This year western bass fishing fans will welcome the long-awaited return of the Bassmaster Elite Series. The western swing of the Series will come to the California Delta in late April and move on to Lake Havasu in early May.
One half of a decade has passed since the Elites anglers have blasted off on western waters. Their 2010 stop which took place on March 11 - 14 was won by John Crews of Salem, Virginia (72 lbs, 6 oz). Delta local Skeet Reese took the runner up position (72 lbs, 5 oz).
Most anglers have been expressing excitement about the return.
Brandon Palaniuk
I love it. I think the more diversity we can have in our schedule, the better it is to play to a lot of different guys fishing strengths. If we just fished the Tennessee river all year long obviously the guy from Tennessee is going to have the best chance. To me, this schedule is the best since I've been around.
I've never fished the Delta. I have heard so much about it. I have fished Havasu once before. I am excited to fish it, because it reminds me of home. I like the smallmouth/largemouth mix.
Brett Hite
I am excited. One reason that I wanted to fish the Bassmaster Series is that they go to western venues. I've won major tournament at the Delta. It is probably one of my favorite places to fish in the country.
I am not sure launching in Sacramento will show off the venue as good as it could, but it is still going to be a good tournament. That time of year, the fishing is going to be really good. The fish are going to be in all different stages - pre spawn, post spawn and spawning fish.
As for Havasu, the last six to eight years, it has turned into a tremendous fishery for largemouth and smallmouth. It will be the same scenario, there will be fish in all different stages, doing all sorts of things. I think there will be all sorts of opportunities to catch fish at both venues in many different styles. The fishermen should spread out and not be bunched in one area, all doing the same thing. I think these fisheries will show very versatile fishing.
Mike Iaconelli
I am so excited to get back to the West. I couldn't be more excited to get out there. I've fished out there before primarily the Delta and Clear Lake and it is always in my top-5 places to fish. The last time we were there John Crews won and I had a top-5. I was right there again, which is always exciting.
It's a tidal river, which is kind of like what I fished growing up. I have fished up there in Sacramento before when I was filming a City Limits.
About Havasu - I am super-excited. First, because I have never fished a tournament there. Up until this past fall, I hadn't never even been there. Now that I've seen it, I think it is going to be an amazing, amazing tournament. I think there will be a lot of big fish caught in that one and it's got smallmouth in it and that's kind of my style too.
The other neat thing is that the two little kids are going to be with me for that trip, so we're going to make an exciting trip out of it. We will make some stops on the way there and on the way back, like the Grand Canyon, so that is going to be super neat.
Brent Ehrler
I am excited. I haven't fished out here since 2010. I like Havasu and the Delta both. I love fishing out West. I think that my odds are better on Havasu, but there is just something that I love about fishing Delta.
Kevin Hawk
I am looking forward to coming to the Delta. Growing up in California, I had the opportunity to fish the Delta a few times in the West Coast circuits. I haven't been out West in five years. I am looking forward to getting back out there and fishing some water that I've been on before and have some familiarity with. I am also looking forward to seeing some friends and family.
The Arizona stop at Havasu is about five and 1/2 hours from where I lived in San Diego and I probably fished there a dozen times or so in my life. It is probably one of my favorite fisheries ever, because it is a great largemouth and smallmouth lake and you have so many options of where to fish - the river, shallow dirty water, the main lake - just so many options that is a really fun place to try to figure out.
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