FLW College Fishing to host event on Lake Okeechobee
Warming trend should help bite Southeast Division opener
CLEWISTON, Fla. – National Guard FLW College Fishing is headed to Lake Okeechobee Feb. 27 for the first of four stops in the Southeast Division. Forty collegiate teams will be competing for a top award of $10,000 to be split evenly between the school and bass fishing club.
“The key to Lake Okeechobee is to fish the grassy and vegetated areas,” said FLW Tour pro J.T. Kenney of Palm Bay, Fla., who has won two major events on the Big O. “Anglers should stick to the west and southwest area of the lake, which is where the vegetation is the heaviest. Topwater frogs and any plastic stickbaits will work best.
“It has been unusually cold in Florida this year. However, temperatures are expected to start rebounding next week, which should turn the bite around. There could be a lot of spawning, which will make the bite even more aggressive.”
Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martins Marina & Resort located at 920 E. Del Monte Avenue in Clewiston, Fla., at 7 a.m. Weigh-in will be held at the marina as well beginning at 2 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
A complete list of registered teams competing in the tournament is available online.
The top five teams from each tournament will qualify for the regional championship where the first-place team wins $25,000 cash for their school and a Ranger 177TR bass boat for their fishing club. The top five teams from each regional advance to the national championship where the first-place team wins $50,000 for their school and $25,000 cash and a Ranger 177TR bass boat for their fishing club.
FLW Outdoors provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
About FLW Outdoors
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 189 tournaments in 2010. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing awarding the largest prizes in the history of fantasy sports. FLW Outdoors memberships are available featuring numerous benefits including Player’s Advantage. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com.