Chamber of Commerce days
Top-10 FLW Tour pros graced with perfect weather going into day three
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Have you ever seen those ads on television about vacationing in Florida where the weather looks so warm, sunny and perfect?
Day three of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Lake Toho is going to be one of those days – the kind the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau wants everyone to experience when they come to Florida.
The official forecast from the Weather Channel for Saturday, March 1 reads: Mostly sunny. High 78. Winds NNE 5 to 10 mph.
If you are an angler of any kind, you could not help but feel just a tad bit of envy toward those top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers who were setting out for another day of fishing in central Florida at the day-three launch.
But they earned it. When the event began on Thursday morning, the weather was not so temperate. In fact, a full field of pros and co-anglers braved a blustery day one, dealing with wind chills in the low 30s – not exactly fun in the sun.
So those who survived the top-10 cut deserve the added bonus of fishing in some very pleasant conditions.
Since the Sunshine State is going to live up to its name today, most anglers were planning to stick with their game plans that got them to the top 10.
Tournament leader Carl Svebek of Siloam Springs, Ark., was rigging up his swacky rig – a Gambler Sweebo worm rigged wacky style – preparing for his day on Toho.
“I’m pretty excited,” Svebek said. “I can’t wait to get out there, make that first cast and get settled into my groove.”
Fifth-place pro Brett Hite of Phoenix plans to return to his water down on Kissimmee and keep chucking a ChatterBait, which produced 22 pounds, 6 ounces for him on day one.
“Things should be a lot better for me today,” he said. “I lost some really big ones down there yesterday, so I know some big fish are still in the area.”
Hite is fishing his ChatterBait down small lanes of submerged hydrilla.
“T
he first day, I could really see those dark, underwater lanes well and make the perfect presentation to them,” he said. “On day two it got a little windier, the water stained up and I couldn’t see them as well.
“Today, though,” Hite hesitated, pointing to the calm water. “It ought to be perfect. This weather is going to be gorgeous.”
The day-three weigh-in begins at 4 p.m. at the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park, located at 1875 Silver Spur Lane in Kissimmee.
Prior to the weigh-in, FLW will host a free Family Fun Zone and outdoor show in the Exhibition Building at Osceola Heritage Park from noon to 6 p.m.
The Family Fun Zone offers fans a chance to meet their Fantasy Fishing team anglers face-to-face and review the latest products from Berkley, Lowrance, Ranger, Evinrude, Yamaha and other sponsors while children are treated to giveaways, fishing themed games and rides like the Ranger Boat simulator.
Saturday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:50 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 55 degrees
Expected high temperature: 78 degrees
Water temperature: 65 degrees
Wind: NNE 5 to 10 mph
Day’s outlook: perfect