At Escanaba, it’s rain and shine on day four
Early morning rain clouds expected to make way for sunny skies in the afternoon
ESCANABA, Mich. – The final-round pros and co-anglers in the EverStart Northern Division event on Lake Michigan took off on day four beneath a different sky, as the remaining rain clouds from an early morning rain lingered above Escanaba Harbor. So far this week rain has not been an issue, and though the sidewalks and parking lots were still wet this morning, the rain is expected to move out quickly, replaced by the sunny skies that shone on days one through three.
Concerning competitors more than the morning rain, however, was the westerly direction of the wind. The wind has blown from the south all week, and at least one top-10 pro expected a rough ride to his fishing hole.
“I’m a little worried about getting out there this morning,” said Richard Lowitzki, currently No. 2 with a day-three limit that weighed 19 pounds, 6 ounces. “I don’t really think it’s going to affect my fish at all, though. I found a new slew of them yesterday.”
Current leader David Gliebe, who caught the tournament’s heaviest stringer thus far yesterday at 22-4, said he thinks the rain might even help the bite.
“I don’t mind the rain,” Gliebe said. “It will probably make it better – oxygenate the water.”
Though Gliebe set a high watermark yesterday, establishing a 2-pound, 14-ounce lead, the fact remains he only caught five keepers yesterday.
“As long as they bite I should weigh 20 pounds or more – if I catch five,” he said.
No. 3 pro Rick Taylor said he’s depending on the sun to stimulate his fish and is therefore hoping the forecasts are correct and that the sun is indeed going to come out this afternoon.
“That’s going to be a tough deal because the fish I’m catching are relating to the sun,” he said. “My bite has been best in the afternoon. Lowitzki caught them early yesterday, and I fished mine to the last stinking minute.”
Taylor also predicts a slugfest today, saying competitors will “absolutely, positively” haul in hefty stringers today, unlike the opening round, when the weights fell off a bit on the second day. Lowitzki concurs.
“I think there’s going to be some fish weighed in,” he said. “If I can get away from my nerves, I’ll be all right. There’s nobody fishing the area I found yesterday.”
With all-new variables at hand, today’s weigh-in should be a nailbiter. The action begins at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 601 N. Lincoln in Escanaba. Friday’s weights carry over to Saturday, and each division’s winner will be determined by two-day combined weight.
The winning pro earns an Evinrude- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 519VX equipped with Garmin electronics, a Minn Kota trolling motor and EverStart batteries plus $10,000 cash. If the winner is the original owner of a Ranger boat that is used during the tournament, the winner also receives a $10,000 bonus from Ranger for a top pro award of $60,000. If the winning pro is a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award another $3,000 cash (or $1,500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant if not the winner), and Yamaha will match 50 percent of Ranger Cup winnings if the angler’s boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard. Garmin will award the winning pro $1,000 if he uses only Garmin electronics and at least one unit is a qualifying unit, thus boosting potential winnings for the top pro to $65,500.
The winning co-angler receives $5,000 cash, and if the winner is a Ranger boat owner, Ranger will award a new Ranger 519VX for a total prize package worth $35,000.
Saturday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 7:04 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 64 degrees
Expected high temperature: 78 degrees
Wind: from the west-southwest at 11 mph
Maximum humidity: 68 percent
Day’s outlook: rain showers ending this morning with mostly sunny conditions in the afternoon