FLW Tour season opener cruises into day two
Lake Okeechobee competition heats up as anglers brace for cold front
CLEWISTON, Fla. – Anglers anxious to gun for big bass during the Wal-Mart FLW Tour season opener cut through the humidity Thursday morning as they cruised onto Florida’s Lake Okeechobee. Today marks the second day of the four-day event with a total purse of $500,000 on the line.
Adaptability could be the theme of the first stop along the 2003 FLW Tour. After a brief reprieve from unseasonably low temperatures during the first few weeks of January in Florida, anglers undoubtedly have the weather on their minds as meteorologists are calling for a cold front to pull into the area. Tour pros are also contemplating a new tournament format that will scale back the full field of 176 anglers to 10 finalists who will compete – leveraging combined catch weights from days three and four – for the $100,000 first prize to be awarded at Saturday’s weigh-in. Last year a semifinal cut left 20 pros to fish on day three for a chance to compete among the top 10 for the top prize on day four. The top 10 co-anglers still standing after today will compete for $15,000 to be awarded to the champion after Friday’s weigh-in.
Although today’s temperature at takeoff and the water temperature were slightly higher than yesterday’s numbers, the high temperature for today is expected to be about 10 degrees cooler than Wednesday. Add to that an overnight low expected to drop below freezing, and it would appear the cold front many anglers expected to blow through the Clewiston, Fla., area during the tournament is on its way.
Colder water temperatures will likely shift bass patterns on the “Big O,” which could mean anglers may have to change their gameplans somewhat to pull in enough weight to qualify for the final round of competition. Many anglers reported flipping as their primary technique on the first day of competition. If the wind picks up, some said switching to spinner baits could prove effective. Cold conditions will likely decrease activity among the Big O’s bass population, meaning anglers will have to find pockets of bass that could bed down until warmer weather arrives.
FLW action continues during today’s weigh-in, which is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Roland Martin’s Marina at 920 E. Del Monte Avenue in Clewiston, Fla.
Vital statistics:
Sunrise: 7:13 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 55 degrees
Expected high temperature: 64 degrees
Water temperature: 60 degrees
Wind: From the west-southwest at 7 mph
Relative humidity: 88 percent
Day’s outlook: Partly cloudy
Related links:
Photos
Day-two pairings