UMATILLA, Ore. – With water levels dropping, the bite getting tougher and a crucial top-10 cut looming, Walmart FLW Series anglers had plenty to think about as they departed Umatilla Marina shortly after 6:30 a.m. amid a welcome combination of gorgeous skies and significantly lighter winds.
For the pro field, Friday’s competition is the most important to date as only the top 10 pros will move on to Saturday’s final round of tournament action. For the co-anglers, today means everything as a champion will be crowned shortly after the closing of the weigh-in scales later this afternoon.
While winds shouldn’t be much of a problem today, the changing water levels could dramatically affect the field – especially those targeting fish in the lower pools of the Columbia River.
“The water has dropped around 3 feet, and the guys who are fishing around here are going to struggle,” said Ron Mace of Kennewick, Wash., who currently sits in third place overall in the standings. “I think things could change a lot today because of the falling water. I’ve fished this river for 30 years, and I’ve seen it over and over again. When the water falls on this river, it just really shuts down those fish.”
As a result, Mace said he’s going to continue with his high-risk, high-reward strategy of running nearly 100 miles one way upriver. The reasons are three-fold.
“The water levels won’t be as low, and it’s a lot calmer as well,” said Mace. “Also, a lot of the bass upriver have yet to spawn, so there are still plenty of larger females. Bass around here (in the lower pools) are suspending, and they’re really hard to catch. That’s why you’re seeing 8- and 10-pound limits caught around here, because people are really only catching the males.”
Whether or not Mace’s strategy pays off has yet to be determined. But it does, in fact, appear that the winning fish are, more likely than not, going to come from the pools in the upper river.
Currently, Ronald Hobbs Jr. of Orting, Wash. (who is also making a huge run upriver to target spawning bass), and Joseph Caporuscio of Coto De Caza, Calif., are tied for the overall lead with a two-day catch of 25 pounds, 10 ounces.
Meanwhile, Gary Haraguchi of Brentwood, Calif., has led all co-anglers throughout each day of tournament action to date. Heading into Friday’s final round of co-angler action, Haraguchi boasts a two-day catch of 20 pounds, 5 ounces – nearly 2 pounds more than his next closest rival, Chad Leblanc of Sutter, Calif.
Odds and ends
Anglers not only will be gunning for the tournament title this week but also their share of the lucrative $900,000 total purse. Throughout the week, pros will be battling for a top award of upwards of $125,000, while co-anglers will be angling for a first-place prize of $25,000.
In addition to the Columbia River purse, all anglers will be competing for valuable points in the hope of qualifying for a shot at advancing to the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup in 2010, where the winning pro will earn as much as $1 million – the sport’s biggest award.
Bass-fishing fans take note
During FLW Series competition, anglers will take off from Umatilla Marina, located at 1710 Quincy Avenue in Umatilla, Ore., at 6:30 each morning. For the first three days of tourney action, weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart store located at 1350 N 1st St. in Hermiston, Ore., beginning 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 Walmart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include a trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games.
All activities are free and open to the public.
Want to watch the weigh in live but can’t make it in person? Then tune into FLW Live on FLWOutdoors.com shortly before 2:30 p.m. Pacific time to watch live streaming video and audio of today’s opening-round weigh-in.
FLW Series action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time at Umatilla Marina, located at 1710 Quincy Avenue in Umatilla, Ore.
Friday’s conditions
Sunrise: 5:09 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 56 degrees
Expected high temperature: 83 degrees
Water temperature: 62-65 degrees
Wind: W at 5-10 mph
Maximum humidity: 32 percent
Day’s outlook: mostly sunny