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Eastman lake has been extremely tough fishing this last month or two. The lake level was dropping several feet per day and has pulled most of the fish offshore and they are suspended. The small bait fish including Crappie, Bass, Shad and Bluegill are all being eaten by the bass. Anglers have said that there is so much food for the bass that the artificial lures are not catching fish. One angler stated that the schools of Crappie are so big that they look like clouds of baitfish. Anglers that fish our California lakes all know that when the lakes are drawn down for irrigation during the summer that fishing can be stingy at best, most would say it is impossible to get a bite, even some anglers just refuse to fish when the lakes are being drawn down. At every tournament there is always a winner and at Eastman when fishing was at its toughest, Eli Veregge wins with 38.00” besting second place by 14.5”. Eastman only gave up 14 fish out of 29 anglers, that is tough fishing. Add the summer heat reaching over 100 degrees, fishing was brutal. Veregge found a main lake cut that held the winning fish. He used a drop-shot rig to catch his fish. Veregge finessed a 3.5” worm to entice this winning bag.
“Moon Juice from Strike King was the color I used.” said Veregge, “The size of the Moon Juice was the size of the bait fish around me.”
Veregge’s first fish had swam into a brush pile when he caught it, this keyed him into where to fish. The structure was rock with brush in 10- to 15-feet of water. Veregge worked that one cove all day to catch three keepers for his win.
“I knew going into this tournament that slowing down and finesse fishing was going to be the key.” said Veregge, “Once I caught my first fish, I stayed in the cove the whole day.”
“This was my first win.” said Veregge, “I have been trying for a long time and finally won one.”
Veregge decision to stay and finesse that small 3.5” Strike King Moon Juice in that cut was the juice to his win. The key was to get that lure in the right spot was isolated wood to get his keeper bites. Veregge thanked his father first and foremost, Fred Veregge. Fred goes with his son to each tournament and has taught his son everything he knows about fishing. Veregge also thanked the rest of his family and his sponsors for all their support.
David Oien captures second place with 23.50”. Oien caught two keepers all day but still was enough to take second place.
“I went all the way upriver to this step wall and caught my first keeper.” Oien said, “I caught everything on the big TRD.”
Oien saw some submerged rock piles and casted to those rocks to catch his second fish. Oien saw huge schools of small game fish in the area he was fishing. He fished in 8-to 12-feet of water on rock and wood to catch his fish.
“There were hundreds of small bass and crappie around me.” said Oien, “I think this is why I was able to catch the two keepers.”
Slay Nation’s rules state that anglers can measure fish 10" or longer to the leader board.
“One of my fish was only 10” long, but it made the difference for my total inches.” said Oien, “It was not that much of a fish, but it was nice to catch that fish.”
Oien thanked his buddies Gustavo Rojas and Shawn Campos for the ride to the lake and hanging out with them during these events they attend.
Top Ten:
1. Eli Veregge 38.00”
2. David Oien 23.50”
3. Salvador Arceo 17.00”
4. Keith Gouveia 15.75”
5. Pua Yang 15.00”
6. Robert Yamamoto 12.75”
7. Jesus Reyes 12.00”
Big Fish:
Salvador Arceo 17.00”
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