Martens Leads With 20-00, Rojas 2 Ounces Back

By BassFan Staff

It was a picture you see on postcards or the cover of a chamber of commerce pamphlet. With the sun rising behind some hazy fog over the eastern shoreline of the Bay of Green Bay, Lake Michigan was as still as a mirror on a wall.

It was an unexpected treat for the 98 anglers who launched out of Green Bay, Wis., today for the opening day of the Lake Michigan Bassmaster Elite Series. As expected, many of them took full advantage of the slick, calm conditions to run to the northern edge of the fishable portion of the Bay.

When they arrived – it’s estimated that as many as 80 boats fished within 4 miles of each other – they went to work on Lake Michigan’s plentiful smallmouth population, pounding the shallows early on for the remaining spawners and working the deeper sections for roaming brownbacks.

Aaron Martens, on a recent surge up the Toyota Tundra B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year (AOY) standings, has set the early pace with a 20-00 stringer. He holds a slim lead over Dean Rojas, who caught 19-14.

“Everyone’s basically fishing in the same area,” Martens said. “I’m concerned that all the fishing pressure might affect the bite and make things tough tomorrow.”

Todd Faircloth, who’s coming off a win last week at the Mississippi River and entered this event 2nd in the AOY race, is 3rd after catching 18-03. He’s trailed by Brandon Palaniuk in 4th with 18-00 and Matt Herren in 5th with 17-14.

Here's a look at the Top 12 after 1 day of competition, with the deficit margin from Martens indicated by red numbers in parentheses:

1. Aaron Martens: 20-00
2. Dean Rojas: 19-14 (0-02)
3. Todd Faircloth: 18-03 (1-13)
4. Brandon Palaniuk: 18-00 (2-00)
5. Matt Herren: 17-14 (2-02)
6. David Walker: 17-13 (2-03)
7. Jonathon VanDam: 17-11 (2-05)
8. Tommy Biffle: 17-01 (2-15)
9. Greg Hackney: 17-00 (3-00)
10 (tie). Ish Monroe: 16-13 (3-03)
10 (tie). Terry Scroggins: 16-13 (3-03)
10 (tie). Chris Zaldain: 16-13 (3-03)

Ever since the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) instituted a boundary that hemmed the field in the lower portion of the massive bay, many figured the quality of fish carried to the scales wouldn’t be representative of the fishing that’s available there.

It may still be too early to tell if that’s the case, but it’s unlikely we’ll see today’s weights duplicated tomorrow or later in the derby merely because of the fishing pressure the best areas received today and figure to see tomorrow.

The slick conditions this morning opened the door for many pros to go shallow and target bedding smallmouth. They knew they had to as they may not get another chance to go bed-fishing on a Great Lake any time soon, especially this week.

Winds are expected to kick up out of the west and southwest tomorrow with 3-foot waves in the offshore forecast. Temperatures are expected to remain in the 80s with mostly sunny skies.

Faircloth’s strong start has allowed him to overtake Brent Chapman for the AOY points lead for the time being. Herren has jumped to 3rd in points, tightening the race even more. Chapman is 33rd after weighing 13-14 without fishing the big water today.

Randy Howell, who occupied 3rd in points, struggled today and is 68th with 9-08. After a major stumble at the Mississippi, David Walker, who’s been in the Top 5 in points virtually all season, weighed 17-13 today and sits in 6th.

After day 2, the Top 49 pros will advance to day 3. The top 12 following day 3 will advance to Sunday’s final when the winner will be determined by total cumulative weight.

Morning Bite Carried Martens

> Day 1: 5, 20-00

Before too long, BassFans might turn to calling the day-1 leader Grizzly Martens in recognition of his unshaven face. He rode the whiskers to a Top-5 at the Mississippi River last week and after the success he had today, he’s going to keep the razor stowed for at least a few more days.

He capitalized on some morning spawners and had a “pretty good bag” within 30 minutes. He’s not at all surprised that 20 pounds is leading after day 1.

“It was just an awesome day,” he said. “As far as reaching my goal, it was a great day. I caught them really good in practice. I maxed out around 18 or 19 then.”

The bed-fish may be tapped out, though, with the intense pressure those areas saw today.

“It’s getting beat up really bad, slammed,” he added. “There might be some left. I know I left some out there. I don’t think it’ll hold up, though.”

He caught fish everywhere he went, but lost a couple in the 4-plus pound category.

“It’s hard to cull when you have all 4-pounders,” he said. “I caught a lot of 3s and 3 1/2s.”

He’s hoping the wind blows at a manageable speed tomorrow as it might turn more fish on.

“I don’t like getting beat up (in the waves),” he said. “It might make the fishing better, but I don’t like getting the crap beat out of me. When it gets rough, it’s messes up everything.”

2nd: Rojas Played Pick and Choose

> Day 1: 5, 19-14

The day-1 weights didn’t shock Rojas, who mixed a shallow-water pattern with some deep-water stuff, taking advantage of the calm conditions in the morning.

“I’m not surprised at all,” he said. “This fishery’s got them. I figured with what I had, there’d be three or four guys with about the same thing.”

He had his weight by mid-morning and then backed off, hoping to preserve some areas for tomorrow and potentially the weekend.

“There are a lot of boats around me,” he said. “I knew (the fish) were there. I had a milk run today and I went around and caught all of the ones I wanted to catch.”

He went through seven keepers and shook off several others. He said the slick conditions were a bonus.

“That’s why I caught everything I could,” he said. “We were lucky to have what we had conditions-wise. I caught what I needed. I didn’t try to catch more than I needed.”

3rd: Faircloth Feeling It

> Day 1: 5, 18-03

Faircloth has fished both Elite Series events at Lake Erie (2007 and ’08) so he’s seen the worst the Great Lakes have to offer in terms of wet and wild weather conditions. Today, however, may have been an anomaly with the flat, calm setting.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a Great Lake as calm as it was today,” he said.

It allowed him to catch most of his fish shallow, but he’s not sure how that’ll play tomorrow in the wind.

“It just depends,” he said. “I have some other stuff going that I can catch fish on, but there are certain ways I caught my better ones today and I’m not sure if that’ll work if the wind blows hard.”

He sorted through about a dozen keeper bites, but was a little confused by one of the better spots he found in practice.

“It just didn’t pan out,” he noted. “I’m not sure what happened there. I really had a lot of confidence in it, but I just didn’t get a bite there today.”

A veteran of many tournaments where sharing water is a factor, he wasn’t bothered at all by the crowds up north today.

“I was around other boats,” he said. “It’s just part of the game here. When we’re confined to a certain area of the lake, we anticipated what would happen, but you just have to deal with it. You can’t get frustrated with it and let that stuff bother you during the day. It’s just part of it.”

He said he knows where he’s starting tomorrow and he’s going to get there even if it means battling 4-footers.

“The wind dictates everything here,” he said. “Most of us are running 30 miles to get to where we’re fishing. The wind dictates what you do, how you do it and where. I’m going no matter what, though.”

4th: Palaniuk Pleased

> Day 1: 5, 18-00

Like Faircloth, Palaniuk already has a win under his belt this season (Bull Shoals Lake), but he wasn’t expecting to weigh what he did today.

“I really had a tough practice and I just have a couple of deals going,” he said. “It’s like playing a chess match out there, but instead of having the whole board to play, we’re all stuck in one little corner.”

He brought eight keepers into the boat today and lost a couple that may have helped him. He’s not all that concerned about numbers in his area, however, despite the intense fishing pressure.

“They’re smallmouths and those suckers move so much,” he said. “It’s more about getting on them at the right time.”

He was blown away by the conditions today, but knows he might have to make adjustments to his strategy if the wind picks up like it’s expected to tomorrow.

“It was one of the coolest boat rides I’ve ever had,” he said. “With the sun coming up through the hazy fog, it makes the sun look huge.

“Tomorrow, I’ll adapt with the weather. You never know here. I thought it would blow today, but it didn’t."

5th: Herren Ready To Adapt

> Day 1: 5, 17-14

Herren has a sense the spawning bite may be over. It is for him, at least. He caught three of his weigh fish off beds this morning and got beat to some others by other anglers. He rounded out his bag fishing deeper and he thinks the ability to adapt this week is what’s going to be the biggest factor.

“It’s going to be a matter of keeping an open mind and adjusting to the conditions,” he said. “I’m glad to be where I’m at. I was very fortunate today. It’s not easy out there by any stretch. The weights might look pretty good, but it’s not easy.

“I think the spawning deal is over. I know mine is. There weren’t that many to begin with. I caught everything that I knew about.”

He said the lack of a ripple today really made offshore fishing difficult.

“I don’t want it to be a hurricane (tomorrow), but I don’t want it to be like today either,” he added. “When you’re out there and you can see the bottom in 15 feet, it makes it hard. Those fish aren’t stupid. They know you’re there.”

97th (tie): Keepers Elude Pace

> Day 1: 0, 00-00

In recent tournaments, it seems like Cliff Pace couldn’t hook a small fish if he tried. With consecutive runner-up finishes in the last two events and four straight Top-15s, he’s been the hottest stick on tour in the second half of the season.

Those big bites never materialized today – not one.

“I never had a keeper bite all day,” he said. “I caught plenty of fish. I just never caught a keeper. I was around guys who were catching them.”

He plans to fish the same areas tomorrow, as they’re his best chance to salvage some points. His last four finishes had pushed him up to 10th in points, but he’s dropped to 23rd after day 1. He estimates he landed 25 short fish today.

“It wasn’t like that in practice, but for some reason it was today. It’s frustrating, of course,” he said. “It sucks not to catch them, but it is what it is. The only option here is to go fish where everybody’s fishing. That’s what I did today. I just never caught a keeper.”

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 98 anglers, 66 limits, 8 fours, 9 threes, 9 twos, 4 ones, 2 zeroes.

Weather Forecast

> Fri., June 29 – Mostly Sunny - 86°/67°
- Wind: From the WSW at 6 to 10 mph

> Sat., June 30 – Mostly Sunny - 85°/65°
- Wind: From the WSW at 6 to 9 mph

> Sun., July 1 – Mostly Sunny - 84°/63°
- Wind: From the WSW at 6 to 9 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, AL -- 5, 20-00 -- 98
Day 1: 5, 20-00

2. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, AZ -- 5, 19-14 -- 97
Day 1: 5, 19-14

3. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, TX -- 5, 18-03 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 18-03

4. Brandon Palaniuk -- Rathdrum, ID -- 5, 18-00 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 18-00

5. Matt Herren -- Trussville, AL -- 5, 17-14 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 17-14

6. David Walker -- Sevierville, TN -- 5, 17-13 -- 93
Day 1: 5, 17-13

7. Jonathon VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 5, 17-11 -- 92
Day 1: 5, 17-11

8. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- 5, 17-01 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 17-01

9. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- 5, 17-00 -- 90
Day 1: 5, 17-00

10. Ish Monroe -- Hughson, CA -- 5, 16-13 -- 89
Day 1: 5, 16-13

10. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, FL -- 5, 16-13 -- 89
Day 1: 5, 16-13

10. Chris Zaldain -- San Jose, CA -- 5, 16-13 -- 89
Day 1: 5, 16-13

13. Ott DeFoe -- Knoxville, TN -- 5, 16-11 -- 86
Day 1: 5, 16-11

14. James Niggemeyer -- Van, TX -- 5, 16-09 -- 85
Day 1: 5, 16-09

15. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, KY -- 5, 16-09 -- 84
Day 1: 5, 16-09

16. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, FL -- 5, 16-08 -- 83
Day 1: 5, 16-08

16. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, CA -- 5, 16-08 -- 83
Day 1: 5, 16-08

18. Travis Manson -- De Pere, WI -- 5, 16-07 -- 81
Day 1: 5, 16-07

19. John Crews -- Salem, VA -- 5, 16-06 -- 80
Day 1: 5, 16-06

20. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, CA -- 5, 16-00 -- 79
Day 1: 5, 16-00

21. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, OK -- 5, 15-14 -- 78
Day 1: 5, 15-14

22. Scott Rook -- Little Rock, AR -- 5, 15-13 -- 77
Day 1: 5, 15-13

23. Chris Lane -- Guntersville, AL -- 5, 15-12 -- 76
Day 1: 5, 15-12

23. Jason Quinn -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 5, 15-12 -- 76
Day 1: 5, 15-12

25. Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, AR -- 5, 14-14 -- 74
Day 1: 5, 14-14

25. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 5, 14-14 -- 74
Day 1: 5, 14-14

27. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, AR -- 5, 14-10 -- 72
Day 1: 5, 14-10

28. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, TX -- 5, 14-08 -- 71
Day 1: 5, 14-08

29. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, AR -- 5, 14-04 -- 70
Day 1: 5, 14-04

30. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 5, 14-02 -- 69
Day 1: 5, 14-02

31. Bill Lowen -- Brookville, IN -- 5, 14-01 -- 68
Day 1: 5, 14-01

32. Pete Ponds -- Madison, MS -- 5, 13-15 -- 67
Day 1: 5, 13-15

33. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, KS -- 5, 13-14 -- 66
Day 1: 5, 13-14

34. Shaw E Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL -- 5, 13-13 -- 65
Day 1: 5, 13-13

35. Keith Poche -- Pike Road, AL -- 5, 13-13 -- 64
Day 1: 5, 13-13

36. Rick Clunn -- Ava, MO -- 5, 13-12 -- 63
Day 1: 5, 13-12

37. Matt Greenblatt -- Port St Lucie, FL -- 5, 13-08 -- 62
Day 1: 5, 13-08

38. Jeremy Starks -- Scott Depot, WV -- 5, 13-06 -- 61
Day 1: 5, 13-06

39. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, AL -- 5, 13-04 -- 60
Day 1: 5, 13-04

40. David Smith -- Del City, OK -- 5, 13-02 -- 59
Day 1: 5, 13-02

41. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 5, 13-01 -- 58
Day 1: 5, 13-01

42. Kelly Jordon -- Palestine, TX -- 5, 12-13 -- 57
Day 1: 5, 12-13

42. Andy Montgomery -- Blacksburg, SC -- 5, 12-13 -- 57
Day 1: 5, 12-13

44. Alton Jones -- Woodway, TX -- 5, 12-12 -- 55
Day 1: 5, 12-12

44. Russ Lane -- Prattville, AL -- 5, 12-12 -- 55
Day 1: 5, 12-12

44. Fletcher Shryock -- Newcomerstown, OH -- 5, 12-12 -- 55
Day 1: 5, 12-12

47. Morizo Shimizu -- Matsugaoka JAPAN -- 3, 12-12 -- 52
Day 1: 3, 12-12

48. Derek Remitz -- Grant, AL -- 5, 12-11 -- 51
Day 1: 5, 12-11

49. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, TX -- 5, 12-10 -- 50
Day 1: 5, 12-10

50. Casey D Ashley -- Donalds, SC -- 5, 12-04 -- 49
Day 1: 5, 12-04

51. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, AL -- 5, 12-02 -- 48
Day 1: 5, 12-02

52. Chad Griffin -- Cresson, TX -- 5, 12-01 -- 47
Day 1: 5, 12-01

52. Nate Wellman -- Newaygo, MI -- 5, 12-01 -- 47
Day 1: 5, 12-01

54. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, TX -- 5, 12-00 -- 45
Day 1: 5, 12-00

55. Jamie Horton -- Centerville, AL -- 5, 12-00 -- 44
Day 1: 5, 12-00

56. Keith Combs -- Huntington, TX -- 5, 11-09 -- 43
Day 1: 5, 11-09

57. Rick Morris -- Lake Gaston, VA -- 5, 11-04 -- 42
Day 1: 5, 11-04

58. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, NC -- 5, 11-03 -- 41
Day 1: 5, 11-03

59. Edwin Evers -- Talala, OK -- 5, 11-02 -- 40
Day 1: 5, 11-02

60. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, AL -- 5, 11-01 -- 39
Day 1: 5, 11-01

61. Kevin Ledoux -- Choctaw, OK -- 4, 11-00 -- 38
Day 1: 4, 11-00

62. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, TX -- 4, 10-13 -- 37
Day 1: 4, 10-13

63. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, OK -- 5, 10-12 -- 36
Day 1: 5, 10-12

64. Russell Parrish -- Riesel, TX -- 4, 10-08 -- 35
Day 1: 4, 10-08

65. Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, OK -- 5, 10-03 -- 34
Day 1: 5, 10-03

66. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, AL -- 5, 10-02 -- 33
Day 1: 5, 10-02

67. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, AL -- 5, 09-09 -- 32
Day 1: 5, 09-09

68. Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- 5, 09-08 -- 31
Day 1: 5, 09-08

69. Clark Reehm -- Shreveport, LA -- 5, 09-06 -- 30
Day 1: 5, 09-06

70. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 4, 09-01 -- 29
Day 1: 4, 09-01

71. Casey Scanlon -- Lenexa, KS -- 3, 09-00 -- 28
Day 1: 3, 09-00

72. Jason Williamson -- Aiken, SC -- 5, 08-05 -- 27
Day 1: 5, 08-05

73. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, AR -- 4, 08-05 -- 26
Day 1: 4, 08-05

74. Grant Goldbeck -- Boerne, TX -- 3, 07-12 -- 25
Day 1: 3, 07-12

75. Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, MO -- 3, 07-08 -- 24
Day 1: 3, 07-08

76. Brandon Card -- Caryville, TN -- 3, 07-07 -- 23
Day 1: 3, 07-07

77. Britt Myers -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 4, 07-02 -- 22
Day 1: 4, 07-02

78. Kyle A. Fox -- Lakeland, FL -- 4, 07-01 -- 21
Day 1: 4, 07-01

79. Michael Iaconelli -- Pittsgrove, NJ -- 4, 06-09 -- 20
Day 1: 4, 06-09

80. John Murray -- Phoenix, AZ -- 3, 06-09 -- 19
Day 1: 3, 06-09

81. Bradley Roy -- Lancaster, KY -- 3, 06-08 -- 18
Day 1: 3, 06-08

82. Michael Simonton -- Fremont, OH -- 2, 06-00 -- 17
Day 1: 2, 06-00

83. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, AR -- 3, 05-13 -- 16
Day 1: 3, 05-13

84. Terry Butcher -- Talala, OK -- 3, 05-10 -- 15
Day 1: 3, 05-10

85. Jami Fralick -- Martin, SD -- 2, 05-03 -- 14
Day 1: 2, 05-03

86. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, GA -- 2, 05-00 -- 13
Day 1: 3, 05-00

87. Byron Velvick -- Boenre, TX -- 2, 04-10 -- 12
Day 1: 2, 04-10

88. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, SC -- 2, 04-03 -- 11
Day 1: 2, 04-03

89. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, OK -- 2, 03-11 -- 10
Day 1: 2, 03-11

89. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, SC -- 2, 03-11 -- 10
Day 1: 2, 03-11

91. Cliff Crochet -- Pierre Part, LA -- 2, 03-06 -- 8
Day 1: 2, 03-06

92. Charlie Hartley -- Grove City, OH -- 2, 03-04 -- 7
Day 1: 2, 03-04

93. Brent Broderick -- Oregonia, OH -- 1, 02-13 -- 6
Day 1: 1, 02-13

94. Jared Miller -- Norman, OK -- 1, 02-02 -- 5
Day 1: 1, 02-02

95. Paul Elias -- Laurel, MS -- 1, 02-01 -- 4
Day 1: 1, 02-01

96. Cliff Prince -- Palatka, FL -- 1, 02-00 -- 3
Day 1: 1, 02-00

97. Cliff Pace -- Petal, MS -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0, 00-00

97. Zell Rowland -- Montgomery, TX -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0, 00-00