The first major cold front of the winter slowed the bite on Lake Okeechobee, but near-springlike temperatures this week should put the fish in a much better mood and result in some hefty stringers in the Walmart Bass Fishing League’s Gator Division tournament Saturday, according to the top division angler in 2010.

“I did see some beds down there over last weekend. There were no fish on them, but I know they were right around them,” said Allan Cagle of Deltona, Fla., BFL Gator Division Angler of The Year in 2010. “I look for the fish to move up on the beds or be right around them and I look for the bite to come on.”

Cagle said the bite in December was exceptionally strong with some big stringers weighed in tournaments, including a lot of high 20-pound catches and some over 30 pounds.

“That bite has got a little tough. We got our first cold weather this past week and the temperature was down in the high 20s. But I look for the fish to rebound, probably this weekend. The fish are wanting to bed big time.”

Cagle said three weeks ago in an open tournament on the north end of the lake anglers weighed in a 31-pound stringer, two 30-pound stringers and a 29-pound stringer.

“A lot of those fish were caught flipping heavy cover with an ounce or ounce-and-a-half weight. That bite has kind of faded and I don’t know if it was because of the heavy pressure or not.”

But, he said, the bedding bite is about to come on strong.

“When they move up on the beds there will be some pretty big fish coming up. I can’t guarantee it will be this weekend, but if not then the EverStart Series (January 19-21) will hit it just right. I look for some more 30-pound stringers like last year, more so for the EverStart and then the FLW Tour (Feb. 9-12) when we get some warmer weather and the fish start spawning.”

Lake Okeechobee has, in fact, been on fire for the past year, with 9- and 10-pound bass weighed in tournaments a common occurrence.

“We got a lot of rain in October and the lake came up. I heard from some buddies that there were fish spawning already in November and some big stringers were caught through December. We had some really warm weather all through December but that bite kind of slowed down with the first cold front,” Cagle said.

When the fish move up on the beds sight fishing will come into play with Senkos, Skinny Dippers and topwater plugs, he said. But even more important than lure selection will be finding the right location, he added.

“It’s more or less a matter of being n the right area on that lake. You can fish for miles and miles and not get a bite, but then when you find the right area where the fish are, you can’t do any wrong. You can throw pretty much whatever you want to.”

Cagle said he has not caught anything big so far but he has about three areas where he thinks the fish will come on strong this weekend.

“Last year and the year before in several of the tournaments down there I was not on anything real strong, just catching small fish in practice. Then when the tournament rolled around the big fish moved in.”

Cagle finished first in the points in the Gator Division BFL last year and was second in 2004 and 2006.

“I had a good year last year and cashed a check in every tournament,” he said. “I just made all the right call. I zigged when I should have zigged and zagged when I should have zagged.”

 

Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Gator Division

Sat, Jan 14, 2012

Lake Okeechobee

Roland Martin Marina & Resort

www.flwoutdoors.com