Greg Gutierrez Gains Early Delta Lead at BAM Pro Tour Championship
OAKLEY, Calif. – During what many would call a fickle day on the California Delta, Greg Gutierrez of Frenzy Baits climbed to the top of the Day One leaderboard with a five-fish limit that went 19.11, anchored by a 5.39 big bass for the 2024 BAM Pro Tour Tournament of Champions presented by the City of Oakley.
After landing eight keepers for the day, the Red Bluff pro was surprised to take the lead with the heaviest sack. “I knew two of those fish were pretty solid; but I didn’t realize the other couple of fish were that big,” he said.
With BAM Pro Tour’s two-day format that qualifies the top-10 anglers –comprised of the field’s five biggest bags and five most scorable bass – for a third and final day of fishing, Gutierrez had an initial plan to focus on keeper count.
“But then, I just got into some good fish,” remarked “Double G” Gutierrez. “I just got a little something that I think is going to play, and I think I can keep running it. I know there are more good fish in that area, and I found one more area that is really impressive. I know there are good fish there too.”
Although he was rather vague about what he was using to tempt the bass, Gutierrez hinted at “nailing it” – a reference to the Frenzy Baits Nail, a go-to for the veteran angler.
Less than a pound separates Gutierrez from Alameda angler Zack Tompson – his nearest competitor by weight.
Ken Mah Sacks Up 12 Scorables
A local to the tidal waters of the Delta, Elk Grove pro Ken Mah boasted of a phenomenal 50 bite day with his heaviest five at 15.15 and 12 bass that boosted him into the lead by keeper cut.
“I basically did three things,” revealed Mah. “I threw a squarebill crankbait, a ChatterBait, and I flipped.
Mah’s numbers show he doubled qualified for the top-10, both by weight and keeper count; but neither have stood out to him as the path he will target to make the field cut.
“I’m just going fishing,” he said. “Tomorrow, I could catch 20-pounds or 12-pounds. I’m not really leaning on anything. I just want to make it to Sunday. That’s my whole goal right now.
“When something looks right, I will fish it and if I catch a scorable, I don’t leave. In a traditional five-fish tournament, if I’m not catching the size of fish I need, I will leave areas in search of (bigger fish) and I didn’t do that today.”
Mah noted that he burned 27 gallons of gas to find those 50 bites.
“Part of that is the 31 day off-limits,” he explained. “I haven’t seen the place in over a month; so, part of Day One is feeling it out and seeing where things are laid out. I expect this field to get better as the tournament wears on and come Championship Sunday, we will probably see the biggest bag of the event.”
Mah heads the field on the keeper count side by a single bass.
Note: BAM Pro Tour anglers are ranked in Pro Tour events by both the heaviest five fish limit (Weight) and numbers of scorable bass caught (Keepers).
First place is held by the angler with the five heaviest bass and second place is the highest keeper count. The standings then continue to alternate by weight/keepers.
Anglers ranked by weight on the leaderboard are denoted with an asterisk.
Anglers add to both of their Day One rankings on Day Two as an accumulated two-day total. Once both days are tallied, the field is cut to the top-10, all results are zero-ed out and the final 10 anglers fish for the five heaviest bass on Day Three to determine the champion.
Place Angler Big Fish/Day 1 Weight/Keepers Day 1
1 Greg Gutierrez 5.39 *19.11 8
2 Ken Mah 15.15 *12
3 Zack Thompson 6.03 *18.66 11
4 Jake Arbuckle 10.62 *11
5 Nicholas Cloutier 5.62 *16.05 9
6 Luke Johns 14.74 *9
7 Jason Austin 6.67 *15.53 3
8 Mark Pilgrim 5.07 13.42 *7
9 Conrad Demecs 6.53 *14.37 5
10 Ish Monroe 4.01 13.64 *6
Full Results 2024 BAM Pro Tour TOC California Delta Day One
The Bass Boat Technologies televised BAM Pro Tour at the California Delta is presented by the City of Oakley.
Saturday afternoon we will announce the Bass Boat Technologies and Garmin Contingencies winners.
Sunday afternoon we will crown a champion and give away a brand-new Bass Cat, Mercury, Garmin, Eternal Lithium boat package.
About BAM Tournament Trail
The Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM TT) provides an exceptional platform for both anglers and sponsors. It combines extensive exposure opportunities, celebrating the skills of western bass anglers. The circuit receives broad media coverage across print and online magazines, emails, podcast, websites, videos, television, and multiple social media channels.
Proud Sponsors of the BAM Tournament Trail:
Bass Boat Technologies, Tackle Warehouse, Boardman Chamber, Garmin, Storquest, and, Bass Cat Boats, Ford Fairfield, Dish – Accel Marketing, Power Pole, Mercury Outboards, Bob’s Machine, Wood Bros, Sticky Graphics, Jean Deleonardi Real Estate, Valley Outdoors, Eternal Lithium and, Alpha Angler Rods, and Fisherman’s Warehouse.
BAM’s Esteemed Tourism Sponsors:
The Boardman Chamber, City of Oakley, the Lake Almanor Chamber, and the Feather River Tourism Association.
The BAM Tournament Trail features the BAM Pro Tour, Pro-Am, and Kayak events, each designed to test the determination of western anglers in a competitive and environmentally conscious format.
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Source: https://bassanglermag.com/greg-gutierrez-gains-early-delta-lead-at-bam-pro-tour-championship/
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