CLEARWATER, Fla. – Excitement hung in the air just under the Clearwater Beach bridge this morning as 125 redfish teams awaited the start of the 2007 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Eastern Division season at stop number one in Clearwater.
Although the start of a new season alone is enough to get the juices flowing, Redfish Series teams were doubly amped up by the tide and weather predictions for the next few days.
Sunny skies are expected to push highs into the mid 70’s and a 5 to 10 mph breeze is predicted on the Gulf of Mexico today – not bad for February.
In addition, the tide cycle is lining up for a low tide at 9 this morning and a high at 3 p.m., giving anglers an opportunity to fish both high and low tide conditions during the tournament day.
Look for Redfish Series anglers to spread out far and wide up and down Florida’s middle Gulf Coast. Some teams will run as far south as Punta Gorda with others running as far North as Crystal River.
Two weeks ago the Redfish Cup held an event in Clearwater and though top teams
caught fish up and down the coast, the well-known Watts Brothers won the event just minutes from the launch site near Coachmen Park.
“This venue is all about the tide,” Greg Watts said. “A lot of guys want low tide because it pulls the fish off the flats in potholes and troughs and makes them easier to see and catch.”
Watts’ winning pattern from two weeks ago, however, was a high tide pattern.
“We found the fish in low water but they wouldn’t eat,” he explained. “When we returned during high tide, we couldn’t see the fish near as well, but they would eat much better in higher water.
The Watts plan to use that same pattern this week.
“Too many people now know about the spot where we caught them in the Cup event so I don’t know that we’ll go back there,” he said. “But we have several other places just like it – when the tide gets high, those fish start eating.”
Gauging from the last event held in Clearwater, 11 to 12 pounds per day should get a team close to the top 5.
Logistics
All teams will compete during the first two days, and the top five teams based on accumulated weight advance to day three. Final standings are determined by the total weight from all three days.
Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. each morning from Coachman Park located at 301 Drew Street in Clearwater. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. daily.
Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free, and the community is invited to attend the festivities.
The Clearwater FLW Redfish Series event is hosted by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The winning team will receive a top award of $25,000. If Ranger contingency guidelines are met, the winning team will also receive a $12,500 cash bonus. If Yamaha or Evinrude contingency guidelines are met, the winning team will receive an additional $12,500 cash bonus for a total of $50,000.
The top 50 teams in the FLW Redfish Series based on points standings at the end of the season will advance to the $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Championship presented by BP Oct. 18-20 in Orange Beach, Ala. The winning team at the championship will earn as much as $100,000.
Thursday’s conditions
Sunrise: 7:03 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 59 degrees
Expected high temperature: 75 degrees
Water temperature: 55-60 degrees
Forecasted winds: NW at 5 to 10 mph
Day’s outlook: Sunny and warm