LIVE BLOG: Day 2 Winding Down on Big O

Shin Fukae takes on Period 1 during Stage Two's second day of competition. Photo by Jesse Schultz

February 22, 2020 • MLF Field Crew • Bass Pro Tour

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – By Florida’s standard, this morning’s 48-degree temperature qualified as “downright chilly” as the anglers in Group B rolled out onto Lake Okeechobee. The temperature isn’t the biggest factor, though (although, it’s SOMEWHAT a factor): with 25-mph gusts in today’s forecast throughout the day, anglers were allowed to trailer to ramps of their choosing to avoid long runs over rough water.

4:00 p.m. EST — That’s it for Day 2 of Stage Two. Tomorrow we will see Group A head back out on Lake Okeechobee to try and qualify for the Knockout Round. Only the Top 20 from each group move on to the Knockout Round.

3:00 p.m. EST — From dead last to 10th place. That’s what one of these Florida largemouths can get you. Scott Suggs hadn’t put a scorable bass on SCORETRACKER® all day until this 6-11 bent his rod. Suggs is now in a great position to build off of this momentum and position himself into the Top 20.

Scott Suggs lands the biggest bass of Stage Two so far with this 6-11.

2:24 p.m. EST — Andy Montgomery is one of the late movers during this afternoon. Montgomery has landed four scorable bass in a little over two hours. He just brought in a 5-14 to move to within 1-2 of Britt Myers for the lead.

1:38 p.m. EST — The bite is not getting any easier out on the Big O. Britt Myers maintains his lead but hasn’t caught a bass in almost two hours. Dean Rojas has started to surge towards the top. After being held without a scorable fish in Period 1, Rojas has put five bass for 14-12 on SCORETRACKER® since. Rojas just added a 3-12 to his total, his biggest of the day.

12:50 p.m. EST — Andy Montgomery started his day off with a bang. The South Carolina pro just caught the 6-6 you see below for his first bass of the day. Montgomery collected a 13th-place finish in Stage One as he looks to position himself for another Knockout Round berth.

Andy Montgomery picks up this 6-6 for his first bass of the day.

12:00 p.m. EST — High noon here in central Florida. Twenty-two anglers on SCORETRACKER® so far today as the temperature is now above 70 degrees with the sun shining. Jared Lintner is the last man in the Top 20 with one bass for 2-5. Alton Jones is right outside the cut in 21st place due to tiebreakers.

11:37 a.m. EST — Mark Daniels, Jr. has made a run towards the top of SCORETRACKER®. Daniels has three bass for 8-15 including a 4-8. Daniels, Myers and Powroznik are the only three anglers who have caught more than two bass on the day. Daniels is currently 4-7 back of Myers for the lead.

Mark Daniels, Jr. landed this 4-8 during Period 2 on Lake Okeechobee.

10:48 a.m. EST — Period 2 is now underway and we have 17 anglers on SCORETRACKER® as we head towards the afternoon. Britt Myers, Jacob Powroznik, Chris Lane, Greg Hackney, and Todd Faircloth are the only pros who have registered multiple scorable bass.

10:14 a.m. EST — Josh Bertrand is making a strong case for himself as qualification continues for Heavy Hitters. The Berkley pro started the season with a 6-10 as his big fish at Lake Eufaula, and has already added a 6-3 this morning on Okeechobee.

9:34 a.m. EST — Britt Myers is making the most of his bites this morning. Myers has two bass for 11-5. The North Carolina angler caught a 5-9 that he followed up with a 5-12 to increase his lead. Myers didn’t make a Knockout Round last season, but after making the first Knockout Round this season, this could be the start of something special.

9:07 a.m. EST — Anthony Gagliardi has landed our biggest bass of Stage Two so far at 6 pounds, 9 ounces. There are only 10 anglers on SCORETRACKER® and none of the 10 pros have caught more than one bass.

Anthony Gagliardi with a 6-9, the biggest of Stage Two so far.

8:48 a.m. EST — The high winds have really started to dirty up the water to start the day. We just saw Shin Fukae land his first bass of the day, a 2-6. While he was working to get it into the boat, it was difficult to see the fish until it was right near the deck because of the murky water. JT Kenney just mentioned all the sediment on the hydrilla beds are starting to get stirred up, causing this dirty water. Anglers could move more south to avoid the dirtier water, but that would require some travel time that some anglers may not be willing to make.

8:20 a.m. EST — We have our first big fish of the day. Britt Myers just had a 5-9 hit SCORETRACKER® to jump out to a lead. Myers and Roy Hawk are the only pros with a scorable bass so far this morning.