Wildfires in the area caused smoky skies all day while the temperature was also blazing around the California Delta for this week's Toyota Series Western Division event.
Ish Monroe may be hotter than both. He's on a hot streak this week as the only angler to crack 20 pounds on both days one and two. As a result, he’s now the tournament leader.
Fishing his preferred way, Monroe frogged and flipped his way to the big bag on his home waters. He's relying on his years of tidal water experience to fish the right areas at the correct times.
"I started the day on a brand-new spot and it was the right call," he says. "I caught a few decent ones there and then went back to where I started yesterday and caught another nice one."
Yesterday, he didn't even hit what he considered his best area due to the tides and his success elsewhere, but he made it there today.
"I went to what I think is my best area and missed a giant on a frog, but 30 feet later, I caught my biggest fish of the day," adds Monroe, who had both a 6- and 7-pound-class fish in his bag today.
Both of these fish came from that area while fishing a frog.
Overall, the pro affectionately known as just “Ish” is confident he can bring another solid bag to the scales tomorrow to contend for the win.
"Day two is so important in a three-day event, and you have to catch everything you possibly can, every day, if you want to have a chance at winning," he says.
Monroe claimed a 2009 Toyota Series victory and a 2008 FLW Pro Circuit victory on the California Delta.