Elite

A look at Lake Okeechobee

After a fantastic finish in the season opener on the St. Johns River, the Bassmaster Elite Series moves three hours south for the Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.

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Mike Suchan
After a fantastic finish in the season opener on the St. Johns River, the Bassmaster Elite Series moves three hours south for the Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee, Feb. 27 to March 2.
The original trophy bass fishery, Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake in the Southeast and second largest that’s entirely in the U.S. Shallow with an average of 9 feet deep, Okeechobee covers 734 square miles in southern Florida and is often called “Florida’s Inland Sea.”
Despite its length of 35 miles, width of 29 miles and 135 miles of shoreline, “The Big O” fishes small, as anglers bunch up in productive areas with the right habitat that includes hydrilla and lily pads.
This will be the 25th B.A.S.S. pro tournament on Okeechobee, dating back to Roland Martin’s 1980 victory. Tournament central is C. Scott Driver Park, 10100 Hwy 78 W, Okeechobee, Fla., 34974. Takeoffs are scheduled at 7 a.m. ET and weigh-ins are 3 p.m. The full field of 104 Elites compete the first two days, with the Top 50 advancing to Semifinal Saturday and Top 10 moving on to Championship Sunday.
Scott Martin, son of Roland Martin, hopes to be among the Top 10. Last year in the St. Croix Open at Okeechobee, Feb. 1-3, Martin won his first B.A.S.S. event in record fashion.
With 33 pounds, 2 ounces on Day 1, Martin set the Opens’ one-day weight mark, and his 90-6 total topped the Opens record and the Bassmaster all-time three-day mark of 83-5 set on California’s Clear Lake in 2000.
The Elites last competed at Okeechobee in mid-February of 2023. Floridian Bernie Schultz caught two 8-pounders to lead after Day 1 with 28-11. However, he fell because of heavy pressure in his area, which he eventually abandoned.
On Day 2, Brandon Cobb landed the VMC Monster Bag of the tournament at 32-15 that included an 8-12, the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the event. “Most of my big ones were prespawn …  on Day 3, the weather wasn’t right and they weren’t ready,” he said after finishing third.
Louisiana’s Tyler Rivet won with 86-15, and how he found his fish was remarkable. In practice, he went up Kissimmee River to catch some crappie for dinner. “Nobody else was doing what I was doing and that’s the key to winning an Elite tournament — finding that one little thing off the wall,” said Rivet, who had 29-2 on Day 2. “I thought this one would be won out in the lake.  I didn’t know until that first day and I was like ‘We could win.’”
Martin said to expect another shootout as Okeechobee has been kicking out 10-pounders in recent events, although he was unsure of where he plans to start. “The lake is fishing small like usual, but the fishing’s been really good,” he said. “I believe that we’ve had a good spawn around the lake due to light winds and warm temperatures for the last three weeks.”
Drew Cook said this year might require a long run to escape the flotillas. “The tournament could be won in the north or south end … if the south end turns on, it’s hard to beat. If they’re eating in South Bay, it’s going to be the deal. It’s always been that way. South Bay is a long (boat) drive from anywhere, so maybe it’s a little less pressured.”
“The lake resets every year,” Martin said. “The water comes up during hurricane season then it comes down, so it’s all a matter of what habitat remains. This year, it’s very different and a lot of habitat has changed. There’s not one single waypoint where I caught them last year that I think I can catch them at this year.”
The anglers went out in the rain for Monday’s first of three practice days. After morning showers on Tuesday, the forecast calls for highs approaching each day of competition along with mostly sunny days and winds no stronger than 10 mph.
Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days, and coverage will also be available on The Roku Channel’s Roku Sports Channel Thursday and Friday as well as on FS1 from 8-11 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday from 8-10 a.m.

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