B-n-F Tourney Story: Steve Potter talks...

by Steve Potter

1st place team

Monday, June 9, 2008

Ken, Kevin, Keith, and John,

Thanks for the opportunity to take part in a very well planned and executed fly fishing event. Amazingly, it was one of the only days this month that the wind didn’t blow 20+ miles an hour. The following is my recreation of the events leading to the magic moment:

The day before the tournament I went out with my fishing buddy, Chuck Sterni, to test out his jury rigged live well. We wanted to see how long the fish would keep strong being in the live well for six to eight hours. We also wanted to check out the southern delta fishing grounds.

First thing in the morning the wind was mellow but it picked up in the afternoon making things a little rough. We caught 10/12 fish, the biggest around 3lbs. The live well passed the test! We narrowed down the areas that we wanted to fish choosing the spots we had fished before and felt comfortable with. We put Chuck’s boat in at Buckley Cove and spent about six hours on the water before the wind drove us home.

The next day was the tournament and an early rise. At 4:15am there was a quiet knock at my front door and as I opened it, there stood Chuck handing me a fresh, steaming hot cup of coffee. This was going to be a good day.

With Chuck’s boat loaded on the trailer, we headed out to March Lane in Stockton and straight over to the boat ramp. When we got there, the tables were all set up and ready to receive the fishermen who were in various stages of getting their gear and boats checked. After signing in and having our boat inspected, we launched and waited for 0600 shoot off.

We were all chatting and telling tails when the instructions began to be announced. After the final instructions by Ken Hanley the National Anthem played. It was a proud moment with all the boaters standing tall, hatless and Old Glory gracefully waving in the Head Boat. The tournament began.

We motored out to our favorite spots and started getting action about 0630 with top water flies. After a couple of hits Chuck landed a nice 2 lb fish and we were on a roll. I had good luck the day before on a mouse pattern so I tried it again while Chuck used an olive Dahlberg diver. We moved down stream a little into a weeded area where Chuck hooked into a nice fish. Even though it was in the weeds, he stayed with it and maneuvered it into the boat. It weighed 4 lbs and we were all smiles after that. He got about three more keeper fish before I got the hint to change to a Dahlberg type diving bug.

On my second or third cast, I hooked into a nice fish in a bunch of tulles. It looked around 3 lbs and when we added it to the fish we already had by 0900, we really began to get excited. Then we fell into a quiet time for about two hours. We fished all the areas that had been good too us with no results, so we started to head back toward the main river.

We worked an area near a marina where we saw a few rises. We picked up a couple of small fish, one of which Kevin caught on tape. We also flashed the 4 lb fish for a picture that John took. Chuck suggested we go to another spot and we were off. We got to a nice shaded area with overhanging trees where a couple of shakers started getting us excited again.

It was then that Chuck got the fish of the day. He wet his line near some pilings when he got two pulls and landed a fish to the boat that weighed out at 5 lbs according to the trusty Boga Grip. We were so excited after getting that moe into the boat that we broke out the cold Gatorade and took five.

At that time we had a 5 pounder, a 4 pounder, two 3 pounders, and a 2 pounder. We were feeling pretty good. This was my best top water day this year and Chuck was all smiles. We had about an hour and a half before weigh in, so we started fishing some areas that looked good. We searched out points, trees, weeds that we hadn’t fished before and then Chuck got a phone call.

He’s a banker that works 24/7 and with this phone call proceeded to, shall we say, highly debate an issue with the gentleman on the other line. That’s when I saw something hit my bug and take off. I yelled for Chuck, he secured the call and ran to the net. I tried to get my fish away from the tulles as fast as I could but he turned and surfaced, then ran a small way before I got him and Chuck guided him into the boat. He weighed in at 4 lbs, unbelievable.

So I culled the smallest fish and we looked at each other. All we needed was just one more. But time ran its course, and we proceeded to the weigh in. We hit the scales with our biggest fish weighing in at 4 lbs 15 ozs, making the grand total 18.8 lbs. We were on a high. Then someone said there was a 7 pounder and then someone said a guy had a fish over 10 lbs. I told Chuck it was a great day for us and one of my best fishing trips. He felt the same way.

We were hoping for a honorable mention or a long shot at a place. We figured we might place sixth or seventh but when the sixth place team qualified at 11.2 lbs, Chuck looked at me and said we got at least fifth. The fifth place was still in the 11lb range and received $200 for the prize. I kept thinking this is unbelievable.

The icing on the cake was the 11.10 lb fish that took second place honors. When Ken called Chuck and me up, I almost lost it. Competing against all these fisherman, 32 boats and Chuck and I score the title of First Place in the First Delta fly fishing only Tournament. What a high. What a honor to be among all these great fly fishers and then win at something that you truly enjoy doing.

Thank you Chuck and thank you Bass-n-Fly

Highest regards,

Steve Potter.

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