Clear Lake – Konocti Casino Resort
TOC/DRAW 2-DAY INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT
Our 5th tournament of the year, which includes our 1 day TOC, had 16 boats and 30 anglers at launch ready to hit bassin’ heaven at Clear Lake. Hopes were high as the big pro tournaments (BASS and FLW) recently shattered their records at this world renowned fishery. At the ramp, air temps started in the upper 40’s and reached mid 80’s in the afternoon. Weather ranged from mostly sunny to bluebird skies with a calm breeze then gusting up to 30 as the day went on for both days. Water clarity varied from 2’-3’ visibility depending on location. Surface water temperatures were approximately 67-70 degrees which dropped as northerly winds and cool nights prevailed during our stay. How would our anglers fare after 2 days at this fish factory? Well, in short, we were 4 fish short of everyone limiting!
First place went to Tyler Linscott (NB) who utilized a texas-rigged senko both days. On day 1 for the TOC, Tyler slung his senko to the tune of 26.96 lbs and was crowned TOC Champion. Piggybacking his first day total, his final 2 day total tipped the scales at 41.60 lbs. Quite an impressive showing by our Vice President and Tournament Chairman who reported fishing the Clearlake Oaks (Keys) area exclusively. Congratulations Tyler on an incredible performance!
Second place honors went to Robert Nelson (B) who primarily used 7” black/blue Senkos and tubes in the Keys to bring back a nice total of 38.11 lb with limits both days. Nelson stated his bigger fish were found close to walls he found in shallow water. Great work, buddy! Our
Third trophy went to Ron Shikashio (B) who tossed Brushogs and Senkos in the Rodman Slough and brought back 17.35 lbs on Day 1, good for 3rd in the TOC, and 17.66 lbs on Day 2 totaling 35.21 lbs. Anchoring his sacks was a solid 7.57 lber good for Big Fish of the tournament. Solid performance!
Landing in fourth place with 34.51 lbs was Joe Alvarez (B) who found willing fish to take 1oz blades and Double Wide Beavers in Rodman Slough. His pattern was targeting a 12-15 foot hole he found in the area and probing it deep for his limits both days. Very keen senses and the ability to adjust were quite apparent in his success.
Taking fifth, Adam Kern (NB), with 17.45 on Day 1, good for 2nd in the TOC, and 13.92 the next, gave him a final weight of 31.37 lbs. During debrief Adam stated he used “(the) same as Dennis (Pachucki)” consisting of rattletraps, blades, and Senkos for his limits of bass.
In sixth place was Spiro Stamos (B) who tossed blades, Senkos, and jigs for 31.30 lbs and limit both days.
Seventh spot found Ed Hawkins (B) with a 31.19 lbs total. He reported fishing the Lakeport area with a topwater popper, red cranks, and a Basstrix paddletail donned on a BladeRunner head for his success.
Staking eighth place was John Fernandez (NB) who brought in a 30.04 lb total using poppers, blades, and Senkos. His TOC Day 1 weight of 14.57 also landed him 5th in the TOC.
Joe Heylen (NB) took ninth place with a 29.64 lb limit on Senkos.
Guest, Dennis Pachucki (B), took tenth place with 29.59 lbs using frogs, Senkos, and a Splash-It targeting docks in the Keys and the ‘Trailer Park’ in the north.
Eleventh place found Jeff Hawkins (B) who weighed in 28.14 lbs for his total. He reported using 6” lizards on a shakey head and wacky-rigged Senkos during his outings.
Rene Duzac (B) took twelfth place with a 27.80 lb total on spooks, frogs, and Senkos.
Lloyd Bebilone (NB) received thirteenth with 27.00 lbs on buzzbaits, frogs, Brushogs, and Senkos targeting wood.
Guest of Joe Alvarez, James, (NB) and took in fourteenth place with 26.97 lbs. James reported using Senkos and Brushogs.
Francisco Segoviano (B) landed fifteenth with a 2 day total of 26.86 on Senkos and blades.
Tony Leyva (B) captured sixteenth using green and red Senkos. His total came to 25.75 lbs.
Seventeenth in the rankings was Kyle Mulhair (NB) with 25.64 lbs who fooled fish with Senkos and by dropshotting large worms. He also placed 4th in the TOC with a Day 1 weight of 15.61 lbs.
Michael Chen (B) finished in eighteenth place with 25.47 lbs using frogs, poppers, Senkos, tubes, blades, and a Basstrix paddletail Glen Hayashimoto turned him on to. (By the way, thanks Glen, I’m hooked)
Mo Martinez (B) brought back 25.23 lbs with blades and brown Senkos, good for nineteenth.
John Neibel (B) captured twentieth place with 24.98 lbs on Senkos, swimbaits, and watermelon Brushogs.
Joe Costa (NB) weighed in 23.84 lbs with Senkos, chatterbaits, and spooks. He noted his better fish came shallow in 2-4 feet. His total landed him in twenty-first place.
Miguel (NB), guest (son) of Tony Leyva, took twenty-second place using Senkos giving him 23.74 lbs. It is rumored Miguel will be joining the club as soon as he turns 18! Until then, we won’t have to worry about him taking home trophies!
Jon Wagman (NB) received twenty-third spot honors with 23.66 lbs using Senkos and swimbaits.
Marshall Smith (NB) captured twenty-fourth chucking swimbaits, Senkos, and blades for 23.41 lbs.
Britt Brittain (B) landed twenty-fifth with 21.77 lbs throwing Senkos and blades in deeper (10-12’) water.
Miguel Villavicencio (B) took twenty-sixth using purple Brushogs and dropshotting red and orange worms good for 20.41 lbs.
Rich Clark (B) was twenty-seventh with 19.28 lbs. He found success throwing frogs and Senkos during his 2 days.
Glen Hayashimoto (NB) received twenty-eighth with a total of 18.96 lbs. Glen used poppers and a BladeRunner spinner tipped with a Basstrix paddletail.
Perspective member, Jim Fritz (NB), finished twenty-ninth with a total of 18.65 reportedly using “pure luck” to account for his fish.
In thirtieth place, Helena, guest (wife) of Miguel V’s, came to the scales with 9.68 lbs. She reported utilizing a dropshot that Miguel turned her on to.
Clear Lake and Mother Nature dealt us a week of gusty winds and rough waters on the main lake, forcing many of the anglers searching for protection and hoping their locations could sustain a supply of the bigger fish over 2 day. As reflected in our showing, this awesome fishery produced for us and taught us to respect the necessity to be cautious when navigating less than ideal weather. I know I took 2 days to fully recover from the efforts and wave pounding I received from Clear Lake!
Our regularly scheduled meeting on June 7th will possibly be rescheduled for May 31st at IHOP starting at 7:30pm. With our June Shasta tournament falling on June 9, 10, the officers feel it best to reschedule to allow ample time between our club meeting and our tournament. Keep your eyes and ears open for any announcements. Our next journey to Lake Shasta is a 2-day pick-your-partner team. As always, if you can’t make it to the meeting and you plan to fish our next tournament, let someone know ahead of time.
Until next time, tight lines…