Conditions are Changing on the Big O
Anglers will need to adapt to post-frontal conditions to find success on Lake Okeechobee
Day one of the Costa FLW Series event on Lake Okeechobee presented by Power-Pole kicked off this morning out of C. Scott Driver Park. A full field of 250 pros and co-anglers blasted off in the first stop of the 2016 Southeastern Division, which is hosted by Okeechobee County Tourism. Competition will be tough as the anglers vie for the $60,000 top prize.
The lake has been on fire recently. Last weekend, the BFL series opener took a whopping 31 pounds to win. However, conditions have changed, and anglers are reporting a tougher bite in the wake of a cold front that moved in this week.
About the Fishery
Okeechobee is known as one of the best fisheries on the planet. It encompasses more t han 450,000 acres of grass-filled water, making the lake a big-fish factory. The lake has many well-known areas that hold fish – such as the Monkey Box, Harney Pond and South Bay – and they should all be players this week. Though it looks large on a map, the lake often fishes small come tournament time as anglers crowd in to popular community holes.
Current Conditions
It was a brisk 60 degrees at the 7:30 takeoff. The anglers will be battling post-frontal conditions today, but warmer weather is forecast for the upcoming days. However, the warmer air is predicted to bring wind and rain with it. Friday, the forecast is for heavy rain and a strong southern wind. A steady blow could raise the water level on the northern part of the lake by nearly a foot or more and throw a major wrench in many game plans.
Tactics in Play
It sounds like a decent wave of bass have already spawned. Anglers are seeing empty beds and fry swimming around. This cold snap will likely delay the next wave and push bass deeper into the vegetation. Flipping into the heavy mats with compact Texas-rigged plastics or heavy jigs will be the strategy of many anglers. If the water temps rise by Saturday, then moving baits – vibrating jigs, swim jigs and swimbaits – could be factors to put numbers of fish in the boat.
Critical Factors
Catching a heavy bag today will be crucial. Randy Haynes, who had a strong finish in this event last year, made that clear.
“You need a big bag on day one, probably around 30 pounds. Then maybe 15 to 18 pounds on the following days," he says. "I don’t see anyone staying consistent in this weather.”
The other big thing to keep an eye on will be the wind and how it affects water clarity. Strong winds can dirty up water in a hurry on this pond, and having an alternative plan to combat that is crucial. Guys with prior experience on Okeechobee or who put extra time in during practice developing a contingency plan have a strong shot at making it to Saturday.
Dock Talk
Catching a limit will not be hard. Anglers can catch small 13-inch males guarding fry until they are blue in the face, but finding the larger females will be the key to a winning bag. We’ve heard estimates from 59 to 65 pounds to be the winning weight.
Tournament Details
Format: All 250 boaters and co-anglers will compete for two days. The top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on cumulative weight after two days of competition will advance to the third and final round, with the winner determined by the heaviest cumulative three-day weight.
Takeoff Time: 7:30 a.m.
Takeoff Location: C. Scott Driver Park, 10100 West Highway 78, Okeechobee, FL 34972
Weigh-In Time: Days 1 & 2 & 3 at 3 p.m. ET
Weigh-In Location: C. Scott Driver Park, 10100 West Highway 78, Okeechobee, FL 34972
Big Money on the Big O
Lake Okeechobee has been like money in the bank for Costa FLW Series anglers – literally. It’s figured into some of the richest payouts in Series history, including what was then a record for a regular-season payout to the entire field: $417,000 for a Southeastern Division event in 2015.
This year’s tournament pays even more, given the new enhanced payout system that scales up proportionally across all places and pays out additional prize money for every 10 boats that enter beyond the 150-boat baseline. If all possible contingencies are paid out, plus Big Bass awards, the grand total of cash and prizes at the 2016 Costa FLW Series opener with its maximum field of 250 boats will be $466,050, with an impressive $105,000 in cash and prizes going to the winning pro.
Here’s how the paychecks break down at Lake Okeechobee this weekend, based on standings and the Big Bass prize money:
Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup
1 $60,000 Ranger Z518C with Ranger Z175 with
200HP Outboard 90HP Outboard + $2,500 $5,000
2 $25,500 $7,500
3 $17,000 $6,000
4 $15,000 $4,500
5 $14,000 $4,000
6 $10,500 $3,500
7 $9,000 $3,000
8 $8,000 $2,250
9 $7,000 $1,700
10 $5,000 $1,450
11 $4,700 $1,100
12 $4,000 $1,100
13 $3,500 $1,100
14 $3,500 $1,100
15 $3,500 $1,100
16 $3,500 $900
17 $3,500 $900
18 $3,500 $900
19 $3,500 $900
20 $3,500 $900
21 $2,850 $800
22 $2,850 $800
23 $2,850 $800
24 $2,850 $800
25 $2,850 $800
26 $2,600 $700
27 $2,600 $700
28 $2,600 $700
29 $2,600 $700
30 $2,600 $700
31 $2,200 $600
32 $2,200 $600
33 $2,200 $600
34 $2,200 $600
35 $2,200 $600
36 $2,200 $600
37 $2,200 $600
38 $2,200 $600
39 $2,200 $600
40 $2,200 $600
41 $2,180 $590
42 $2,180 $590
43 $2,180 $590
44 $2,160 $580
45 $2,160 $580
46 $2,140 $570
47 $2,140 $570
48 $2,140 $570
49 $2,120 $560
50 $2,120 $560
51 $2,120 $560
52 $2,120 $550
53 $2,120 $550
54 $2,080 $540
55 $2,080 $540
56 $2,080 $540
57 $2,080 $530
58 $2,080 $530
59 $2,080 $530
60 $2,040 $520
61 $2,040 $520
62 $2,020 $510
63 $2,020 $510
64 $2,020 $510
65 $2,000 $500
66 $2,000 $500
67 $2,000 $500
BB1 $300 $200
BB2 $300 $200
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