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The weather was typical for the 2023 season, windy and cold with the water temperatures ranging from 50 to 53 degrees, the air temperature was pushing high 30’s to low 50’s. The wind was calm early but reached speeds of 20 – 25 mph later in the afternoon. Millerton lake was extremely tough for everyone due to the lake water management would drop the water level several feet in a single day and then rise several feet days later. Let’s just say with the water fluctuating, the fish and fishermen were both feeling stressed and confused dealing with extreme changing conditions. Kong Yang found the secret bait and location to catch 74.25” for the win. Yang cranked a River2sea tactical DD in shad color early to catch his bigger fish.
“My arms are hurting from cranking most of the day.” “I would hit the rock, pause, and then crank real fast again, most of the bites came right at the kayak.”
The structure he caught his fish on was on the side of a point that had big rocks. He worked both sides of the point about a 20-yard stretch. After about a half hour his crank bite was done; however, he did stick with the crank bite throughout the day. Yang decided to make a long hour run near the river where he caught drop-shot fish in 20’ of water to fill his limit and cull a few key fish. Yangs key to his drop-shot fish was a bare bottom with a mud a flat. He caught his drop-shot fish on a Megabass Hazedong shad.
“I would see the fish on my graph and drop down and catch them.”
Yang thanked his wife and kids for all their support, but especially his wife for taking care of their kids while he is out fishing. He also thanked his sponsor Vida Care Home Health for all their support.
John Myers finished in second with 73.00”. He said that there was a point leading into a cove that was his magical spot, the windy side. Myers caught a few fish on a Ned rig but did the most damage on an underspin with a Keitech 3.3” rainbow shad.
“It was a point that had wind blowing on it and the fish kept reloading.”
“First cast with the underspin, I caught a fish, and then the very next cast, caught another fish. I spot locked on that point and caught 5 fish in 5 consecutive cast.”
Myers thanked his wife for all her support all these years. He also thanked Super Clean, Wild West Bass, Lunker Daddy lures, Stage Stop Gun Shop, and TM custom lures for all their support. A big shout out to Headwater Adventures kayak shop in Redding for their support and Slay Nation for putting on the tournament.
Pang En finished in third place with 71.25”. En ran up the river and caught his first fish on a ½ ounce Keitech jig off a point. He also caught fish on a drop-shot with a ¼ ounce tungsten weight with a 6” brown and purple trick worm.
“The chunk rock was what I caught all my fish on, had to be a point and the fish were on the side.”
The river channel reminded him of a lake he fishes all time, so he was comfortable fishing that structure. En fished in 20 feet of water to fill his limit.
“This is my first tournament that I have ever fished.”
En thanked his buddy Salvador Arceo for his support and suggesting him to go fishing in this tournament. It was Arceo first tournament as well.
1. Kong Yang 74.25”
2. John Myers 73.00”
3. Pang En 71.25,
4. Daigo Kobayashi 71.00”
5. Salvador Arceo 70.75”
6. Robert Yamamoto 67.75”
7. Shane Jones 60.00”
8. Pua Yang 58.25”
9. Anthony Nordstrom 46.25”
10. Gustavo Rojas 45.25”
Big Fish:
Anthoney Nordstrom 20.25”
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