Hi Tony, already what a pleasure to find your good mood!
Tony: Thank you! Yes, it's always a pleasure to be on the water, but also to meet Stéphane and to start a new season of the Zander Pro.
First cast, first fish, it was like season 1 of the Zander Pro!
Tony: Yes, it started a little bit the same! We had a spot for the beginning of the day where we knew that there were no big fish, but that it hunted in the early morning. Indeed, we triggered a fish, but after that it does not follow. Here it is not because we are in Spain that there is just to throw a lure, it is a little more complicated than that the fishing.
In the end, it was a little disillusioning this first half-day.
Tony: Yes! We had horrible weather conditions 3 days before. The weather was terrible and it started to rain 50 mm of water on the last two days. This completely changed the game. The fish were relocated and we had to adapt.
There was an area of the lake that we loved, which is the river in fact, and it became impassable. The water was tainted, there was debris, branches and trees coming down and catfish everywhere!
During the prefishing it was much better?
Tony: It was a great blue sky and the fishing was better, but it wasn't great either. It was pretty quiet though! In fact the lake was "ON" two weeks before and during the prefishing it was not on fire. We had however found good things, but the weather interfered. We will see on the day how much we end up withâ?¦
In retrospect, would a different strategy on that first half-day have been more favorable to you?
Tony: No, I don't think so! We moved around a lot, because the fish are very mobile. We look for the fish and we jump from one ridge to another.
We had found some carrier ridges during the prefishing and we have to be there when the fish passes. They pass by group, we catch 2 or 3 of them and they change of ridge. These are not places where there are herds of them!
Another team in Spain then! On Orellana in priority?
Tony: So I think from the pictures that they are on the Garcia Sola. I don't have any information, but I think it's there.
We can see that they fish a lot with hard lures, did you also try with Powertail ?
Tony: So no, very few, because in prefishing the fish responded well on Black Minnow in 140 and 120. The Powertail did not allow us to fish deep enough. We were really fishing along the ridges and accompanying our lures downhill. The Powertail didn't allow us to do that.
The conditions were not there to do it. After, on the Garcia Sola, I don't know, because I wasn't there. But it looks complicated for them too!
You said that during the prefishing it wasn't crazy after all. Do you think the algae stains and low levels made fishing difficult?
Tony: No! We were really afraid of that and of these green algae on the surface. And finally no, that does not disturb them absolutely and they are under. It is necessary to know that on this same lake, there were 40 to 50 fish per day and per boat two weeks before. But we were really in a period of temperature and pressure change. Something happened that stalled them and made fishing difficult. But that's the game, that's fishing!
Just because it's Spain doesn't mean it's a party every day.
I'm not too worried about the rest, you'll find a way to adapt!
Tony: We'll see! There are 5 episodes left so I don't want to spoil.
The Germans haven't started fishing yet and I think they're pretty relaxed after this first episode. Maybe they'll think they can take the number point.
It's funny you say that, because I still feel like the other teams are waiting for you and are wary of you after last year!
Tony: They know that we can do the numbers in Spain, but they have seen that it is difficult and they know that we cannot fish at night, so they may change their strategy.
We'll know a little more next week and we'll see if you can get this first point in, which is important.
Tony: Surprise! (laughs) But whatever happens, we are happy to be on the water together on this beautiful lake even with fewer touches than last year.
We see all the same Westin in Finland and 3 teams in Germany, it is not sure that the competition is won with 4 points. There might be some sharing!
Tony: It is possible, but Nays and Abu Garcia are big machines and they are used to catching big fish, so they will be present on the big fish and the top five.
But we can see that Westin has started well and that can reshuffle the deck. They're on the morning kick, will it last all day?
