Oroville, Calif. – The top-10 cut to the final field of pro and co anglers was established following the Day Two weigh-in at the second stop of the BAM Tournament Trail (BAM TT) Pro/Am at Lake Oroville. Following a leaderboard shuffle of the top pros, Greg “Double G” Gutierrez of Red Bluff, Calif. settled into the first-place position adding 11.86 to his Day One weight for a two-day total of 25.19.
“I would have never thought; not with what I had,” said Gutierrez. As the first-ever BAM Pro/Am champion crowned at the inaugural event on Lake Shasta, Double G is the only pro angler with the potential to go back-to-back in BAM. “That’s kind of a cool thing,” he stated.
Gutierrez started the fishing day in 5th place, trailing the Day One leader by a little over one-pound. Although he weighed less today than yesterday, it was enough to climb the standings, securing the top position as he enters the final day of competition. “I found some new stuff towards the end of the day and culled three or four times,” he said. “For tomorrow, it looks like it will be okay, if I didn’t burn everything up, because I was poking everything that bit.”
Burnt up or not, Gutierrez plans to return to these same spots and see how it plays out. “It’s just loaded in there,” he said. “I’m going run my Bass Cat Puma from one end to the other slinging the steel off my Mercury prop and grind it out.”
Gutierrez is sharing his starting spot with fellow angler Zack Thompson from Alameda, Calif., also in the top-10. “We’ve been doing this around each other for so long; he is professional and I’m professional, so we just work around each other,” Double G added. “He caught more fish out of there yesterday and I caught more out of there today. It is just the way it is.” Thompson sits in 9th.
JR Wright Rises Into Runner-Up Position
JR Wright of Truckee, Calif. came from 9th place yesterday to end Day Two in 2nd with 24.67, roughly a half pound back from Gutierrez. Wright is wild and out with fishing spots all over the lake. “I’m running from the west branch all the way to the middle fork, up the north fork,” he said. “I haven’t been up the south fork; but that could all change tomorrow.” He is targeting areas both deep and shallow. “I’m using some Keitechs and basically moving slow and methodically,” he added.
Aaron Britt Plans Adjustments For Final Day Of Fishing
Slipping to 3rd from his Day One top spot, Aaron Britt of Yuba City, Calif. found the changing conditions slightly more challenging. “I was fishing an A-rig yesterday and stuck with it today,” he said. “I didn’t get as many bites and clearly not as big of bites.”
His two-day total put him at 24.36, feasibly within striking range with less than a pound separating him from first. Britt’s plan for Day Three includes disregarding the river arm he had been in and seeking out main body locations. “I am going to slow down and fish some plastics on flats,” he revealed. “Green pumpkin has been a key color.”
Gasper Busalacchi Is The New Co-Angler Leader
Launching as the runner-up, Gasper Busalacchi from San Mateo, Calif. bumped lake local Jason Bubier off of the top of the co-angler standings when his two-day total of 21.27, surpassed Bubier’s by a mere .04. Busalacchi packed in a variety of baits to get the job done. “I have a wacky-rigged Senko, a 3/8-ounce underspin, a shakey head, a jig, a float ‘n’ fly; basically, I was ready for whatever place I ended up,” said Busalacchi.
Making it through the field cut, the top-10 pro and co-anglers will check in for their championship day at Loafer Creek Ramp on Sunday, March 17. Similar conditions are expected. Championship Sunday’s weigh-in will kick off by 3:30 p.m. at Loafer Creek Ramp. Tune in to watch LIVE.
Complete BAM TT Lake Oroville Day Two Results Are Available
Top-10 Pros:
Place/Angler/Day 1 Big Bass/ Day 1 Weight/Day 2 Big Bass/ Day 2 Weight/Total
1 Greg Gutierrez 03.78 13.33 02.66 11.86 25.19
2 JR Wright 12.25 04.22 12.42 24.67
3 Aaron Britt 04.35 14.44 09.92 24.36
4 Wyatt DeBusk 12.09 04.68 12.18 24.27
5 Asher Haynes 04.72 13.27 03.06 10.43 23.70
6 Antonio Gold 04.96 13.79 09.72 23.51
7 Joseph Orozco 03.27 12.96 10.45 23.41
8 Ryan Hall 02.90 12.83 02.96 09.87 22.70
9 Zack Thompson 14.39 08.20 22.59
10 Steve Hoover 11.46 03.10 10.94 22.40
Top-10 Co-Anglers:
Place/Angler/Day 1 Big Bass/ Day 1 Weight/Day 2 Big Bass/ Day 2 Weight/Total
1 Gasper Busalacchi 04.79 12.07 09.20 21.27
2 Jason Bubier 12.27 08.96 21.23
3 Rodney Brown 11.71 02.57 08.88 20.59
4 Chris Trumbull 02.60 09.24 02.75 10.78 20.02
5 Craig Main 10.28 09.48 19.76
6 Kirk Marshall 09.64 09.85 19.49
7 Roy Desmangles JR 11.80 07.39 19.19
8 James Rodgers 09.95 08.88 18.83
9 Tommy Rice 09.92 08.37 18.29
10 Dante Ray 03.36 10.74 07.48 18.22
About BAM Tournament Trail
The Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM TT), offers an unparalleled platform for anglers and sponsors, alike combining vast exposure opportunities that celebrate the skills of western bass anglers. The circuit garners extensive coverage across print and online magazines, websites, videos, television, and multiple social media channels.
Oroville Event Sponsors:
The Oroville tournament proudly welcomes a diverse array of sponsors including Bass Boat Technologies, Tackle Warehouse, Storquest, Crestco Rents, Gold Country Casino, and our dedicated conservation sponsor, Fisherman’s Warehouse.
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BAM TT is honored to be associated with its title sponsor, Bass Boat Technologies, and presenting sponsor, Tackle Warehouse. The trail is also supported by Storquest, Garmin, Bass Cat Boats, Ford Fairfield, Dish – Accel Marketing, Power Pole, Mercury Outboards, Bob’s Machine, Wood Bros, Sticky Graphics, Jean Deleonardi Real Estate, Valley Outdoors, Eternal Lithium, Alpha Angler Rods, and Fisherman’s Warehouse.
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