TRI-CITIES, Wash. – Morning light says a lot about a day’s fortune and the rippled bands of pink and orange erupting over the eastern horizon bespoke a promising development for Walmart FLW Series National Guard Western Division anglers launching into the Columbia River.
Cloudless mornings see a uniform emergence of gilded glow burgeoning unhindered into diurnal 
brightness. However, when clouds filter the day’s early light, dawn turns the sky into a colorful blend of cotton candy, and that promises sweet conditions for fishermen.
With evening rains on the way, partly cloudy skies should build throughout the day, and that will be a welcome break for anglers who have worked with the less-than-favorable scenario of high bright skies and minimal current for two windless days.
Several competitors have found good stringers, including the 17-pound, 3-ounce limit weighed on day two by third-place pro Roy Hawk. However, it has been a struggle and while the wind won’t blow much harder today, greater atmospheric density will definitely provide a welcome change.
Neil Russell of Nampa, Idaho, leads the Pro Division with 29 pounds, 10 ounces. An early topwater bite got things rolling, but he had to finish out his limit by going slow and deep with a drop-shot.
That has been the story for most anglers – topside action excels early as bass chase schooling shad near the surface, but once the sun heats the water, the bite moves lower. A variety of soft plastic presentations such as Carolina rigs, Texas rigs and tubes have done the job for deep fish.
If the clouds stick around today, anglers may see more topwater opportunity. Less sunlight will also keep the water temperatures lower and hopefully, the bass will stay out and feed longer instead of hugging their structure as they do on bright days.
Co-angler Robert Faaborg of Ramona, Calif., said he will throw a spinnerbait or a swimbait as long as 
cloudy conditions allow. The latter, he said, can be deadly on smallmouth staging in obvious ambush positions.
“When there are boulders or rock piles next to the grass, you drag (the swimbait) right across that structure and the fish just come out and pummel it,” he said.
Sitting just 5 ounces out of 10th place with 15 pounds, 9 ounces, Faaborg said he’s optimistic about his chances of making the top-10 cut: “I definitely think I have a shot at it. The weights are bunched up, so it’s anyone’s game.”
Boaters have been split between running downriver and locking through to the lower pool at the McNary Dam and shooting up the Columbia River, possibly branching into the Snake River.
On day two, Russell fished within 25 miles of the Columbia Point launch site, but said he’ll change up for day three: “I’m going to do something different and go to an area I haven’t fished. I’m going to run up the Snake River and lock through (at Ice Harbor Dam). I might be able to get a good bag up there, or I might get 7 to 8 pounds and then come back down and try to increase on that. I don’t know, but I need to see if they’re eating up there or not.”
Second-place pro David Kromm trails Russell by a pound and 5 ounces. He’ll run downriver, lock through at McNary Dam and fish his numerous spots.
“I have millions of spots down there to fish and hopefully, I pick the right ones.”
Logistics
Anglers will take off from Columbia Point Marina located at 660 Columbia-Point Drive at 6:30 each 
morning. Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3:00 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 2801 Duportail St. in Richland at 4 p.m. Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday’s weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Wal-Mart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include the Kellogg’s trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.
The entire field competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three based on the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days. Pros are fishing for a top prize of $125,000 and co-anglers are competing for a $25,000 award.
Friday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:40 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 59 degrees
Expected high temperature: 87 degrees
Water temperature: 65 degrees
Wind: NW at 1-5 mph
Humidity: 30 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy with evening rains