Championship Bass fishing returns to the Downtown Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, Ca. – After a 25 year hiatus, championship bass fishing will return to the capitol city of the golden state, as the Thunder Valley Outdoors/Future Pro Tour will host the first day of its 10th annual Future Pro Tour Classic event in the shadow of historic downtown Sacramento.
In less than 8 weeks, the historic cobblestone lined streets of downtown Sacramento will soon see an armada of bass boats in all shapes and sizes, loaded with tackle – and bass fishing “fanatics” eager to get this milestone championship event underway.
The Future Pro Tour Classic is a prestigious, invitational affair, where only a select group of only 90 teams out of the hundreds of teams that participated throughout the year, will be eligible to participate in. At stake, are the keys to brand new, fully-rigged Ranger Z118/Evinrude package with Hummingbird, Minn Kota and Navionics electronics valued at over $35,000. Custom lead crystal trophies and custom classic rings go with the coveted FPT Classic crown, along with the recognition of being the best amateur bass fishing team in the west.
The challenge
Amateur level bass anglers participate in Future Pro Tour events because they know that the tour will present them with the most unique challenges of every kind and flavor, helping them to develop and challenge their growing skill sets. And this year’s challenge will not disappoint, as it is a multi-venue contest that will be conducted on two totally distinct watersheds:
Day 1 – The Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is a diverse fishery mostly known for its massive Salmon and Striped Bass migrations, but very few anglers in this upcoming field of Classic participants have ever fished the Sacramento River for bass, and have no idea that it is also one of the most overlooked yet prolific bass fisheries in the state.
Smallmouth, spotted, and yes, largemouth bass are prolific throughout this river systems, with miles of rip-rap banks, wing dam structures, and quiet sloughs that branch off it’s man channel to offer a variety of choices to those anglers that can focus and keep their “head in the game”.
A legend’s perspective
“New comers to fishing the Sacramento River should view their unfamiliarity with the Sacramento River as an asset, rather than a liability in that it creates the most level playing field imaginable for the entire field of Classic competitors”, noted Dave Gliebe, who has in his illustrious bass fishing career, won 45 boats, qualified for 3 Bassmaster Classics, is a US Open Champion, and won the West Coast Bass Classic Championship on the Sacramento river.
“These guys will be pleasantly surprised as to how many good groups of fish the river holds as you can crank the wing dams and catch quality smallmouth and lots of spotted bass because these river fish like fast moving baits. Once you have a good limit on the main river, quiet sloughs like Verona, and those around and near Sutter bypass, and Sutter Slough may get you some big largemouths by tossing jigs to the shallow grassy areas and lay downs”.
Day 2 – The California Delta
What more can be said about the California delta. Over 1000 miles of sloughs, tules, rocky levies and ever-changing tides, have made it arguably the most prolific big bass fishery in the country – bar none. This fact could provide a “saving grace” for those that don’t catch a big bag on day one on the Sacramento River, as the delta can quickly produce a set of double-digit bass for anyone – at anytime, during a series of just a few casts.
So get ready everyone…as this year’s 10th anniversary of the Thunder Valley Outdoors/Future Pro Tour Classic event is sure to be challenging, exciting, and one that will help the tour stay congruent with its long -standing motto…”A Great Place to Learn”!
See you all at the Classic!
FPT
