For Howard Poitevint of Bainbridge, Ga., it must have been déjà vu all over again. Four years ago he won the co-angler division of the Costa FLW Series event on Okeechobee and he did it again today, racking up daily weights of 16-1, 18-10 and 12-2 to win with a total of 46-13.

Ashley’s winning pattern on the pro side

“It feels good to do it again,” Poitevint says. “I’m getting ready to call my wife and tell her about it – she will be happy to hear about this.”

Poitevint’s key baits during the week were two versions of a Bitter’s Vibe – a paddle-tail worm that comes in a regular size and bigger size called the Mega Vibe. His primary color was green pumpkin red.

“No matter who I fished with, that’s pretty much all I threw,” he says. “I drew some good pros this week who were around fish and I just did my own thing, casting those Bitter Vibes out of the back of the boat.”

Poitevint varied between 1/8- and ¼-ounce weights depending on the wind. He fished the Vibes on 25-pound-test P-Line Ultimate fluorocarbon.

“I mostly swam the worm, but if I saw a reed clump or some of those little stick bushes, I’d pitch to the base of them and let it sit,” Poitevint details. “In fact, the biggest one I caught today, I cast over to a stick up, got a backlash, and after I picked it out, my worm was 10 feet from where I had cast it. I set the hook and it was a 6-pounder.”

For his win Poitevint took home $7,600 in cash and new Ranger Z175.

Complete results