Browning Bolts To The Top With Lone 20-Pound Sack

The cold front-plagued California Delta proved to be every bit as tough as many anglers said it would be on opening day of the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series season. Just one 20-pound bag came to the scale from the giant maze of channels where many thousands of 5-pound-plus fish reside and nine competitors – including some Delta stalwarts – showed up empty-handed.

Arkansas' Stephen Browning, a moving-water expert who's never afraid of a little bit of mud, clubbed a 21-11 bag that was the best of the day by more than 2 pounds. He said he had a decent practice, but his bites today were bigger than he expected.

Dave Wolak of North Carolina grabbed the No. 2 slot with a 19-08 sack. He relied on his knowledge of tidal fisheries and did all his damage after 10:00.

In third was Alabama's Russ Lane, fresh off a strong performance in the Bassmaster Classic. He boated only five fish, and the final one was an 8 1/2-pounder with about an hour left in the day.

Derek Remitz of Alabama, who was 2nd here 3 years ago as his rookie campaign got off to a fabulous start, settled into the No. 4 position with 15-13. Newcomer Dennis Tietje of Louisiana rounded out the Top 5 with 15-04.

Here's a look at the current Top 12 (red numbers in parentheses indicate deficit margin from leader):

1. Stephen Browning: 21-11
2. Dave Wolak: 19-08 (2-03)
3. Russ Lane: 18-10 (3-01)
4. Derek Remitz: 15-13 (5-14)
5. Dennis Tietje: 15-04 (6-07)
6. Mark Davis: 15-03 (6-08)
7. (tie) Kota Kiriyama: 15-02 (6-09)
7. (tie) Guy Eaker: 15-02 (6-09)
7. (tie) John Crews: 15-02 (6-09)
7. (tie) Tim Horton: 15-02 (6-09)
11. Skeet Reese: 15-01 (6-10)
12. Greg Hackney: 14-14 (6-13)

Air temperatures in the northern part of the Central Valley are on the upswing, but today brought the quintessential post-frontal conditions that many anglers dread – high skies with almost no wind. It came on the heels of an unseasonably cold and windy practice period (by California standards, anyway) and kept most of the field frustrated.

Everybody knows the quality that swims here, but getting them to bite is a difficult proposition at the moment. A strong chance of rain is in tomorrow's forecast, and most think that can only help.

Just 30 of the 93 anglers weighed a limit, and the list of blankers included notables such as Terry Scroggins, Davy Hite, Boyd Duckett and California native Mark Tyler, who caught the biggest fish ever weighed in BASS competition here in 1999 (14-09).

The field will be cut to the Top 47 after tomorrow's weigh-in, and only the Top 12 will advance to Sunday. The winner will be determined by highest 4-day weight.

Browning a Bit Surprised

Browning thought he had a shot at a 15- or 16-pound sack, but 21-plus was beyond his expectations.

"I surprised myself with that weight, to be honest with you," he said. "It just seemed like the bites were bigger than they were in practice. I was catching 2 3/4-pounders up to maybe 3 or occasionally 3 1/2, but today everything was 4 pounds or more."

He landed six fish, including a 6-pounder. He worked four different areas and connected at least once in each of them.

"When I found these fish on Monday, the heavy wind was keeping the tide up. The water was a little bit lower and clearer today, and I think it helped me that it cleared up.

"I have nine baits tied up and every one got used today, and it'll probably be the same thing again tomorrow. I'm really fishing with an open mind and I've got certain stretches where I fish one thing and certain stretches where I fish another."

He has a backup area, but it's a long ride from his main spot.

"The best thing about it is I only played in one of them today, so I have a little something to go to if need be. They're pretty big slough areas and I think they definitely have the ability to replenish themselves. They aren't any secret places by any means."

He has no trepidation about the predicted weather change for day 2.

"When I first caught those fish in practice, it was cloudy and really windy, so it's one of those deals where I don't think it'll hurt. It might make them bite a little better."

2nd: Wolak Busting Females

Patience was the key for Wolak – he didn't get his first bite until 10:00.

"It was just an awful morning – it was a dead-slack tide and it was sunny with high pressure. I was getting worried about a zero there for a little while.

"It went about the same way practice did – I'm not getting a lot of bites, but they're quality bites. They're females and I'm not really getting any small ones."

He got seven bites and put five in the boat. One was a little over 5 pounds and another was a little under 3.

"I had two opportunities to cull that little one, but I missed them both. The bite was funny – they were kind of mouthing it and not eating it.

"I think the main thing for me was I do know tidal fisheries and I've learned my lessons the hard way about getting frustrated and leaving places too soon. You have to be around the productive water on the best tide. You might only have a 1-hour window, but if you stick it out, things can happen really quick."

He caught fish on a variety of baits and said he has a couple of backup areas if his main spot dries up.

"I've got a little pattern going, but my other stuff is a long ways away and they're all far apart. If I tried to run between all the spots, I'm not sure how much gas I'd need. I spent a couple of hours on the big motor with just what I did today."

3rd: Late Hawg Lifted Lane

If not for one late bite, Lane would've ended the day somewhere between 30th and 40th place with a bag that was lighter than 10 pounds. Instead, just two anglers stand between him and the top slot.

He cranked and flipped all day and caught the day's biggest fish at about 3:00 on a Big Bite YoMama.

"That one scared me," he said. "It had gotten so boring that I was about to fall asleep."

He landed five of his seven bites and said the two he lost likely wouldn't have helped him.

"I knew it was possible to have a good bag because out here, you're always just one bite away from that. But I didn't get many bites in practice and today wasn't much different – it was just that a couple were the right ones.

"I don't know that I've got anything special figured out. I just fished hard and I was able to get five in the boat, and I'll try to do the same thing tomorrow."

He said he had no company in the area where he caught his two biggest fish.

"In a couple of the other places I saw several boats, but I don't think those guys caught much. It's just a grind – that's for sure."

5th: Fine Debut for Tietje

Tietje, the rookie from Lousiana, had a great first day as a tour pro.

"I'm fired up," he said. "This was a dream come true right here.

"I had a real good practice and I felt like I could catch 13 pounds, but I did a little better than that. I'm going about it quite a bit differently than everybody else – I'm making a pretty long run and I never saw another boat all day."

He started fishing at 8:15 and had a limit by 10:00. His biggest fish weighed a little over 5 pounds.

He has no fear of rain tomorrow.

"It shouldn't change too much with what I'm doing – the tide is the only thing that really affects it. I think there's still a lot of fish there."

7th: Crews Stayed Put

After a lackluster practice, Crews felt he had no option but to camp in his best spot today and make the best of it. He weighed just four fish, but one of them was worth two average keepers.

"I settled into a pretty large area and just kept myself there all day," he said. "I got five bites and put four in the boat, and I was a little lucky to catch a 7-pounder. I'll take that any day."

He said the one he lost was a 2-pounder.

"I still wish I'd caught it, though. I didn't really do anything wrong – it just came off."

He'll go back to the same general area tomorrow and he'll throw whatever seems good to him at the time.

"I literally had 13 rods on the deck and another four rigged up in the back, and I fished almost every one of them. I caught the first keeper of the year on a (Spro) Little John crankbait, and after that it was a smorgasbord."

11th: Reese Mystified

Reese was one of several California natives who were perplexed by how tough the Delta bite has been this week.

"I'm still shocked because this is not the Delta I've known in the past," he said. "I don't know if it's all because of the cold front, but it's very strange.

"I know that I've seen seals in a lot of places where I've never seen them before, and I've seen them eating bass. It might be something that the fisheries biologists need to take a look at. It's pure speculation, but in 20-plus years out here I've never seen this many seals in this many places."

He was surprised that today's bag put him as high on the leaderboard as it did.

"It was about as good as I thought I could do without getting a big bite and I was pleased that I caught it. When I saw that I'm only 12 ounces out of 4th, I said, 'You've got to be kidding.' I should be sitting down in 30th.

"I caught them all doing pretty much the same thing in a couple of different places. I'll just go out and fish tomorrow and see if I can catch 20-plus pounds and move up."

53rd: Monroe Clueless

Ish Monroe of nearby Hughson, Calif., who's won a healthy pile of money in lower-level events on the Delta over the last couple of years, weighed just two fish for 5-13.

"Everybody's been asking me what happened and I'm telling you, I have no clue," he said. "I've seen conditions on the Delta change in a day's time, but I had muddy water that turned clear and clear water that got muddy.

"Some of the best Delta sticks ever aren't doing so hot. Mark Tyler zeroed – if I wasn't going to win, I would've picked him."

He had seven bites, but only two of them saw the inside of his livewell.

"Two were basically swimming away with my (Paycheck Baits) Punch Skirt and then I blatantly missed another one. Then I had two hit a spinnerbait that just hit it – they didn't eat it. In practice they were choking it down."

He doesn't think he can afford to change much tomorrow.

"If I catch a limit, that might give me the opportunity to fish on Saturday. And if I do get five, then I can go hunting a big bite in the same area.

"Where I'm fishing, I know what lives there. Fifteen pounds should've been almost automatic today."

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 93 anglers, 30 limits, 14 fours, 14 threes, 15 twos, 11 ones, 9 zeroes.

> Although he fared better than all but one angler today, Wolak still hopes the bite turns on tomorrow. "I could've come in with three or four fish like a lot of other guys," he said. "I'd rather it not be a total grind-it-out deal."

> Kevin VanDam was one of the 63 anglers who failed to catch a limit – his four-fish, 9-06 bag left him in 37th place.

Weather Forecast

Here's the weather forecast for the remaining tournament days.

> Fri., March 12 - P.M. Rain - 57°/40°
- Wind: From the S at 11 mph

> Sat., March 13 - Partly Cloudy - 61°/39°
- Wind: From the N/NW at 14 mph

> Sun., March 14 - Mostly Sunny - 67°/44°
- Wind: From the N/NW at 6 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 5, 21-11
Day 1: 5, 21-11

2. Dave Wolak -- Wake Forest, N.C. -- 5, 19-08
Day 1: 5, 19-08

3. Russ Lane -- Prattville, Ala. -- 5, 18-10
Day 1: 5, 18-10

4. Derek Remitz -- Grant, Ala. -- 5, 15-13
Day 1: 5, 15-13

5. Dennis Tietje -- Roanoke, La. -- 5, 15-04
Day 1: 5, 15-04

6. Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, Ark. -- 5, 15-03
Day 1: 5, 15-03

7. Guy Eaker -- Cherryville, N.C. -- 5, 15-02
Day 1: 5, 15-02

7. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, Ala. -- 5, 15-02
Day 1: 5, 15-02

9. John Crews -- Salem, Va. -- 4, 15-02
Day 1: 4, 15-02

9. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, Ala. -- 4, 15-02
Day 1: 4, 15-02

11. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, Calif. -- 5, 15-01
Day 1: 5, 15-01

12. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, La. -- 5, 14-14
Day 1: 5, 14-14

13. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, N.C. -- 5, 14-11
Day 1: 5, 14-11

14. Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood, Ky. -- 5, 14-09
Day 1: 5, 14-09

15. Shaw Grigsby -- Gainesville, Fla. -- 5, 14-08
Day 1: 5, 14-08

16. John Murray -- Phoenix, Ariz. -- 3, 14-06
Day 1: 3, 14-06

17. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, Okla. -- 5, 14-03
Day 1: 5, 14-03

18. Michael Iaconelli -- Pitts Grove, N.J. -- 5, 14-00
Day 1: 5, 14-00

19. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, Texas -- 5, 13-09
Day 1: 5, 13-09

20. Peter Thliveros -- St Augustine, Fla. -- 5, 13-08
Day 1: 5, 13-08

21. Paul Elias -- Laurel, Miss. -- 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05

21. Alton Jones -- Waco, Texas -- 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05

21. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, Ga. -- 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05

24. Jeff Connella -- Bentley, La. -- 5, 13-01
Day 1: 5, 13-01

25. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, Texas -- 5, 12-15
Day 1: 5, 12-15

26. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, Ala. -- 5, 12-12
Day 1: 5, 12-12

27. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Ala. -- 5, 12-10
Day 1: 5, 12-10

28. Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, Mo. -- 5, 12-05
Day 1: 5, 12-05

29. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, Ariz -- 4, 11-10
Day 1: 4, 11-10

30. Matt Greenblatt -- Palm Beach Gardens, Fl -- 5, 10-12
Day 1: 5, 10-12

31. Edwin Evers -- Talala, Okla. -- 2, 10-00
Day 1: 2, 10-00

32. Pete Ponds -- Madison, Miss. -- 5, 9-15
Day 1: 5, 9-15

33. Rick Clunn -- Ava, Mo. -- 4, 9-13
Day 1: 4, 9-13

34. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, Mo. -- 4, 9-11
Day 1: 4, 9-11

35. Mark Tucker -- Saint Louis, Mo. -- 4, 9-10
Day 1: 4, 9-10

36. Bill Lowen -- North Bend, Ohio -- 4, 9-09
Day 1: 4, 9-09

37. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, Mich. -- 4, 9-06
Day 1: 4, 9-06

38. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, Ark. -- 4, 9-02
Day 1: 4, 9-02

39. Bradley Hallman -- Norman, Okla. -- 5, 8-10
Day 1: 5, 8-10

40. Matt Herren -- Trussville, Ala. -- 5, 8-05
Day 1: 5, 8-05

41. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, Kan. -- 3, 8-04
Day 1: 3, 8-04

42. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, Ark. -- 3, 8-01
Day 1: 3, 8-01

43. Cliff Crochet -- Pierre Part, La. -- 2, 7-06
Day 1: 2, 7-06

44. Vince Fulks -- Purcell, Okla. -- 4, 7-04
Day 1: 4, 7-04

44. Clark Reehm -- Russellville, Ark. -- 4, 7-04
Day 1: 4, 7-04

46. Marty Stone -- Fayetteville, N.C. -- 3, 6-12
Day 1: 3, 6-12

47. Bradley Roy -- Lancaster, Ky. -- 3, 6-06
Day 1: 3, 6-06

48. Casey Ashley -- Donalds, S.C. -- 2, 6-06
Day 1: 2, 6-06

49. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, Texas -- 3, 6-04
Day 1: 3, 6-04

50. Wade Grooms -- Bonneau, S.C. -- 5, 6-02
Day 1: 5, 6-02

51. Chris Lane -- Guntersville, Ala. -- 4, 5-15
Day 1: 4, 5-15

52. Jason Quinn -- Lake Wylie, S.C. -- 3, 5-14
Day 1: 3, 5-14

53. Ish Monroe -- Hughson, Calif. -- 2, 5-13
Day 1: 2, 5-13

54. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, S.C. -- 3, 5-12
Day 1: 3, 5-12

55. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, Okla. -- 1, 5-10
Day 1: 1, 5-10

56. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, Okla. -- 2, 5-09
Day 1: 2, 5-09

57. Pat Golden -- High Point, N.C. -- 2, 5-08
Day 1: 2, 5-08

58. Zell Rowland -- Austin, Texas -- 2, 5-07
Day 1: 2, 5-07

59. Britt Myers -- Lake Wylie, S.C. -- 1, 5-07
Day 1: 1, 5-07

60. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, Texas -- 2, 5-05
Day 1: 2, 5-05

61. Grant Goldbeck -- Gaithersburg, Md. -- 3, 5-04
Day 1: 3, 5-04

62. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, Ark. -- 3, 5-03
Day 1: 3, 5-03

63. Mark Burgess -- Norton, Mass. -- 3, 5-02
Day 1: 3, 5-02

64. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, Ala. -- 4, 5-00
Day 1: 4, 5-00

65. Jami Fralick -- Martin, S.D. -- 3, 4-14
Day 1: 3, 4-14

66. Byron Haseotes -- Centerville, Mass. -- 2, 4-12
Day 1: 2, 4-12

67. Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, Okla. -- 2, 4-09
Day 1: 2, 4-09

68. Scott Rook -- Little Rock, Ark. -- 2, 4-07
Day 1: 2, 4-07

69. Terry Butcher -- Talala, Okla. -- 4, 4-06
Day 1: 4, 4-06

70. Randy Howell -- Springville, Ala. -- 3, 4-02
Day 1: 3, 4-02

71. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, Fla. -- 2, 4-02
Day 1: 2, 4-02

72. Chad Griffin -- Cresson, Texas -- 3, 3-15
Day 1: 3, 3-15

73. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, Texas -- 2, 3-09
Day 1: 2, 3-09

74. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, Ala. -- 2, 3-01
Day 1: 2, 3-01

75. David Smith -- Del City, Okla. -- 2, 2-11
Day 1: 2, 2-11

76. James Niggemeyer -- Van, Texas -- 1, 2-08
Day 1: 1, 2-08

76. Byron Velvick -- Del Rio, Texas -- 1, 2-08
Day 1: 1, 2-08

78. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, Calif. -- 1, 2-07
Day 1: 1, 2-07

79. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, Ky. -- 1, 2-01
Day 1: 1, 2-01

80. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, Fla. -- 1, 1-14
Day 1: 1, 1-14

81. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, Okla. -- 1, 1-13
Day 1: 1, 1-13

82. Jason Williamson -- Aiken, S.C. -- 1, 1-12
Day 1: 1, 1-12

83. Rick Morris -- Virginia Beach, Va. -- 1, 1-03
Day 1: 1, 1-03

84. Morizo Shimizu -- Osaka, Japan -- 1, 1-01
Day 1: 1, 1-01

85. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, Ala. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Charlie Hartley -- Grove City, Ohio -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, S.C. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Cliff Pace -- Petal, Miss. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Keith Poche -- Troy, Ala. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, Texas -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, Fla. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Jeremy Starks -- Charleston, W.Va. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00

85. Mark Tyler -- Vian, Okla. -- 0, 0-00
Day 1: 0, 0-00