Winter wallop

Severe Florida cold front changes winning combination for FLW Tour pros and Fantasy Fishers alike

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Call it the latest start to a Wal-Mart FLW Tour season in the tour’s history – February 28th – and Old Man Winter has still found a way to make headlines in the season opener.

Despite the fact that it’s nearly March in central Florida, a full field of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers set off onto a blustery Lake Toho this morning, where air temperatures hovered in the high 30s with wind chills in the low 30s.

“I can’t bear to do this, but I’m going to have to,” said National Guard pro Jonathan Newton as he turned on his electronics.

“Ma-an,” he sighed at the result. “Sixty-three degrees. That means the water temp fell 10 degrees last night. That’s not good for Florida fish. It seems no matter when we come down here, a bad cold front always lands smack dab on top of us.”

Farther down the dock, pro Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla., chatted with 2006 FLW Tour Angler of the Year Anthony Gagliardi about locking down to Lake Kissimmee.

“The fishing was not exactly awesome before this front got here.” Kreiger said. “And I don’t think it’s much better down there on Kissimmee, either. The last time we were here, Kissimmee was on fire and a lot of guys went down there. I don’t think you’ll see that this time; not near as many people will lock through as they did the last time we were here.”

Kreiger echoes the thoughts of National Guard pro and Floridian Scott Martin.

“I think maybe about 70 boats will lock through, but it will not be as many as last time,” Martin said. “From what I found, I caught the same size fish up here on Toho as down on Kissimmee, so I don’t think it’s worth giving up two or three hours fishing time to go down there.”

Others, such as well-known pro and 2007 Angler of the Year Jay Yelas, are going to take their chances on Kissimmee.

“I just think there is more flipping water down on Kissimmee,” Yelas revealed. “It’s severe cold-front conditions in Florida, and for me, there’s only one thing to do: flip.”

And while the cold front has pros constantly adjusting and readjusting their game plans by the minute, thousands of avid fishing fans who have signed up for FLW Outdoors’ Fantasy Fishing game at fantasyfishing.com are anxiously awaiting today’s weigh-in to see if they made the right picks given the extreme conditions.

Thanks to the inception of FLW Fantasy Fishing – and the millions of dollars of cash and prizes up for grabs in the unique game that allows fishing fans and fantasy gamers to play for free online – throngs of new fans are now paying as much attention to the fishing conditions as the pros do.

One of those anglers who likely got a lion’s share of Fantasy Fishing picks this week is BP pro J.T. Kenney, who has made a lucrative living on Florida lakes in FLW events.

Kenney could only shake his head when reminded of the thousands of fantasy fishers who probably put him at the top of their list.

“I’m pretty spun out right now,” Kenney said candidly. “I really wish I could say I was on them and that I was going to whack a couple 5-(pounders) in my first spot, but it just hasn’t been that kind of week for me.

“Honestly, what I’m struggling with right now is wondering if those postspawn fish will get back under mats with this front,” he said. “Cold fronts in the prespawn don’t bother me, but this is the latest we’ve ever been down here. Most of the fish have spawned, and now they’re getting hit with a 10-degree temperature drop. Cold fronts on postspawn Florida bass is a combination I have not dealt with much. It’s certainly going to change things around for everyone.”

One productive pattern that some pros keep hinting at is fishing open water in the middle of Toho – natural bare spots in the hydrilla where mussel bars are located.

“That’s definitely going to work for some guys,” noted local pro Terry Segraves of Kissimmee, Fla. “There are some fish on those areas. Those places are very hard to find and limited in size, but if a guy keeps grinding on those kinds of spots, he’s likely to get a decent bag to make the cut with.”

As far as weight predictions for the coveted top-10 cut, 12 pounds per day or a two-day total of 23 to 25 pounds seem to be popular numbers.

Anglers fishing the two top-10 days (Saturday and Sunday) should find more favorable conditions and more cooperative fish by the weekend, making for a tremendous final weigh-in.

The final-day weigh-in will be the first chance to see where your Fantasy Fishing pros end up in the standings and also a chance to win a free Ranger boat if you are in the area, as a drawing will be held during the final weigh-in on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Admission to the weigh-in and registration for the boat is free, and you must be present to win.

Logistics and locations

Anglers will take off at 7 each morning from Kissimmee Lakefront Park located at 101 Lake Shore Blvd. in Kissimmee. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at Kissimmee Lakefront Park beginning at 3 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins will be held in Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park, located at 1875 Silver Spur Lane in Kissimmee, beginning at 4 p.m.

Prior to the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, FLW Outdoors will host a free Family Fun Zone and outdoor show in the Exhibition Building at Osceola Heritage Park from noon to 6 p.m. each day.

The Family Fun Zone offers fans a chance to meet their Fantasy Fishing team anglers face to face and review the latest products from Berkley, Lowrance, Ranger, Evinrude, Yamaha and other sponsors, while children are treated to giveaways, fishing themed games and rides like the Ranger boat simulator.

Children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone Sunday will also receive a free rod and reel combo while supplies last, and one lucky member of the audience will win a new Ranger boat during the final 4 p.m. weigh-in on Sunday, March 2. Admission is free and you must be present to win.

In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers.

The full field of 400 anglers competes in the two-day opening round for one of 10 slots in Saturday’s competition based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are cleared for day three, and co-angler competition concludes following Saturday’s weigh-in. The top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.

The total purse for the Lake Toho event is $1 million, including $10,000 through 50th place in the Pro Division.

Thursday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:52 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 38 degrees

Expected high temperature: 62 degrees

Water temperature: 63 degrees

Wind: N at 10 to 15 mph

Day’s outlook: blustery and cold