Destination: Sarasota, Fla.

Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Florida West Coast Division, March 18

The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Florida West Coast Division opens its first season on March 18 out of Marina Jack in Sarasota, Fla. But the fishing outlook is isn’t exactly promising, according to Team Hydra-Sports Captain Alex Leva of Tampa.

“The tournament is probably going to be about a month early,” Leva said. “Unless we have an unseasonably warm spring, the water is still going to be in the 60s and kings might be hard to come by.”

Leva said anglers are going to have to hunt and peck for thermals offshore and hope they can find one or two that are holding bait and, ultimately, a king or two. He expects blue runners, mullet or pogies worked over 80 to 120 feet of water to produce the winning fish.

Leva’s call: a kingfish in the upper 20-pound to lower 30-pound range to win.