Another Cold Front, But Full Moon Should Boost Bfl Gator Division On Okeechobee
The weather continues to affect the early 2014 FLW Outdoors tournaments in Florida, but somebody always catches fish and wins.
“We just finished up a Rayovac FLW Series tournament this past weekend on Lake Okeechobee and the weights were down a little bit because of the cold front that came through. Now we are going to have another cold front coming through before the Gator Division tournament, too,” said Leroy Hensley.
“I’m not sure what that is going to do to us, but we are having a full moon, so that should increase the weights some. In our first tournament week before last it took a litlte over 24 pounds to win and we had the same thing happen with the weather. A cold front came though and shut the bite down, but we still caught 3,500 pounds of fish in one day, just not the quality,” he said. “Last year it took 32 pounds to win that tournament and this year it took 24 pounds, but I think it will take a little more than that this weekend. I’m thinking about 27-28 pounds.”
Mike Keyso Jr. of North Port, Fla., weighed a five-bass totaling 24 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to win the first Walmart Bass Fishing League Gator Division tournament Jan. 4 on Lake Okeechobee. Keith Fels of Ocala, Fla., won the Rayovac Series tournament last weekend with a three-day total of 54 pounds, 15 ounces. Keyso used a big weight to punch a Gambler BB Cricket down through the hyacinths and Fels caught his fish pitching a Gambler 1-1/4-ounce Jigzilla, trailed with a Gambler Megadaddy trailer (both black/blue), into holes in hydrilla in several feet of water.
The second Gator Division tournament falls at the end of the full moon, which means the fish should be shallow and spawning all over the lake.
“We have a full field of 200 boats and we are going out of Scott Driver Park on the north end of the lake this time,” Hensley said. “I”d like to give a big shout out to Okeechobee City. They appreciate us coming down for these tournaments and they are great hosts.”
Hensley said he anticipates full participation in the Gator Division this year because the regional will be fished at St. John’s.
“That is probably as good as it can get for the Gator Division, to go to St. Johns. We are looking for a good turnout and a big field for every tournament.”
The Gator Division schedule includes: March 1, Lake Okeechobee; and May 17, Lake Toho; with the two-day final Sept. 20-21 on Lake Okeechobee.
Walmart BFL Gator Division
Sat, Jan 18, 2014
Lake Okeechobee
C Scott Driver Park
