| 18. |
Fred
Roumbanis |
Auburn,
Calif. |
10 |
34-09 |
| 19. |
Kevin
Wirth |
Crestwood,
Ky. |
10 |
33-04 |
| 20. |
Mike
McClelland |
Bella
Vista, Ark. |
10 |
33-01 |
| 21. |
Chris
Lane |
Winter
Haven, Fla. |
10 |
32-05 |
| 22. |
Bryan
Hudgins |
Orange
Park, Fla. |
10 |
32-02 |
| 23. |
Glenn
Delong |
Bellville,
Ohio |
10 |
31-11 |
| 24. |
Russ
Lane |
Prattville,
Ala. |
10 |
31-10 |
| 25. |
Bradley
Hallman |
Norman,
Okla. |
10 |
31-08 |
| 26. |
John
Crews |
Salem,
Va. |
10 |
31-07 |
| 27. |
Mike
Wurm |
Hot
Springs, Ark. |
10 |
31-02 |
| 28. |
Casey
Ashley |
Donalds,
S.C. |
10 |
30-13 |
| 29. |
Takahiro
Omori |
Emory,
Texas |
10 |
30-12 |
| 30. |
Skeet
Reese |
Auburn,
Calif. |
10 |
30-03 |
| 31. |
Greg
Hackney |
Gonzales,
La. |
10 |
30-01 |
| 32. |
Zell
Rowland |
Montgomery,
Texas |
10 |
30-00 |
| 32. |
Lee
Bailey |
Boaz,
Ala. |
10 |
30-00 |
| 34. |
Jeff
Kriet |
Ardmore,
Okla. |
10 |
29-15 |
| 35. |
Yusuke
Miyazaki |
Mineola,
Texas |
10 |
29-14 |
| 36. |
Dave
Wolak |
Wake
Forest, N.C. |
10 |
29-09 |
| 36. |
Greg
Gutierrez |
Red
Bluff, Calif. |
10 |
29-09 |
| 38. |
Scott
Rook |
Little
Rock, Ark. |
10 |
29-07 |
| 39. |
Cliff
Pace |
Petal,
Miss. |
10 |
29-06 |
| 40. |
Matthew
Sphar |
Pavilion,
N.Y. |
10 |
29-05 |
| 41. |
Preston
Clark |
Palatka,
Fla. |
10 |
29-04 |
| 41. |
Kenyon
Hill |
Norman,
Okla. |
10 |
29-04 |
| 43. |
Matt
Amedeo |
Clinton,
Ohio |
10 |
28-15 |
| 44. |
Bill
Lowen |
North
Bend, Ohio |
10 |
28-14 |
| 44. |
Jeff
Connella |
Bentley,
La. |
9 |
28-14 |
| 46. |
Kevin
Short |
Mayflower,
Ark. |
10 |
28-13 |
| 47. |
Mark
Tucker |
Saint
Louis, Mo. |
10 |
28-11 |
| 48. |
Denny
Brauer |
Camdenton,
Mo. |
10 |
28-09 |
| 49. |
James
Kennedy |
Lacombe,
La. |
10 |
28-08 |
| 50. |
Jeremy
Starks |
Charleston,
W.Va. |
10 |
28-03 |
| 51. |
Ishama
Monroe |
Hughson,
Calif. |
10 |
28-02 |
| 52. |
Matt
Reed |
Madisonville,
Texas |
10 |
27-08 |
| 52. |
Marty
Stone |
Fayetteville,
N.C. |
10 |
27-08 |
| 54. |
Michael
Iaconelli |
Runnemede,
N.J. |
10 |
26-10 |
| 55. |
Scott
Campbell |
Springfield,
Mo. |
10 |
26-06 |
| 56. |
Kurt
Dove |
Fairfax,
Va. |
10 |
26-05 |
| 57. |
Mark
Menendez |
Paducah,
Ky. |
10 |
26-01 |
| 58. |
Dean
Rojas |
Grand
Saline, Texas |
10 |
25-12 |
| 59. |
Britt
Myers |
Lake
Wylie, S.C. |
10 |
25-10 |
| 60. |
Ken
D Cook |
Lawton,
Okla. |
10 |
25-09 |
| 61. |
Steve
Kennedy |
Auburn,
Ala. |
10 |
25-01 |
| 62. |
Kelly
Jordon |
Mineola,
Texas |
10 |
24-15 |
| 63. |
Darrin
Schwenkbeck |
Silver
Spring, Md. |
10 |
24-14 |
| 64. |
Charlie
Hartley |
Grove
City, Ohio |
10 |
24-10 |
| 65. |
Todd
Faircloth |
Jasper,
Texas |
10 |
24-09 |
| 66. |
Elton
Luce Jr |
Brookeland,
Texas |
10 |
24-05 |
| 67. |
Davy
Hite |
Ninety
Six, S.C. |
10 |
24-02 |
| 68. |
Rick
Clunn |
Ava,
Mo. |
10 |
23-15 |
| 69. |
Brian
Snowden |
Reeds
Spring, Mo. |
10 |
23-10 |
| 70. |
Ken
Brodeur |
Niantic,
Conn. |
9 |
23-06 |
| 71. |
Peter
E Thliveros |
Jacksonville,
Fla. |
10 |
23-04 |
| 72. |
Rick
Ash |
Pottstown,
Pa. |
10 |
23-03 |
| 73. |
Kevin
Langill |
Terrell,
N.C. |
10 |
22-13 |
| 74. |
Pete
Ponds |
Madison,
Miss. |
10 |
22-07 |
| 75. |
Jimmy
Mize |
Ben
Lomond, Ark. |
10 |
22-06 |
| 76. |
Gary
Klein |
Weatherford,
Texas |
10 |
22-02 |
| 77. |
Terry
Scroggins |
San
Mateo, Fla. |
9 |
22-01 |
| 78. |
Boyd
Duckett |
Demopolis,
Ala. |
9 |
21-12 |
| 79. |
Dave
Smith |
Del
City, Okla. |
10 |
21-07 |
| 80. |
Charlie
Youngers |
Geneva,
Fla. |
10 |
21-02 |
| 81. |
Ray
Sedgwick |
Cross,
S.C. |
10 |
21-01 |
| 81. |
Timmy
Horton |
Muscle
Shoals, Ala. |
10 |
21-01 |
| 83. |
Mark
Rogers |
Naples,
Fla. |
7 |
20-14 |
| 84. |
Paul
Elias |
Laurel,
Miss. |
10 |
20-07 |
| 85. |
Jason
Williamson |
Aiken,
S.C. |
8 |
20-04 |
| 86. |
Paul
Hirosky |
Guys
Mills, Pa. |
10 |
20-01 |
| 87. |
Bradley
Stringer |
Huntington,
Texas |
8 |
20-00 |
| 88. |
Guy
Eaker |
Cherryville,
N.C. |
10 |
19-14 |
| 89. |
Gerald
Swindle |
Warrior,
Ala. |
10 |
19-11 |
| 90. |
Kotaro
Kiriyama |
Moody,
Ala. |
10 |
19-03 |
| 91. |
John
Murray |
Phoenix,
Ariz. |
10 |
19-02 |
| 92. |
Eric
Nethery |
Acworth,
Ga. |
10 |
18-05 |
| 93. |
Jami
Fralick |
Martin,
S.D. |
10 |
17-15 |
| 94. |
Randy
Howell |
Springville,
Ala. |
9 |
17-14 |
| 95. |
Grant
Goldbeck |
Gaithersburg,
Md. |
10 |
16-14 |
| 96. |
Byron
Velvick |
Del
Rio, Texas |
6 |
16-13 |
| 97. |
Frank
Scalish |
Cleveland
Heights, Ohi |
8 |
16-01 |
| 98. |
Jason
Quinn |
Lake
Wylie, S.C. |
8 |
15-14 |
| 99. |
Keith
Phillips |
Calera,
Ala. |
9 |
15-12 |
| 100. |
William
Smith |
Somerset,
Ky. |
10 |
15-10 |
| 101. |
Jim
Murray |
Arabi,
Ga. |
8 |
15-00 |
| 102. |
Edwin
Evers |
Talala,
Okla. |
5 |
13-14 |
| 103. |
Doc
Merkin |
Downers
Grove, Ill. |
6 |
13-13 |
| 104. |
Jimmy
Mason |
Rogersville,
Ala. |
8 |
11-01 |
| 105. |
Jon
Bondy |
Windsor,
Canada |
6 |
10-15 |
| 106. |
Steve
Daniel |
Clewiston,
Fla. |
6 |
10-10 |
| 107. |
Shaw
E Grigsby, Jr |
Gainesville,
Fla. |
7 |
10-01 |
| 108. |
Terry
Butcher |
Talala,
Okla. |
7 |
9-08 |
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