By Jody Only
Oakley, Calif. – Bryan Vogt of Paso Robles, Calif. reeled in 87-inches for a victory at the second stop of the Wild West Bass Trail (WWBT) Kayak Series on the California Delta, earning $2,000 for the day, with an additional $100 bonus for Big Fish and $100 in contingency dollars from P-Line.
Vogt bested the field of 75 other kayakers with no recent practice, while braving winds that reached up to 17-miles an hour.
He put in at Sunset Harbor, finding a steady bite throughout the day, with a self-reported count of eight keepers.
“I got about half of my fish on a drop shot and the others were split between a ChatterBait and a swim worm,” revealed Vogt.
His biggest at 22.25-inches fell to the JackHammer at the start of the incoming tide.
“Mostly I was fishing docks and rock,” he added. “The ChatterBait I was fishing in five- to seven-feet of water and the key to that was to hit the weed clumps with it. That’s how I got the big one.”
Vogt reported his areas to be “crystal clear” when he started, and to dirty up some during the day with the wind.
The win put, Vogt in second place in the Angler of the Year race.
The runner-up position went to Anthony Kernan-Penaloza, of Rancho Cordova for 86.25-inches. Kernan-Penaloza’s biggest stretched 21.50-inches. He earned $1,000 for the finish.
“Bigg Nasty Baits was the key to my success,” he shared. “I got my two biggest fish on it.”
Starting at Sugar Barge, his bite came on the outgo with the better ones just prior to the slack tide. He targeted a range of 4- to 15-feet for his fish.
“I also found a spot with SideScan, using a deeper drop shot in about 20-feet, and got one bite out of there,” he added.
The drop shot and a jerkbait fished just off the weedline accounted for the rest of his fish.
Kernan-Penaloza described his areas with water clarity in the seven to eight-foot range and holding “a lot of vegetation”.
He expressed appreciation to Fisherman’s Warehouse for time off to fish and for their support along with his family’s.
The points earned at the Delta, put Kernan-Penaloza into the lead in the AOY standings. He sits six points above Vogt in the 2022 race.
Rounding out the top-trio was Ricky Martinez, of Auburn, Calif. for 79.75-inches and the only other Big Bass contender to meet or exceed the 20-inch mark. Martinez made $800 for the placement.
Martinez described the day as, “the worst kayak conditions there could be with gnarly winds” and found the start of the day to be discouraging.
“I had to channel my inner Obedie Williams to keep a positive attitude and just keep on grinding,” he stated. “I finally got that 20-incher and that got me motivated.”
Martinez concentrated on finessing in sheltered areas, using a Senko and Roboworm.
“It was a six-inch Senko and a Margarita Mutilator III,” he said. “I also fished a red squarebill though the grass.”
Martinez expressed gratitude for the positivity that Williams was able to bring to him and said it made all the difference in his day.
It took 74.5-inches for the top-10 kayakers to get paid for a tough day on the tidal water fishery. Twenty-four anglers registered as a blank.
The next WWBT Kayak Series event will put in at Lake Camanche on June 5. Registration is underway.