Central Coast Fishing: Largemouths feature in SLO County Bass Ambusher’s final 2016 tournament

Both the winner of Saturday’s San Luis Obispo County Bass Ambushers tournament and the club’s 2016 Angler of the Year share a conviction: the knowledge that catching largemouth bass on Nacimiento Lake is a rarity.

Spotted bass are the dominate species when it comes to weigh-in time at all bass tournaments held at this venue. Currently, it’s the lone Central Coast facility where tournaments are held.

But four largemouths were brought to the scales last week in the 10^th and final Ambushers’ tournament of the year.

Event winner Erik Zillig had one largie, the event’s “big fish” at 3.07 pounds, that paid a $65 dividend.

Zillig said: “A light rain was falling, and it was cloudy and humid.”

He noted that his best two fish, the 3.07-pound largemouth and his biggest spotted, were caught on back to back casts around noon.

The only two fish brought to the scales by Steve Bereda were largemouths. Combined they weighed 4.32 pounds, which meant an 11^th-place finish and the Angler of the Year crown.

Bereda, 65, has been involved in bass fishing for decades. And he’s still competitive.

Over the years he has become convinced that largemouth bass “bite the best during stormy weather.”

He had two other largemouths that he measured 13 inches when he put them in his live well.

“Prior to the weigh-in, I measured them to make sure,” he said. “It turns out both fish had shrunk an eighth of an inch, so I released them rather than suffer the disqualification penalty.”

After the weigh-in, a fellow competitor told him of a liquid you can put in the live well that resolves the shrinkage problem. It reduces their stress stemming from being caught.

“I gotta get some of that liquid,” Bereda promised.

Had the Santa Margarita angler failed to measure the short bass it would have cost him the club’s 2016 Angler of the Year crown.

He managed to win the AOY title by four points over Zillig, 823 to 819.

The 10 tourney schedule allows participants to eliminate their two worst tournaments. Zillig had three tournament wins and Bereda two.

Ambushers Top 10 (fish total, weight, winnings): 1.Erik Zillig, Paso Robles, 5, 10.14 pounds, $222; 2. Chase Austin, Templeton, 5, 9.70, $133; 3. Jim Keeney, Paso Robles, 5, 9.47, $40; 4. Ken Meeks, Atascadero, 5, 9.19; 5. Tom White, King City, 5, 8.76, 6. Marc Hazuka, Atascadero, 5, 8.74; 7. Jerry May, Paso Robles, 5, 8.57; 8.Ron Christian, Santa Maria, 5, 7.22; 9. Burt Lund, Atascadero, 5, 6.98; 10. Mike Garza, King City, 4. 6.02.

First Big Fish: Erik Zillig, 3.07 pounds, $65.

Ambushers Angler of Year Standings

1. Steve Bereda 823 points; 2. Erik Zillig 819; 3. Tom White 808; 4. Jerry May 802; 5. Jim Keeney 799; 6. Burt Lund 798; 7. Ken Meeks 793; 8. Marc Hazuka 791; 9. Al Rush, Paso Robles, 767; 10. Ron Christian 765; 11. Paul Bailey, Creston, 667.

Virg’s Landing

Four more anglers have guaranteed a berth in the December Biggest, Baddest Lingcod tournament.

They are: Mike Stubbs, Fresno, 15.0 ling; Mark Morales, Delano, 12.7 ling; Brad Harrington, Tehachapi, 21.3 ling; Ash Knowlton, Fresno, 12.0 ling.

Bruce Harwood, Virg’s manager, reported on last week’s sea and weather conditions ending Saturday: “Sunday through Thursday we had beautiful weather with sunny skies and normal swells. A storm rolled in Friday night accompanied by big swells that spoiled weekend fishing.

“’The catch by 243 anglers on the 10 trips we offered totaled 2, 638 fish, 210 lingcod and 513 red rockfish.”

The So Cal Slayers fishing club certainly slayed them on a private charter at Cape San Martin. They had full limits including 96 lings, 192 reds, 80 coppers, 47 assorted and one cabezon. Fountain Valley’s Richard Lee had the big fish, a 20.7-pound ling.

The Cambria Fish Club had a private charter aboard the Princess on Wednesday. Jason Anderson of Cambria had the big fish, a 23.5 ling. The catch included 60 lings, 10 reds, 100 coppers and 90 assorted rockfish.

Others catching jackpot fish were Sarah Smith of Bakersfield with a 10.4-pound ling and Javie Vasquez, Farmersville, 7.1 ling.

Patriot Sportfishing

Lompoc’s Dalton Sprague had last week’s biggest jackpot fish, a 16-pound lingcod.

Cass Schultz of Arroyo Grande and Oscar Rios of Long Beach both had 10-pound lings. No jackpots were reported on two other trips.

One hundred thirty-one anglers last week caught 34 lingcod, 206 bolina, 37 red rockfish, 790 assorted rockcod, five cabezon, 17 coppers and one bocaccio.

Morro Bay Landing

There was plenty of excitement last Wednesday with an unusual catch, an 81.5-pound bluefin tuna. Bakersfield’s Jeff Saiden retrieved the fish after a protracted bout. He was fishing aboard the Endeavor with a dozen other passengers.

Others earning jackpot honors were Will Roosevelt, Bakersfield, 12.0 ling and Kylie Mahood, Lodi, a 6-pound cabezon.

Twenty two lingcod were in the catch by 58 anglers. Also harvested were 400 assorted rockfish, 117 red rockcod and the big bluefin tuna.

Port San Luis Boatyard

Although a white seabass was caught, it was bested by a 13.5-pound lingcod by Dan Hudson of Santa Maria on Oct.14. No boats were launched either Saturday or Sunday last week. Forty eight boats were dispatched, and 37 lingcod were brought on board. Half to three quarter rockcod limits were reported three days and half limits two days.

Whale Rock

The absence of season-long catches of trout is discouraging anglers to the point that for the second week in a row nobody showed up at the reservoir to give it a try.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Central Coast Fishing: Largemouths feature in SLO County Bass Ambusher’s final 2016 tournament."