Wind lays down, temperature drops

EverStart Anglers get break from wind, will contend with cooler water today

OKEECHOBEE CITY, Fla. – Windblown anglers were happy to see drooping flags at Okee-Tantie Recreation Area this morning before the start of day two of the EverStart Eastern event on Lake Okeechobee.

Last night the hard northeast winds subsided to a tolerable breeze. Today anglers can expect sunny skies and winds of only 5 to 10 mph.

But as the wind dropped, so did the mercury. This morning’s launch was 15 degrees cooler than day one’s launch, and anglers were bundled up a little tighter this morning.

Overnight, water temperatures fell 5 to 7 degrees into the low 60s. For bass that have been used to frolicking around in 75-degree water, this could be a bit of a shock.

Also, it’s a good bet that much of the fishable water in South Bay and the West Wall has been muddied by the heavy northeast winds. Anglers planning to fish those locations will likely be scrambling today.

Ricky Shumpert of Lexington, S.C., the cut man in 21st place with 11 pounds, 13 ounces, thinks today’s fishing will be tougher than yesterday.

“Even though the wind has quit, the second day after a front in Florida is a real killer,” he said. “They’ll still bite a little bit the day after the front passes, but the next day they really get lockjaw.”

Today the field will be cut to 20 pros and 20 co-anglers and their weights will start from zero tomorrow.

The weigh-in will continue today at 3 p.m. at the Okee-Tantie Recreation Area.

Thursday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:50 a.m.

Air temperature: 44 degrees

Water temperature: 63 degrees

Wind: from the east-northeast at 5 to 10 mph

Relative humidity: 100 percent

Day’s outlook: sunny, 70 degrees