Crucial day-three battle commences

Pro anglers predict vastly improved fishing conditions during Friday’s FLW competition

CLEWISTON, Fla. – While the cold and windy climate that dominated the early days of the FLW tournament on Lake Okeechobee clearly had an adverse affect on many anglers, a number of pros were predicting a turnaround on Friday. With temperatures set to climb over the course of the day, experts suggested that the final 10 pros and co-anglers would find a more forgiving Lake Okeechobee than the one that reared its ugly head during competition on Wednesday and Thursday.

“It’s been two days since the cold front arrived and things are starting to stabilize,” said Pro Craig Powers, who finished in third place at the 2000 FLW Championship in Shreveport, La., but ended his run at Lake Okeechobee after day two with a 69th-place performance. “The water temperature is going to continue to rise and the fish are going to start moving onto the beds. They’re going to catch them today.”

Powers, who came out to cheer on his fellow anglers during a sunny but brisk morning takeoff at Roland Martin Marina, said that the unique conditions on Lake Okeechobee this past week forced many anglers to adapt quickly.

“This will be the only tournament on Lake Okeechobee this year that will be dominated by crankbait fishermen,” said Powers, a native of Rockwood, Tenn. “I can guarantee you that parts of this lake have seen more crankbaits than any other time during the last 10 years. Normally, on this lake, if you don’t use a combination of soft plastics and spinnerbaits, you’re in trouble. But this week, you needed crankbaits and you needed to fish them deep.”

Frank Ippoliti, a member of Team Citgo who placed 121st this week, agreed that conditions should improve over the next two days.

“The fish have been pretty fickle all week,” he said. “But with the warmer weather, those fish should be gradually moving up toward the spawning flats. There could be some good fish caught out there today.”

Ippoliti said that that, in retrospect, it was clear what fishing strategies prevailed during the first two days of the tournament.

“People who fished the deep water right off the spawning flats did really well,” said Ippoliti, a native of Mount Airy, Md. “I was watching (day-two leader) Kevin VanDam and that’s what he did. When I look back on it, it was such a great, simple strategy that it was scary. And the people who fish the edge of the flats today should do very well.”

Weigh-in is scheduled to take place at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston.

For a look at the day’s tournament photos, click here.