Day 4 with Martens

See Aaron Martens fish the California Delta on Day 4.

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Aaron Martens started the final day of fishing in second place.
Aaron Martens started the final day of fishing in second place.
He started catching small fish early.
He started catching small fish early.
The early morning wind made it difficult to sight fish.
The early morning wind made it difficult to sight fish.
But Aaron was still putting them in the boat.
But Aaron was still putting them in the boat.
He got up close and personal with this one.
He got up close and personal with this one.
That’s a keeper.
That’s a keeper.
He removes the hooks.
He removes the hooks.
Later he caught and released a short fish.
Later he caught and released a short fish.
Martens finds a fish on a bed…
Martens finds a fish on a bed…
…that was in a pretty scenic spot.
…that was in a pretty scenic spot.
He quickly enticed the fish into biting…
He quickly enticed the fish into biting…
…and put another keeper in the livewell.
…and put another keeper in the livewell.
He looks to his right and finds a big fish on a bed.
He looks to his right and finds a big fish on a bed.
And this turned out to be his biggest fish of the day.
And this turned out to be his biggest fish of the day.
The following photos detail the fight Martens had with his biggest fish on the final day on the Sacramento River.
The following photos detail the fight Martens had with his biggest fish on the final day on the Sacramento River.
He places his big fish and the livewell…
He places his big fish and the livewell…
…and makes an incredible cull.
…and makes an incredible cull.
There was another fish there too…
There was another fish there too…
…but it was much smaller.
…but it was much smaller.
He was already looking for another one while this fish was thrashing on the hook.
He was already looking for another one while this fish was thrashing on the hook.
By the end of the day he hoped to cull all three of these fish.
By the end of the day he hoped to cull all three of these fish.
This one has to go.
This one has to go.
Martens finished his day sight fishing…
Martens finished his day sight fishing…
…setting up on one fish after another.
…setting up on one fish after another.
He had spectator boats come and go all day.
He had spectator boats come and go all day.
He marks a fish on a bed he wanted to come back and fish for later.
He marks a fish on a bed he wanted to come back and fish for later.
Cameraman Ben Oliver moves in for a close shot.
Cameraman Ben Oliver moves in for a close shot.
This is never good.
This is never good.
Martens had a broken the trolling motor cable…
Martens had a broken the trolling motor cable…
…but had another one in the boat.
…but had another one in the boat.
He quickly took the old trolling motor off…
He quickly took the old trolling motor off…
…mounted the new one…
…mounted the new one…
…and was back to fishing in about 20 minutes.
…and was back to fishing in about 20 minutes.
Time to make yet another move.
Time to make yet another move.
Martens had countless places to fish on the Delta.
Martens had countless places to fish on the Delta.
His new line of rods lying on the deck.
His new line of rods lying on the deck.
He crouches to keep a fish on a bed from seeing him.
He crouches to keep a fish on a bed from seeing him.
He zooms in to make sure he was right on his waypoint.
He zooms in to make sure he was right on his waypoint.
Must have been the right spot.
Must have been the right spot.
This fish looks like it may help him cull a smaller one in the livewell.
This fish looks like it may help him cull a smaller one in the livewell.
The fish surges toward the bottom…
The fish surges toward the bottom…
…then tries to jump.
…then tries to jump.
No problem.
No problem.
Another nice keeper in the boat.
Another nice keeper in the boat.
And in the livewell it goes.
And in the livewell it goes.
He wasn’t done yet.
He wasn’t done yet.
And snatches another good one…
And snatches another good one…
…into the boat.
…into the boat.
He said he still felt like he needed another pound to have a chance to win.
He said he still felt like he needed another pound to have a chance to win.
He makes his final cull of the day…
He makes his final cull of the day…
…and ends his day of fishing to begin the long ride to the weigh-in site in Sacramento.
…and ends his day of fishing to begin the long ride to the weigh-in site in Sacramento.