Back to work at the Big O

FLW Series pros glad to return to competition

CLEWISTON, Fla. – A lot has changed in the world since the Walmart FLW Series last convened for the season-ending East-West Fish-Off two months ago.

It’s a new calendar year, the United States has a new president, and it’s no secret that our nation’s economy has continued to erode to levels that some (depending on your age) have never experienced.

Economic loss has taken its toll across the board, from housing and manufacturing to retail services and even professional sports, including the big ones like the NFL, PGA and NASCAR.

The sport of professional fishing has not been immune either. This has been one of the most harrowing offseasons for professional anglers since the inception of the sport. Not only have deep cutbacks found their way to pros’ pockets, but new sponsor deals have been hard to come by.

As a result, the kickoff of the FLW Series season on Okeechobee has brought on a big sense of relief to FLW Outdoors pros.

Okeechobee ace J.T. Kenney of Palm Bay, Fla., was one of the first to express his sense of relief in returning to the water this week to compete in the BP Eastern Division event.

“No matter what the fishing is like this week, let me say that I’m thrilled to be back at work,” Kenney said enthusiastically. “The offseason was so riddled with economic uncertainty – every time I turned on the television or picked up a newspaper, it was just one economic blow after another. Sitting at home away from competition, I felt helpless, and it was driving me crazy. So I’m glad to be back out here on the water competing.”

Pro Randy Blaukat of Jasper, Mo., also expressed the same sense of relief.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and this offseason was the most difficult one I can remember,” Blaukat said. “Over the winter I heard about pro after pro losing sponsor deals, and the long break only intensified the economic uncertainty. So I’m thankful to be back out here fishing again. I’ve started to realize just how much we have taken for granted in this sport over the last decade.”

Despite a faltering economy, FLW Outdoors remains committed to the strongest payouts in competitive fishing. In 2009, FLW Outdoors will be adhering to a payout standard they set back in 2005: a 50th-place payout of $10,000 in both the FLW Series and on the Walmart FLW Tour.

“I’m telling you, I’ll be fishing for a $10,000 check in every tournament,” Blaukat said. “All that swinging-for-the-fences and risking-it-all-for-the-win talk is out the door for me. I’ll be taking the conservative route all season, making sure I catch five bass per day before I take a chance on anything else. Given my situation, earning a $10,000 check will be huge, and I’m sure many other pros feel the same way right now.”

Boca Raton’s Mike Surman is another angler who is especially happy to be returning to the water this week. Surman endured an elongated offseason due to intensive spinal surgery in his neck. The surgery, which occurred in September, sidelined the Castrol pro from the Champlain and Clarks Hill events last season in the Series.

After three months of recuperation and physical therapy, he’s ready to fish again.

“You have no idea how good it feels to get back out here and fish,” he said. “I know it was only three months, but it felt like a year, especially with the economic news we hear day in and day out.”

Big O fishing report

As for the fishing this week on the Big O, if the tournament had been held over the last four days, there likely would not have been much to brag about.

But a few key ingredients are coming together to make things better – much better. For starters, while parts of the Southeast have been wracked by ice storms, southern Florida is undergoing a major warming trend. In the last few days, Florida sunshine has brought water temperatures up some 10 degrees. Additionally, a new moon just past, bringing amorous bass to the shallows.

Also, keep in mind that pros are not allowed to fish on the Tuesday before FLW Series events, and a lot can change during a warm off day with a new moon.

“Guys have been crying the blues all week,” Kenney noted. “And rightly so. Honestly, the fishing has not been that good. But here’s what’s going to happen: Some of those guys are going to return to areas where they only had two or three bites in practice, and those places are going to be loaded – at least for a day. What I don’t know is how long those productive areas are going to hold out. I do have a sense that fish are not going to replenish in those areas as fast as they have in the past.

“I think the first day of the tournament will be pretty decent, but it will be interesting to see what kind of weights follow on Thursday and Friday.”

Given Okeechobee’s unpredictability, weight estimations to make the top-10 cut have been all over the board. Earlier in the week, pros were tossing out three-day totals of 33 to 35 pounds for a top-10. But with a warm, balmy start this morning, weight predictions were being raised into the 40- to low 50-pound range.

Logistics

Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martins Marina & Resort located at 920 E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston at 7 each morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m.

Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart store located at 1005 W. Sugarland Highway in Clewiston beginning at 4 p.m.

Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday’s weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Walmart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include a trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.

Wednesday’s conditions

Sunrise: 7:11 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 63 degrees

Expected high temperature: 78 degrees

Water temperature: 63-66 degrees

Wind: SSE at 10 to 20 mph

Day’s outlook: sunny, balmy