Smoke on the water

FLW Tour top-10 anglers aren't slowed down by an early morning fog

CLEWISTON, Fla. – After two days of brilliant morning sunshine, anglers were greeted with foggy conditions at the day-three launch of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour season kickoff on Lake Okeechobee. How the competition will unfold today is as unclear as the air, as Okeechobee has proved to be a finicky playground most of the week.

Case in point: Both leaders made considerable leaps to claim the top spot in yesterday’s competition, most notably co-angler leader Bob Bjorklund of Aurora, Colo. Bjorklund shot from 134th to first on the strength of a five-bass catch Thursday that weighed 20 pounds, 7 ounces.

Pro leader Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., who fishes for Team Pedigree, was sitting in 39th place after day one but led the tournament yesterday thanks to his day-two catch of five bass weighing 25 pounds, 15 ounces. Both Kennedy and Bjorklund have their work cut out for them, however, as weights were cleared for Friday’s competition, putting them on equal footing with pros like Chad Grigsby, Dean Rojas and Keith Williams and co-anglers like Nick Hamra and Jason Knapp – all of whom have found success in FLW Outdoors tournament trails.

Co-angler competition concludes today, with the winner taking home $20,000 cash. Pros will continue competition Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest two-day weight. The winning pro will earn a $100,000 top cash prize.

Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1005 West Sugarland Highway in Clewiston, Fla.

Friday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 7:13 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 53 degrees

Expected high temperature: 72 degrees

Wind: from the west-northwest at 10 mph

Maximum humidity: 64 percent

Day’s outlook: Mostly sunny