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The California Delta has been stingy with big limits of bass this year. The weights at tournaments have been miserly down compared to years past. Let us hope the Delta is going through a low / bad cycle and rebound soon – hopeful fishing will be impressive soon. The weather leading up to the Yak A Bass event was extremely windy with winds reaching 20 miles per hour almost every day. There were several launch ramps available for the anglers to choose from so the option to get out of the windy locations came to play. However, leading up to the two-day tournament the wind forecast was promising with calmer days with winds increasing later in the evening on day one but day two the wind was going to return. Day one the tide was promising with several feet of incoming and outgoing water; however, day two the tide was only a 1-foot incoming with two feet of outgoing all day long. Day two the tide was going to test the anglers and prove that the best anglers would shine.
Day two ended at 1:30 PM and Isaih West wins with a two-day total of 166.50” besting second place by an impressive 6.75”. West fished the north-east section of the Delta and started off with a spinner bait along the rip rap banks. He caught only small fish on his spinner bait.
“The tide hit at 10:40 AM so I decided to start punching and caught my better fish.” West said, “On day two, I started further south than day one with a spinner bait and caught nothing.”
Day two, West caught his better fish punching a Googan’s bandito bait in green pumpkin and natural craw. The weed mats West was working on were super shallow along rip rap banks. The current caused an eddy and that is where he caught his bigger fish punching. Day one compared to day two the areas were different locations but the same type of structure.
“The 5” Senko in Junebug helped me catch my limit on day two.”
West used his spinning rod with 10-pound braid to a 10-pound leader to fish his Senko. West thanked Yak A Bass for putting on this event and his family for all their support.
Paul Mata came in second place with a two-day total of 159.75”. Mata launched at the far east side of the Delta in search of weed beds near the deep-water channel. On day one, the wind was flexing its muscles where Mata launched so his key baits were a chatter bait and square bill but upgraded up with a Choppo.
“I focused on the edge of weed lines near the deep-water channel.” Mata said, “Day two, I fished lake Washington and caught most of my better fish in less than one foot of water.”
Both of his big fish came at the last minute just across from the ramp. Day-one big fish came with only one minute left of the day and day two was about 30 minutes left.
“I caught a big fish on day two that would have culled several inches, but I took the picture 20 seconds after time had run out.”
Mata thanked his wife Laurn for all her support and James Synder for putting on such a great event.
Alden Walden finished in third place with a two-day total of 158.75”. Alden caught all his fish punching a BL8NKT collaboration colored D Bomb called the Delta Bug.
“The incoming tide was best for me during both days.”
On day one, Walden caught over 20 fish punching his Delta Bug D bomb including tons of smaller fish. Day two was a good day with over 40 fish caught during the day.
“Around 9 AM the tide was right, and the fish turned on.” Walden said, “I was lucky enough to catch a giant that helped me move from 20th place to 3rd overall.”
Walden’s giant fish went 25.25” a true Delta giant.
“Many of my fish, including the big fish, appeared to still be fully in the pre-spawn phase.”
Walden thanked the Dark Horse crew for all the great times and Yak A Bass for putting on a great event.
Top Ten:
1. Isiah West 166.50”
2. Paul Mata 159.75”
3.Alden Walden 158.75”
4. Brandon Miller 158.50”
5. Mathew Brannon 158.25”
6. Shaun Leytem 156.00”
7. Caymen Rasmussen 155.50”
8. Justin Dutcher 155.25”
9. Fabian Briones 154.25”
10. York Sell 153.75”
Big Fish:
Alden Walden 24.25”
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