May 16, 2019 by David A. Brown
Lane Olson’s morning began with a productive tone, but it was that rare instance of double lightning strikes that propelled him to a leading weight of 25 pounds on day one of the Costa FLW Series Western Division event, which is presented by Ranger Boats and hosted by Konocti Vista Casino Resort & Marina.
Fishing protected pockets in the south end of the lake, the Forest Grove, Ore., pro quickly put five keepers in the boat and then started methodically seeking upgrades. It’s said luck occurs when opportunity meets preparation, and Olson fulfilled his end of the deal.
“I had a limit by about 8, and I was just running around trying to catch 2 1/2- to 3-pounders,” Olson says. “I pulled into a pocket about 9 o’clock and caught a 6 1/2-pounder, and five minutes later, I retied, threw back out there and popped that 8-11.”
Notably, Olson’s second kicker is tied for big bass with a fish of the same weight caught by second-place Joe Uribe Jr., who trails the lead by 2-8.
Olson says he attributes his nearly back-to-back big-fish catches to location. The docks he fished were likely to see big bass coming and going.
“That was a major spawning cove,” Olson says. “I caught that first big one coming out, and that bigger one was coming in.”
Olson says he fished a mix of docks, rocky shoreline and some offshore spots. His game plan centered on a highly mobile strategy.
“I really ran around today; I burned almost a whole tank of fuel today,” he says. “I ran a lot of water and fished it really fast.
“The docks with the wooden posts have been the key. You can catch some on metal docks, but the bigger ones have been on wood. I’m really not sure why. They just seem to relate better to them.”
Olson kept the details of his bait selection confidential, but he says that finesse rigs caught all of the shoreline fish, while a soft plastic picked up one of his weigh fish over deep rocks.
A stormy weather system that passed through the area yesterday left residual rains and dropped air temperatures several degrees. Olson says he didn’t let the conditions rattle him.
“I really didn’t change anything,” he says. “I’ve been practicing since Saturday, and I’ve been doing the same thing all week. I didn’t even practice yesterday because I didn’t want the weather to mess with my head. I just went out today and went fishing.”
TOP 10 PROS
1. Lane Olson – Forest Grove, Ore. – 25-0 (5)
2. Joe Uribe Jr. – Surprise, Ariz. – 22-8 (5)
3. Travis Archer – Covington, Wash. – 21-2 (5)
4. Wayne Breazeale – Kelseyville, Calif. – 20-14 (5)
5. Justin Kerr – Simi Valley, Calif. – 19-11 (5)
6. Jordan Collom – Temecula, Calif. – 19-10 (5)
7. Bryant Smith – Roseville, Calif. – 19-9 (5)
8. David Valdivia – Norwalk, Calif. – 19-3 (5)
8. Jeff Michels – Lakehead, Calif. – 19-3 (5)
10. Cory Hoopes – Malad, Ida. – 18-15 (5)
BOROFKA BAGS CO-ANGLER LEAD
Preparation is the foundation for any successful pursuit, and Tara Borofka entered day one prepared for whatever she faced. The Salinas, Calif., co-angler says the time she spent practicing with her husband, 21st-place pro Jason Borofka, equipped her to capture the lead with a limit catch of 18 pounds, 4 ounces.
“I went out for two days of practice with Jason, and we stumbled on two patterns,” she says. “So, depending on which side of the lake I was going to go to, I knew what I was going to do.”
Tara ended up fishing the lower end of Clear Lake and fished mostly around rocks in about 20 to 25 feet.
“In the morning, it was slower presentations, but in the afternoon, I caught them on a faster bait,” she says. “When the wind came up in the afternoon, it made the reaction bite better.”
TOP 10 CO-ANGLERS
1. Tara Borofka – Salinas, Calif. – 18-4 (5)
2. Jesse Parks – Avondale, Ariz. – 17-13 (5)
3. Logan Huntze – Discovery Bay, Calif. – 17-6 (5)
4. Joe Bolen – Durham, Calif. – 17-1 (5)
5. Jack Farage – Discovery Bay, Calif. – 17-0 (5)
6. Cody Steckel – Las Vegas, Nev. – 16-12 (5)
7. Travis Williams – Bethel Island, Calif. – 16-1 (5)
8. Bryan Lutz – Clearlake Oaks, Calif. – 15-13 (5)
9. Andrew Wallar – Lakeport, Calif. – 15-11 (5)
10. Doug Hutchison – Santa Rosa, Calif. – 15-10 (5)
10. Michael Walsh – El Cajon, Calif. – 15-10 (5)
