Elite

Webster and DiPalma duke it out on Day 1

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Photography by
Dalton Tumblin
Stop number one of the 2023 Elite season has officially begun with the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.
And after running through a maze of narrow reeds, we met up with Greg DiPalma who is getting an early start to the morning.
DiPalma is tucked far away in the forest of reeds that is this area of the lake. Without a GPS location, you’d almost never find him.
He begins his day slowly flipping along reed isolated reed patches, covering the entire patch while the wind is still low.
DiPalma’s first bait of choice is pitching a stick worm.
And shortly into the morning, he finds his first keeper of 2023. Just not the keeper he’s looking for.
A zoomed out shot helps illustrate the massive acreage of reeds this area holds.
A little further into the morning, DiPalma’s catch size is slghtly increasing.
John Soukup is another angler fishing close by in this area.
As the wind increases throughout the day, DiPalma and other anglers target the the reed line that is opposite of the wind.
Targeting the reed line that isn’t getting hit by wind allows anglers to fish calmer cleaner water.
Clean, calm water means fish have better visibility. This gives potential for more hookups and gives the advatage to anglers who can find cleaner water outside of the wind.
DiPalma continues to make tons of casts, moving slowly, and staying patient.
And eventaully it pays off.
His first good keeper of the day is in the boat.
Shortly after, he finds another.
Another good one, and DiPalma is starting to jump positions on the leaderboard.
Sitting close by was Joseph Webster, who happened to be landing a big one.
And it will definitely help his cause.
Moments later, he sticks another one. But this one gets wrapped up in the reeds.
And Webster goes diving for it.
Though fantastic effort, he manages to get the fish free and it the boat.
And it was well worth the trouble.
Keep a close eye on the scales and watch it all unfold as we approach the end of day one here at Lake Okeechobee.

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