Elite Series Anglers ‘Mussel Up’ for Season-Opening Events by Alan Clemons 3-5-2010

Elite Series anglers ‘mussel up’ for season-opening eventsA couple of interesting side notes are building for next week’s Bassmaster Elite Series opener on the California Delta in California and the following event on Clear Lake that will end the two-tournament kickoff to the season.

Anglers have been pounding the nation’s asphalt this week in their logo-splashed trucks and boats. They seem to be heeding writer the mid-1800s exhortations of “Go west, young man!” urging enterprising men to seek their fortunes.

Some are closer to their destinations than others. A few had last-minute stops for boat, electronics or other equipment checks. A few have had last-minute financial situations that required text messages, emails and calls. Getting a late start and rushing before the season begins isn’t the best idea, but occasionally it’s unavoidable.

When anglers hit the California border they’re required to undergo a boat inspection. Golden State officials are keen on attempting to stop the spread of exotic vegetation or critters, such as quagga or zebra mussels, that can hitch a ride on trailers or in boat livewells. Inspections at boat ramps are common as well throughout much of the state including the Cal Delta and Clear Lake.

Livewells and bilge systems hold water in which tiny mussel larvae can live, sometimes for long trips. Zebra mussels are believed to have come into the U.S. decades ago through ballast of cargo ships from Europe. Quagga mussels also are believed to have been brought in through transoceanic ships into Lake Erie in the late 1990s before spreading.

Both can wreak havoc on drainage pipes and intake systems. They build up on boats, pilings or other structures. They can supplant native mussels, which are beneficial. They’re filter feeders, so they disrupt the aquatic food chain by taking out phytoplankton, which is needed by zooplankton, which is needed by … .

So state officials throughout the country are concerned about the invasive mussels. Boat owners are urged to clean their vessels before launching in different waters, dry out livewells and bilge systems, and clean off any plants that may be attached to trailers.

But that’s not all for the Elite Series guys. Once they get to the Delta, a vast tidal fishery a jiggle away from San Francisco, Oakland and Stockton, they might encounter sea lions. The giant, fish-eating machines are indiscriminate about their gastronomic desires. If it swims with fins, chances are they’ll eat it or consider eating it … and that includes bass.

Sea lions and seals are pretty smart. They hang around docks and piers. Just like the robber who says “That’s where the money is!” when asked why he robs banks, sea lions and seals hang around docks and piers because that’s where people might feed them or tournament anglers might release their catch.

Maybe the Elite Series anglers won’t have to worry about either situation. They’re smart cookies and plan ahead pretty well. A few might have to convince an inspector that a PowerPole is really a “shallow water anchor,” which it is, instead of having a traditional anchor on their sleek rig. Otherwise, most are out there already and are set to get started.

Their biggest concern will be finding and catching bass, and we’re not “lion” when we say these guys and their FLW Tour brethren are pretty darn good at “musselin’ up” to the weigh-in stage.

(Booo … booo … hsssss … OK, it’s Friday. Cut us some slack.)

- Alan Clemons