All fogged in

Dense fog, low visibility cause record delay at start of FLW contest on Lake Ouachita

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – As the scheduled 7:00 a.m. start time approached for the first day of FLW competition on Lake Ouachita, it was abundantly clear to both anglers and tournament officials alike that the thick blanket of fog that had rolled in during the early morning hours would not be dissipating anytime soon. With visibility dropping to as low as 20 yards in some places, it was obvious that a significant delay was in store. In fact, the only question that remained was whether or not the fog would turn into a slight inconvenience or a mind-numbing wait.

“The fog might be gone in 10 minutes or it might stick around for a couple of hours,” said FLW tournament director Bill Taylor, shortly after 8 a.m. “But I’m not letting the guys go out until I can see that first buoy from here.”

“What buoy are you talking about?” questioned one member of the crowd who had overheard the conversation.

“You see, I rest my case,” said Taylor. “The safety of our anglers is the most important thing. And until I can see that buoy, no one is going anywhere.”

By 9:00 a.m., some anglers had already decided to catch a quick nap. By 9:30 a.m., anglers began digging into their lunch sacks. By 10:00 a.m., a host of jokes surrounding the delayed start had begun to surface.

“Maybe we should call the Psychic Hotline,” exclaimed one angler. “Miss Cleo might be able to tell us when we’ll be able to leave.”

By 10:30 a.m., seemingly every one of the 350 anglers participating in the tournament had stormed the tiny convenience store located at the Mountain Harbor Resort marina. And not surprisingly, the well-stocked inventory of coffee, snacks and fishing lures had begun to dry up.

“Business is really good today. Usually we don’t see this many people here until Memorial Day,” said the woman behind the counter. “The weather today is not typical at all. I think we’ve only had this kind of fog one day all year. But no one wants to believe me.”

“Hey, is there any more hot chocolate?” shouted FLW Tour pro Scott Martin to the convenience store clerk, not realizing he had just interrupted the woman’s story concerning the wacky Lake Ouachita weather.

“No honey, I think we’re all out,” she said. “We’re running out of a lot of things.”

All clear

Finally, after a record-setting four-hour delay, tournament officials announced that the fog has cleared up enough to begin the day’s takeoff. However, as the boats carefully filed out of the harbor, it was clear that many anglers – especially those in the first few flights – would have to dramatically change tactics as less than a half of a day of fishing remained.

FLW action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at Mountain Harbor Resort, located off Highway 270 East.

Vital statistics

Sunrise: 6:27 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 50 degrees
Expected high temperature: 71 degrees
Water temperature: 47 degrees
Wind: From the southwest at 8 mph
Relative humidity: 49 percent
Day’s outlook: Sunny

Related links:
Photos
Day-one pairings