LAKEPORT >> Big fish and big weights were the order of the day during round two of the fourth annual WON BASS California Open pro/am bass tournament on Thursday at Clear Lake.
The weigh scale at Konocti Vista Casino and Marina took a veritable beating as five-fish limit after five-fish limit kept tournament staff and emcee Billy Egan plenty busy. Five bass weighing more than 10 pounds were weighed in Thursday, bringing the two-day total of 10-pound-plus fish weighed in to seven.
Local fishermen Wayne Breazeale of Kelseyville brought in the biggest five-fish limit during round two at 37.08 pounds, giving him 55.18 overall and moving him all the way up to second place in the pro standings.
Tournament action wraps up today with a 3 p.m. weigh-in at Konocti Vista Casino and Marina. Among the prizes is a $50,000 bass boat for the pro winner.
The California Open features 75 professionals and 75 amateurs. The pros fish with a different amateur each day and each boat can weigh in up to five fish per day. Pros and their amateur partners share the boat’s weight. On Thursday, Breazeale teamed up with amateur Jon Maslonka of Richland, Washington, who also was credited with 37.08 pounds, elevating him to second in the amateur standings with 55.66 pounds.
Pro Jeff Gage of Canyon Lake and amateur partner Kota Hamai of Japan weighed in 33.65 pounds on Thursday, including the big fish of round two, an 11.15-pounder caught by Gage. Minutes later it was Peter Manfrina of Lompoc weighing in a 10.99-pound bass, part of a 30.55-pound bag that pushed his two-day total to 45.14 pounds in the pro division.
First-round pro leader Jason Newby of Bakersfield brought another 27.44 pounds to the scales on Thursday to retain his hold on first place with 58.81 pounds.
Hamai leads in the amateur standings with 59.67 pounds.
Following Newby and Breazeale in the pro standings are Kevin Norling of San Diego (53.96), John Pearl of Upper Lake (52.45), Ryan Habernicht of Creswell, Oregon (49.58), Gage, Tuan Nguyen of Woodland (46.70), Manfrina, Justin Hanold of Poway (43.85) and Clayton Meyer of Henderson, Nevada (43.08).
Pro big-fish winners on Thursday were Gage and Manfrina.
The top five amateurs through round two are Hamai, Maslonka, Tracy Purtee of Payzon, Arizona (52.15), Ryan Wischnack of Valencia (48.19), and Dink Mendez of Campbell (47.50).
Amateur big-fish winners on Thursday were Hamai (7.88 pounds) and Mike Hawkins of Boulder City, Nevada (7.87).
