OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Under a backdrop of bright, blue skies and unseasonably cool conditions, 165 boats made their way out of Okee-Tantie Marina for the open waters of Lake Okeechobee shortly after 7 a.m. Although 330 anglers remain in the competition, only 40 – 20 from both the Pro and Co-angler Divisions – will survive to fish in tomorrow’s semifinal round of competition.

With $50,000 in cash and prizes slated for the champion of the Pro Division and another $6,000 earmarked for the eventual winner of the Co-angler Division, competition is expected to be fierce. And exciting as well as nearly every angler maintains a realistic shot at qualifying for the top 20. The reason? Yesterday’s extremely frigid conditions kept catches down considerably, leaving most competitors with a very real chance to make up some significant ground today. With high temperatures expected to reach 70 degrees, the bite – as well as the action – will almost certainly pick up throughout the day.

Today’s weigh-in is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Okee-Tantie Marina located at 10430 Highway 78 West in Okeechobee.

Vital statistics

Sunrise: 7:15 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 35 degrees
Expected high temperature: 70 degrees
Water temperature: 58 degrees
Wind: From the northwest at 3 mph
Relative humidity: 70 percent
Day’s outlook: Mostly sunny

For a look at all of the day’s photos, click here.
Day-one results
Day-two pairings