What happened yesterday could play into the strategies of the anglers on Day 1. What happened was nothing.
Yesterday was the official Pre-Season Meeting and the anglers were off the water for meetings, registrations, and inspections. Coinciding with that was a continued rise in the daytime temperatures with sunny skies and light winds. And that, of course, is the magical combination that sparks a wave of spawning fish into shallow water.
“There is a big unknown about where the fish are, what they are doing,” said Bernie Schultz, the Florida pro from nearby Gainesville.
Chris Zaldain added, “We’ve got the perfect conditions for them to move up, with the temperature in the 80s for the past two days.”
He noted that in days leading up to the tournament the weather was chilly by Florida standards.
“I know a lot of guys, myself included, spent time in practice looking for established spawning areas,” continued Zaldain. “The fish weren’t there but by today they might be.”
The unknowns are over by now. What’s cool about the delay is the guys have practically had to start over, if indeed the fish are on the move, adding another dimension to this competition.