The 2013 FLW season is upon us. I’ve been waiting to get the season started and am really excited about the first tournament being on my home lake – Lake Okeechobee. Before the lake went off limits I was able to go to the lake and prefish for 6 or 7 days. I had a few good days and caught some big fish but I also had some days that I struggled and could never find a pattern of what the big ones were doing.

It looks like the weather will be fairly good during tournament week. The start of the week we’ll have cold nights but then it will warm up nicely during the day. The actual tournament days are the warmest weather all week so fishing should be fairly good.

My goal for the week, of course, is to win, but being the first tournament of the year I at least want to get a good start. I am anticipating that it will take 28 to 30 pounds for two days to make the cut and 26 pounds for two days to get a check. The good thing about Lake Okeechobee is to get that weight you need just one good bite a day and a limit each day, but the key will be getting one or two good bites a day to get you over the hump.

On the way to the lake today, David Dudley and I stopped to appear at a bass fishing kids tournament at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines. It was so awesome seeing all the kids, ages 6 to 17, out there bass fishing. David and I both were impressed with all the kids and how good of anglers they already are. Hopefully I can take some of the tips I learned from these kids and turn it into a few extra fish at the Big “O”!

Come see us at the FLW weigh-ins in Clewiston, February 7-10 and stop by the Castrol booth at the Fun Zone. Hope to see you there!