Last chance to reel in victory from Lake Okeechobee begins
Ten finalists fish in final round of FLW Tour season opener
CLEWISTON, Fla. – A half moon hung in the sky this morning over Roland Martin’s Marina as 10 pro anglers prepared for final fishing action in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour season opener. The pros waited patiently, their boats floating in the lock that connects the marina with the open water of Lake Okeechobee. The sun slowly rising on the horizon signaled that final fishing was nearly at hand.
Fishermen were greeted by a 10-degree improvement over yesterday’s takeoff temperature; but 43-degree conditions that felt like 37 degrees – according to one weather source – didn’t exactly make for an inviting environment on the “Big O.” Anglers were bundled in such thick outerwear that it was difficult to tell one from the next as their boats passed through the channel gate at 7 a.m. Bystanders were also clad in cold-weather clothing that seemed out of place in the southern third of the Sunshine State.
Cold weather in the last couple of days has significantly dropped water temperatures on the Big O, which subdued the catching prowess of most anglers yesterday. However, many large sacks of fish were weighed in during the first two days of tournament action, and several pros commented yesterday that anything could happen on Lake Okeechobee, where pros can greatly bolster a catch weight with a single cast.
The 10 finalists will add their weight from today with what they caught yesterday – or didn’t catch – to compete for a top prize of $100,000. Though three pros currently sit on top of commanding leads, it’s still anybody’s game.
When the final weigh-in commences today at 3 p.m., it should prove to be an exciting conclusion to the first stop along the 2003 Wal-Mart FLW Tour. The weigh-in will be held in Clewiston at Wal-Mart, located at 1005 W. Sugarland Highway.
Vital statistics:
Sunrise: 7:12 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 43 degrees
Expected high temperature: 64 degrees
Water temperature: 53 degrees
Wind: from the north-northwest at 9 mph
Relative humidity: 93 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy
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