Neece Back on Top After Day 3 on Lake Okeechobee
CLEWISTON, Fla. – Things were changing today in south Florida 13 Fishing Stop 1 of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers. The weather was the biggest change as sunshine and relatively calm conditions the first two days were swapped with clouds, wind and rain for much of the day.
Dropping 27 pounds on day one to take the lead on Day 1, Jim Neece Jr., set the pace on the Big O. Dropping to third on Day 2, Neece worked his way back in the lead with 18-2 on Day 3 to boost him to a 56-11 total.
Today, he got started in the right direction after catching a 7-pound kicker to begin the day.
“That 7-pounder was the first bite I had,” says Neece. “About an hour later, I lost one that was even bigger after it straightened out my hook.”
He knows the fish to win are in his area on the north end of the lake and will be back again to vie for the win in the morning.
“It’s been the same place all week, but I’ve had to switch baits to get bites,” Neece says. “The first two days, I was mainly fishing a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worm and a frog, but they just weren’t biting them as well today.”
Due to the changing weather, he decided to fish a vibrating jig and it helped him put together his limit.
“I had to switch it up because of all of the wind in my area,” he says. “Today, the [vibrating jig] was the key.”
He’s fishing an area north of Kings Bar and is going to give it one more chance tomorrow.
“That’s all I got,” says Neece. “We are going to go back again and see what happens.”
Top 10 Pros
1. Jim Neece Jr. – 56 – 11 (15)
2. Miles Burghoff – 56 – 01 (15)
3. Skeet Reese – 55 – 05 (15)
4. Bill McDonald – 55 – 04 (15)
5. Chris Lane – 55 – 04 (15)
6. Dicky Newberry – 53 – 06 (15)
7. Pete Ponds – 50 – 15 (15)
8. Cole Floyd – 49 – 15 (15)
9. Anthony Gagliardi – 49 – 13 (15)
10. Ryan Salzman – 48 – 07 (15)