Final round at the Big O
First 2002 FLW pro winner to be decided today, $110,000 on the line
CLEWISTON, Fla. – Another pleasant morning greeted the last 10 pros standing as they made their way onto Lake Okeechobee at 7 o’clock Saturday for the final round of the first Wal-Mart FLW Tour event of the year. The tranquil morning conditions betrayed the tension in the air as the entire final-round field set their sights on the top prize of $110,000.
“I still can’t believe I’m standing here,” said Jimmi Leuthner of Vernon, Vt. Leuthner, an FLW rookie, held the lead following the opening round and has placed no lower than third over the first three days.
Today, however, everybody restarted the day with zero weight and will fish in a one-day shootout to determine the winner. The fishing conditions seem ripe for the possibility of some big fish to cross the scale this afternoon. Yesterday, Texas’ Joe Don Setina broke the 9-pound barrier for a single bass, and Leuthner caught one over 8 pounds.
Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, hopes that changing fishing conditions will play into his hands. “The fish seem to be on the move,” he said. “And I want to capitalize on that.”
Today’s weigh-in will take place at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston, Fla. The event will be broadcast live nationwide – for the first time ever – on PAX TV at 3 p.m. EST and 2 p.m. CST.
Vital statistics
Sunrise: 7:12 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 68 degrees
Expected high temperature: 84 degrees
Water temperature: 72 degrees
Wind: From the southeast at 3 mph
Relative humidity: 88 percent
Day’s outlook: Mostly sunny
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