Mike Coleman of the Oro Madre Bass Anglers won the boater division of the California B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier on the California Delta, July 8-9. Photo by Mendi Nevarez
Mike Coleman and Jay Williams earn spots on 2018 State Team
OAKLEY, Calif. — Mike Coleman of Pioneer won the 2017 California B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier 3 on the California Delta, July 8-9, by more than 2 pounds.
“I wanted to make the State Team with a win,” said Coleman, who’s a member of the Oro Madre Bass Anglers. “Points would have been great, too, but it was fun to win one.”
Coleman caught 12.56 pounds on Saturday, including a 3.39-pounder. He followed it up with the biggest bag of the tournament, 15.33 pounds, on Sunday for the win.
Coleman practiced on the Delta the weekend before, when he found that the bass were relating to mats adjacent to deep water.
“The tide had to be all the way out to bring these fish to the front,” said Coleman. “I punched heavy cover the whole time.”
Other competitors were punching mats, too, but Coleman was targeting deeper mats than the others.
“I would target the ledge, right where it dropped off to 22 feet,” Coleman explained. “I was all over the place, too. I would…
