Copperopolis, Calif. – Holding on to his top-spot from Day One, Garrett Clark of Elk Grove, Calif., claimed the win at the Wild West Bass Trail Kayak Pro Tour (KPT) at Lake Tulloch presented by Headwaters Adventure Company. On the final day of competition, Clark added 84.00” to his Day One’s total of 86.75”, tallying 170.75” for his two days on the water.
Employing similar strategy both days, Clark focused on two techniques
The first half of the day, I was throwing a wacky-style, weedless Senko on a Spearpoint Hook, making a long casts over deeper grass in about 6- to 10-feet,” he revealed. “The fish were hitting it on the fall.”
Clark described his Senko as a 5-inch, goby color.
“I was making really long casts where the fish weren’t able to see me, because they were really skittish all weekend long,” he explained. “I had to dead stick and just pay attention to the line because the bites were really subtle – just a small tick or swimming off.”
The remainder of the day, he targeted bed fish.
“I had to find fish that were really committed and when I located them, I had to stay way off of them, “he said. “It was at least 15 yards and use my Power-Pole to keep me in position.”
He rigged his bed bait on a Bass Union EWG Ned Head and rotated between a Z-Man TRD in Coppertrues and The Deal in a shad-pattern.
“Once I got a few and filled out my limit, I started looking for bigger size bed fish and became a little more selective about what I was going to spend my time on,” he added.
His last fish of the day was his biggest and fell to a green pumpkin/purple Bass Union Finesse Jig with a custom-poured, green pumpkin trailer.
“I didn’t have one single topwater fish to show for the day,” he said. “Everything I found was either fan-casting spawning flats or from a handful of bed fish.”
Clark expressed appreciation to his wife and his sponsors Dakota Lithium, Bass Union, Woo! Tungsten, MyGoToLender.com and Quantum Fishing.
John Myers of Atwater, Calif., finished the final day with 88.50”, the largest five of the event. He added the length to his 79.75” from Day One and climbed into the runner-up position with a tournament-total of 168.25”.
Myers credited his ability to keep an open mind to adjust and for his success.
“I like fishing specific docks on Tulloch, and I started off with that, but didn’t get bit and I told myself that I needed stop trying to fish the lake and go figure out what the fish were doing right now,” he explained.
His most productive bait was a Keitech. He chose bold bluegill, shad, and occasionally sexy shad.
“I fished them on a ball head,” he said. “I used a 2.8 as I cruised along the shore looking for beds and then a 3.8 when I found a bed fish. I didn’t catch any from beds on the first day; but I caught more bed fish that not on the second day.
A five-inch Yamamoto Senko in 925 landed three of his fish on Day One, as he targeted docks.
“For me, the most important part of the tournament is that I fished clean,” he said. “I fish boat tournaments too and I don’t ever lose fish when I’m fishing from a boat; but I lose a lot when I fish from a kayak; but this time I didn’t.”
Myer expressed his gratitude for his sponsors – TM Custom Baits, Ryan Cook Fishing, Lunker Daddy Fishing Lures, and Stage Stop Gun Shop.
Zachary Christensen of Waterford, Calif. round out the top-three, with 80.75” on Day One and 77.75” from Day Two. His 10 fish put a two-day total of 158.50” on the board.
The KPT is brought to the anglers with the support of Headwaters Adventure Company.
“Headwaters is located in Redding, and they are a one-stop shop for paddle sports of all kinds,” said Jeremy DeHart of Wild West Bass Trail. “They’ve really gotten behind the kayak bass fishing anglers and are sponsoring our whole tour for the year.”
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