OROVILLE, Calif. – The first day of the 2021 Wild West Bass Trail (WWBT) Kayak Championship on the Thermalito Afterbay presented by Headwaters Kayak closed with John Myers of Atwater, Calif., leading the 46-angler field with 75.25” for five fish.
Following his launch at Monument ramp, Myers made a 40-minute run north to pick up his first bass.
“I fished about 10 minutes and got that one,” he said.
Myers then relocated with another 20-minute run to pick up his next.
“It was about two miles away,” he revealed. “I went in and must have made five or six casts and got no bites. I was going to leave; but I looked at that same spot and it just looked right. I made another cast, and it was my big fish. I just gave it a little different angle. So then, I decided maybe I needed to go back and forth on the areas and that’s exactly what I started doing.”
Myers filled out his limit before 1 p.m.
“I am fishing a very specific pattern,” he said. “I’m throwing a reaction bait. One lure on 20-pound P-Line Tactical fluoro caught all my fish.”
Myers goes into Day Two feeling good and plans to duplicate his long run.
“Tomorrow it’s going to be sunny, and I am hoping for a little wind,” he said. “If it warms up, I have an idea of what I am going to do; but either way, my motto is have fun, work hard and adapt as quick as possible.”
Myers expressed appreciation for Super Clean and Wild West for the opportunity of the Championship.
Sitting in 2nd is Julio De La Rosa of Chico, Calif., with 73.50”.
De La Rosa was the only other angler to land five-fish for the day. He got his first one in just before 7 a.m.
“I got that bite, but it was pretty rough in the morning,” he said. “It didn’t pick up for me until 10 or 11 a.m.”
De La Rosa revealed he was fishing a finesse technique.
“I stayed close to shore and hit tules all day,” he added.
He plans to repeat a 20-minute northern run to start the day and is feeling confident that his area is holding another full limit in the same class size.
De La Rosa was appreciative of the sponsors that keep in competition.
“I would like to thank MotorGuide,” he said. “They help me get to more spots and be more efficient on the water and a big shoutout to Amped Outdoors that powers all my electronics.”
Climbing into the last spot in the top-trio was Garrett Clark of Elk Grove, Calif. with four keepers that went 63.50”.
Clark was surprised at his standing as his pre fish was less than stellar.
“I had no plan going in and had to scramble today,” he said. “I was just doing the opposite of pre fish because that was such a bust.”
Clark started with finesse in the morning but broke off a fish and then just covered water.
“I was able to get my four fish that I had in the last 90 minutes of the day, along with one that was short,” he said. “My finesse bite in the morning was on a Bass Union EWG Ned Head, besides that I was just moving and trying out a bunch of baits.”
Day Two’s starting point is up in the air for Clark.
“Honestly, I just don’t know,” he said. “Where I went was a slower bite in the morning, so I may just go look for one or two bigger fish in the south half of the lake and then end my day on the north side.”
He is feeling relaxed about the final day’s competition.
“I wasn’t anticipating being in the position of top-3 today, so it’s kind of just go out and fish tomorrow,” he said.
Fellow California anglers Griffith Garrabrant of Oakland, with 56.25” and Kong Her, of Oroville, with 54.50” round out the top-five after four keepers each.
Daniel Balaba of Richmond, Calif., reeled in the biggest bass at 19.75”. He currently sits in 8th place with 38.50”, after adding one more bass at 18.75” to his total.
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