CLEWISTON, Fla. — Big bass always swim in the waters of Lake Okeechobee, and teams fishing the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops will be arriving in south Florida at the perfect time of year to catch giant bags.

“With the new moon, there will be some really big bags caught,” St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN pro Scott Kerslake said. “You are talking in the 27-plus range.”

Tournament days will be Jan. 29-30. Teams will launch from Roland Martin Marina beginning at 7 a.m. and will return for weigh-in starting at 3 p.m. The top 10% of the field will clinch a spot in the Strike King College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops later in the year. This is the first event in the College Series’ Lunkers Trail division. The Lunkers Trail Team of the Year will receive an automatic bid to the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s.

New for 2025, the top two highest-finishing teams in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series Bass Pro Shops Team of the Year race as well as each team that stands atop the rankings in the Legends and Lunkers divisions of the College Series will receive the exclusive honor of being named a Bassmaster College All-American. The All-Americans will be honored on the biggest stage in bass fishing, the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

One of the most recognizable names in bass fishing, Lake Okeechobee has long been a big-bass factory. Elite Series pro and Clewiston resident Scott Martin proved that again last February when he caught a staggering three-day total of 90 pounds, 6 ounces during the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open presented by SEVIIN held there.

For anglers like Kerslake who have lived around the lake the longest, Okeechobee is unrecognizable compared to what it once was. Several years of hurricanes have brought lake levels up 4 feet above normal and have stayed there, submerging a lot of the reed lines that were once so productive.

The hurricanes also ripped up plenty of vegetation, while Florida Fish and Wildlife has carried on with their efforts to eliminate hydrilla from the lake.

“The hurricane we had about five years ago, it absolutely ripped all of the hydrilla out of the lake,” the Okeechobee guide explained. “There are no mats or anything like that. If they don’t spray it, there are some good-looking pennywort mats in some areas, and they are trying to plant some eelgrass.”

Despite its size, Lake Okeechobee fishes very small. During the Open last year, 85 to 100 boats were stacked in the Harney Pond area of the lake where Martin ended up catching his winning bags. Kerslake imagines several areas will get that treatment in this tournament as well.

“The general rule is, if you don’t see a boat in that area, there probably aren’t any fish,” Kerslake said. “It fishes really small, especially with the water up and all of the reeds and all of the vegetation depleted.”

When the college teams arrive, the bass will likely be in a prespawn and spawning mode, especially with a new moon occurring during the event. Weather, however, will be the equalizer. If a cold front moves through, Kerslake imagines the bite will be pretty tough. A warming trend will likely send the bass toward their spawning grounds. Water temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees will create ideal conditions for shallow movement.

“What these fish do is they hang around out in the big water chasing the shad schools, and when the moon gets right and they are feeling it, they run to the bank,” Kerslake said. “There is just so much muck on the bottom right now that it is hard to find a hard bottom.”

Senko-style baits, Flukes, ChatterBaits, lipless crankbaits and Texas rigs are some of the most popular baits this time of year, Kerslake said.

Discover Hendry County is hosting the tournament.

 

2025 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2025 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2025 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2025 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

 

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.