Top 5 Patterns from Lake Okeechobee Day 2
How the pros battled the wind to make the top-20 cut
Fueled by 25 mph north winds, the Lake Okeechobee washing machine cleansed some livewells today, keeping them free of the 20-pound limits that are so common here when the weather is sunny, 75 and calm.
However, a few 20-plus-pound limits still snuck through the rinse cycle to grace the scales. The biggest limit once again belonged to Bradley Hallman of Norman, Okla. He added 25 pounds, 7 ounces to the 25 he caught on day one.
Below him, a couple of other pros brought impressive bags to the scale to garner a spot in the top five at the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Ranger Boats and hosted by Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina and Resort and Hendry County Tourism and Development Council.
Read about Hallman’s day two pattern here.
What follows are the details of the rest of the top five pros from day two.
2. Alex Davis – Albertville, Ala. – 41-15 (10)
Alex Davis bettered his position on the Big O on day two by nearly duplicating his day one weight of 21 pounds with 20 pounds, 15 ounces today.
Davis has discovered a small clear-water area in the lake’s south end that is just several hundred yards from the main lake. Fish are funneling into the tiny area to spawn, and Davis is picking them off as they come in and set up on beds.
“This little place is no bigger than a couple of boats put together,” Davis says. “It’s protected from the wind by land, and the beds are so thick it looks like bream bedding.”
The only problem for Davis is that the beds are mottled together back behind some of the thickest stuff Okeechobee has to offer.
“The water is clear, but I can’t really sight-fish because the beds are hidden back in all the stuff,” he says. “I’m having to meticulously pick it all apart just to get a lure down in there to them. And when I get one on, it’s complete chaos trying to get it back out of the junk.”
For that reason, Davis has had to upgrade his tackle substantially.
“I started with 17-pound-test line in practice, then went to 50-pound-test braid yesterday. Today I went to 80-pound braid,” he adds. “The stuff is gnarly.”
3. Charlie Weyer – West Hills, Calif. – 34-6 (10)
While the 25 mph north wind wreaked havoc on much of the field today, Charlie Weyer says it was actually a blessing for him and helped him sack up 23 pounds, 2 ounces worth of bass to rocket into third place.
Weyer says he found the area during practice when the water was clear enough to see beds, so he knew the bottom was “cratered up,” which gave him confidence to keep needling the area today.
“I really think I fished through them too fast yesterday and caught just the bucks. I think they were the bucks because I caught a bunch of fish, but they were all, like, 2-pounders,” Weyer says. “Today, with that wind, I was forced to pole down and fish so slow. But I think slowing down really helped me catch the females on those beds. The big girls were home today. It was painfully slow fishing but well worth it.”
4. Michael Neal – Dayton, Tenn. – 32-6 (10)
Michael Neal gets the unofficial “North End of Lake Okeechobee Award.” He’s the only pro in the top five who is not fishing down south.
Neal weighed in 14 pounds on day one and followed that up with a stronger 18 pounds, 6 ounces today.
“I made the long run all the way around the lake,” Neal says. “Once I got up along the North Shore, it [the condition of the water] wasn’t too bad. From there I ran all the way past the Kissimmee River.”
Neal’s one-two punch for the week has been a swim jig and flipping bait.
“I’m probably swim-jigging about 75 percent of the time and flipping 25 percent of the time,” he says. “I weighed two fish yesterday and one today that I caught flipping. The rest have come on a swim jig.”
5. Shin Fukae – Palestine, Texas – 32-5
After weighing in 20 pounds, 3 ounces on day one, Shin Fukae brought in 12 pounds, 2 ounces today to maintain a spot in the top 10. Fukae is fishing the same area and techniques as the leader Hallman, but owned up to making a bit of a mistake this morning.
“I was not patient enough,” Fukae says. “He [Hallman] kept flipping, and that got better in the afternoon. After not getting bites this morning, I quit flipping and went casting and winding. Now that I see what he weighed in today, I am mad with myself for not being more patient. Yesterday, I caught them flipping the way he is doing, but I gave up on it too soon today.”
Complete results – click here
Photo Galleries
Day 1 On the Water – click here
Day 1 Weigh-in – click here
Day 2 On the Water – click here
Day 3 Weigh-in – click here
Tournament Details
Presenting sponsor: Ranger Boats
Hosts: Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina and Resort and Hendry County Tourism and Development Council
Format: Walmart FLW Tour tournaments are four-day events. Co-anglers are randomly paired with pros and fish for two days, with the winner determined by heaviest cumulative two-day weight. All boaters fish the first two days as well, but only the top 20 after two days based on cumulative weight advanced to the third day. After three days, the top 10 anglers based on cumulative weight advance to the fourth and final day. The champion is determined by heaviest four-day total weight.
Takeoff Time: 7:30 a.m.
Takeoff Location:
Days 1 and 2: Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, 920 East Del Monte Avenue, Clewiston, FL
Days 3 and 4: Clewiston Boat Basin & Launch, 709 Hoover Dike Road, Clewiston, FL
Weigh-In Time: Days 1 and 2 at 3 p.m.; Day 3 at 4 p.m.
Weigh-In Location:
Days 1 and 2: Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, 920 East Del Monte Avenue, Clewiston, FL
Days 3 and 4: Walmart 2484, 1005 W Sugarland Hwy, Clewiston, FL
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