(Editor's note: Former B.A.S.S. emcee Keith Alan lived and breathed the tour for a half-decade. Again this year, his Alan Report will break down each B.A.S.S. tour-level stop to help BassFans get the inside scoop.)
Regardless of how keyed up pros get to start the season, back-to-back tournaments on the Bassmaster Elite Series can be both mentally and physically draining on everybody involved, especially those off to a rough start.
Considering the impact sight-fishing had at the St. Johns River, a few pros are hoping to just survive the second event in Florida without putting themselves a half lap down in the Angler of the Year (AOY) point race, but the overwhelming majority of the field is so excited about fishing one of the most famous bass lakes in the world, they can't even fathom fatigue.
On the map, Lake Okeechobee may appear like a 467,000-acre soup bowl, but when considering the lake’s DNA, you’ll realize what makes the fishery so special. Her headwaters in Shingle Creek near Orlando flow hundreds of miles through famed Lake Toho and the entire Kissimmee Chain, funneling through the Kissimmee River and eventually spilling into what the Seminole Indians called “Okeechobee” or Big Water. Collectively, they are considered some of the richest bass-fishing waters in America.
The biggest factors affecting the bite on Okeechobee are vegetation, water levels and weather. With an average depth of just 12 feet deep, vegetation isn’t hard to find, and water levels are high enough that they aren’t a concern. The weather, on the other hand, is slightly unstable and could create some interesting variables, especially with morning temps in the 60s and afternoons in the mid 80s.
All lakes go through cycles and after what some would consider a dip in performance, it’s safe to say the Big O is back. As a fishery, Okeechobee has been on a steady rise for the last few years, and now it’s really running strong again. There may be a parade of 20-plus pound bags on Thursday, but the leaders are going to be closer to the 25- to 30-pound range.
The sight bite held up surprisingly well on the St. John’s last week, and reminded me just how long they will continue the spawn in Florida. Don’t expect it to be the dominant pattern, but don’t be surprised if a few guys find some productive spawning flats this week, too.
Okeechobee is the second-largest freshwater lake contained entirely in the lower 48 United States, but rest assured if there is a single bass over 5 pounds on a bed anywhere on the lake, someone will find it and catch it. That said, I think there are far more fish in a post-spawn stage, and unless one of those bass-fishing bloodhounds sniff out an isolated spawning jackpot, I expect the winning weight to come from classic Florida-style grass lake-fishing techniques.
Even though many of my picks let me down last week, I still think I made the right choices. I would pick many of the same guys to shine this week in south Florida, and even though they may let me down again, the Big O will not.
Regardless of who wins the tournament, Lake Okeechobee is going to take center stage.
Keith Alan spent the better part of the last decade traveling, working and fishing with the pros. His company, Ultimate Fishing Experience offers on-the-water fishing clinics and trip-of-a-lifetime experiences with the biggest names in fishing.
