Tosh Takes the Lead on Day 2 at the Delta
BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. – As anglers began launching their boats at Bethel Island, a magnitude 4.1 earthquake rattled residents still slumbering in bed, its epicenter just 21 miles from takeoff. The tremor was a harbinger of a shake-up atop the leaderboard on Day 2 of the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Western Division event on the California Delta.
Building on a big Day 1, Stephen “Bub” Tosh moved from second to first with 16 pounds, 6 ounces on Day 2 for a 41-1 total. Just ounces behind him, Day 1 leader Ronald Lorenzo put up 13-3 for a 40-14 total and second-place position. Tomorrow, on Friday’s final day, the Top 25 will head out, and based on the ceiling and volatility of the Delta, it could be anyone’s game.
Going into the tournament, Tosh set 62 pounds as a benchmark for winning the event. With just one day left to fish, the Modesto, California, angler sits 21 pounds off his mark — an achievable bag on this poundcake-producing fishery by any measure. The new tournament leader says 62 pounds is still his goal, though he expects average bag weights to drop on Day 3 as winds increase over the waterway.
“The wind is going to be way harder,” Tosh said. “If that happens, the weights are going to take a big dive. Most guys are saying 58-59 pounds wins, but I still think it takes 20 pounds a day on the Delta.”
Despite boating nearly 25 pounds on Day 1, Tosh’s rhythm was disrupted on Day 2 by the changing conditions.
“My first limit weighed about 7 pounds and I culled up to 16,” he said. “I never got what I consider the right ones today. My biggest fish was like 3.40. They were all just little short clones and I caught 25 of those to get what I had.”
Fishing mostly water he left untouched on the first day, Tosh noticed a peculiar trend along the way: instead of being beneath the mats he was targeting, the bass were hanging out in the open around the edges. That lead him to switch what passes for finesse in his arsenal — a wacky-rigged Senko with 20-pound line. That move left him staring at 5-pounders that wouldn’t bite, and left his co-angler breathless in the back at times.
“He told me I was on more fish than he had ever seen,” Tosh said.
Tosh said he missed one goliath in the tules, but the monster bite never rounded home plate. Still, the change-up was enough to bring him within striking distance of a valuable championship on one of the most competitive playing grounds in all of bass fishing.
Tosh is emphatic about his mindset going into Day 3. He desperately wants to finish the tournament on top.
“It’s not about glamour or getting on the website,” he said. “It’s about winning right here on the Delta. I fished my entire life for moments like this. I practiced my entire life for moments like this. This is what I live for.”
As a Toyota Series championship hangs in the balance, Tosh believes he will need to change his game plan to bring home the trophy.
“My goal is not going to change, but hopefully the wind in the morning helps me catch a few where I didn’t catch them all week,” he said. “My mornings have been tragic. If I can catch something in the morning, I think tomorrow is going to be a big day. If I can get one 6-pounder, it’s all over.”
Top 10 Pros
1. Stephen Tosh Jr. – 41 – 1 (10)
2. Ronald Lorenzo – 40 – 14 (10)
3. Nick Salvucci – 39 – 14 (10)
4. Randy Pierson – 39 – 6 (10)
5. Phillip Dutra – 39 – 6 (10)
6. Christian Ostrander – 36 – 14 (10)
7. Cristian Melton – 36 – 13 (10)
8. Lane Olson – 36 – 2 (10)
9. Gregg Leonard – 35 – 13 (10)
10. Gary Collins – 34 – 12 (10)
Bern Hopes for Wire-To-Wire Win on Strike King Co-angler Side
San Rafael, California, native Scott Bern added 11 pounds even to his 15-3 total on Day 1 to lead all co-anglers by less than a pound with 26-3. Bern, who said he liked fishing the co-angler division as a cost-effective way to enjoy high-level tournament fishing, relied on a combination of tactics to deal the damage today.
“I’m looking forward to it. It was a grind today but I stuck with what got me here,” Bern said. “I got my limit with a drop-shot and tried to adapt where I could.”
One more day of adaptation could net Bern a trophy of his own, alongside bragging rights back home.
Top 10 Strike King Co-anglers
1. Scott Bern – 26 – 3 (10)
2. Tyson Christman – 25 – 7 (10)
3. Seth McLain – 24 – 13 (10)
4. Brandon Gee – 22 – 12 (10)
5. Tracy Patton – 22 – 4 (10)
6. Scott Davis – 22 – 4 (10)
7. Dominick Mohameds – 22 – 0 (10)
8. David Zavvar – 21 – 0 (9)
9. Ryan Matsuura – 20 – 14 (10)
10. Casey Dunn – 20 – 12 (10)