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Yak-A-Bass has a close race for the Angler of the Year (AOY) between three anglers Greg Blanchard, Brandon Miller and Pua Yang. Yak-A-Bass draws the most anglers in California’s kayak community; correspondingly, to become AOY, one has to be incredibly consistent. Yak-A-Bass has seven events with a Tournament of Champion (TOC) at the end of the year. There is one throw out so each angler can remove the worst finish and take their top seven event points (the TOC counts for points). This cumulation of points right now is really close for the top three anglers. Greg Blanchard has 978 points; Brandon Miller has 975 points and Pua Yang has 965 points, a total of just 13 points difference between the top three anglers. It is anyone’s game to become the 2023 AOY. There are two more events that remain for the 2023 season with both being two-day tournaments. The biggest factor is the next event at the California Delta that runs in conjunction with the West Coast Championship (WCC). The WCC is a two-day event that runs on Friday and Saturday, the WCC can have 100 to 150 anglers register for this event and then the Chris Laird Memorial is on Saturday and Sunday (points for Yak-A-Bas). With so many anglers registered for these events this means that just 1” can be 10 places or more. Things are going to be shaken up at the end of the Delta event. After interviewing each angler, this is their game plan at the California Delta and their focus to achieve AOY.
Greg Blanchard predicts that AOY may come down to the last tournament and the last day at Berryessa. He is going to practice for the Delta event for at least 3 days if not 4 days and take Thursday off. Blanchard knows there is tremendous consideration for how he must manage his fish for the three days. He realizes that he cannot burn his fish on day one of the WCC, when the Yak-A-Bass points event is being held the following two days.
“We all know how the Delta is fishing this year, so it is going to be tricky to find the bigger fish.” Blanchard said, “If I beat Bam and Pua by 13 and 10 points, theoretically, I can clench AOY at the next event.”
Blanchard’s game plan is to get a limit early and then go to the big sticks, a frog and punch rod.
“The bigger fish I have caught on the Delta have been on the frog rod and punch rod.”
Like Blanchard stated about predicting the AOY coming down to the last day at Berryessa, he hopes that he can clench AOY at the Delta.
“I feel more confident at the Delta compared to Lake Berryessa.”
Blanchard’s focus at the Delta is going to be launching where everything is within a short run, meaning that he can fish the main channel, have frog water, punch water and moving water. His key tide is a high tide early in the morning and then the outgoing to low tide in the afternoon so he can frog and punch. The predicted tide during the Delta event is going to feed right into his game plan. Blanchard wishes the best of luck to both Brandon Miller and Pua Yang for the last event, but he plans to seal the deal at the Delta.
Brandon Miller is not going to be able to practice for the Delta event due to his work schedule. His game plan is to fish the main channel locations and hopefully get a 5 fish limit quick and then go from there.
“I will be looking for those 17-to-18-inch fish.” Miller said, “Based on the fish weighed in tournaments at the Delta this year.”
Miller’s game plan is to start off the morning with a topwater bait and a frog for the bigger bites and then flipping and covering water with a chatterbait to fill his limit.
“I prefer the outgoing to low tide.” Miller said, “And the low light conditions to entice the bigger bites.”
Miller is going to hit some very specific key locations in the morning in hopes to get those big bites early. Once the tide starts to move out, he plans to cover water with reaction baits.
“In years past during the summer months, I have found the main channel holds the larger schools of feeding bass.” Miller said, “If I can figure out where the fish are early, I can follow them as the tide changes.”
Miller has years of experience on the Delta and knows that when fishing from a kayak, being able to adapt to the constantly changing conditions is going to be the key to finishing on top of the field.
“Greg, I am coming for you!” Miller expressed with a rigid voice, “I wish him the best, but I'm giving my best.”
“If Greg and I mess up, Pua is right there.” Miller said, “I have zero wiggle room to mess up because I have used my throw out.”
“If I don’t win AOY, I wish them both the best of luck.” Miller said, “they are both great guys.”
Pua Yang’s game plan is to do a great deal of flipping, pitching and punching, he’ll have the big sticks in hand. Yang plans on fishing tule Islands and grass flats. Yang has done extremely well at the Delta and considers the Delta his home waters. He has won several monthly events and won both one- and two-day events on his home waters. When it comes to knowing how the tide positions the fish, Yang can pinpoint the Delta bass movement as the tide changes. Yang has one of the highest percentages of winning the WCC and the Chris Laird Memorial at the Delta.
“It comes down to the day of the tournament to find where the fish are located.” said Yang, “The deeper end or the shallow ends of structure.”
Yang is going to concentrate on grass along the rock banks during the lower tide. He favors fishing grass structure at the Delta during the summer months.
“First and foremost, I want to wish both Bam and Greg the best of luck.” Yang said, “I want to know whoever wins AOY that they will buy the other two dinner, but they have to agree beforehand.”
“I’m buying.” Yang said with a confident wicked smile on his face.
These three anglers have countless days of experience on the California Delta as was conversed in their interviews. It is going to come down to who can get those two big bites each day to overtake the AOY. Three gladiators with their swords ready to do battle. The Delta event is on August 18,19,20. It is going to be an intense battle between gladiators that may come down to the last event at Berryessa in October. Let’s see how their swords draw fish to their nets in just a few weeks. You can follow along on TourneyX during the tournament days.
Top Ten AOY Points:
1. Greg Blanchard - 978
2. Brandon Miller - 975
3. Pua Yang – 965
4. Alden Walden – 951
5. Shaun Leytem – 946
6. Matthew Brannon – 945
7. Justin Dutcher – 919
8. Daigo Kobayashi – 917
9. Isiah West – 916
10. David Morris - 908
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