Open: Day 1 on Toho - Bassmaster

The 2015 Bass Pro Shops Southern Opens get underway as the 200 boat field sets sail on Lake Toho. Anglers race to the bottom end of Lake Toho to lock south.

Here comes another one.

Traffic jam at the lock.

The lock master has his hands full this morning. The lock will handle about 16 boats. He’s going to have to lock a hundred as quickly as possible.

Anglers have to provide their boat registration numbers as well as their names to the lock master.

A few more boats ease in.

Only about half these boats will be able to lock, the other half will have to wait their turn.

Alton Jones Jr. is hoping to join dad on the Elites next year.

The lock master working overtime.

Keith Poche arrives. Looks like he has a new title sponsor. That’s neat.

Chris Zaldain comes barreling our way.

Having your paperwork ready definitely speeds up this process.

Zaldain knows he won’t be locking for a while.

Kevin Hawk doesn’t seem to be enjoying this bumper boat game. The wind is blowing directly into the lock making this already tedious process a little worse. With a around a million bucks in brand new bass boats making their way through the lock today, there are sure to be some hurt feelings before the round trip is over.

After three loads have gone through the lock, there’s still a lengthy wait.

Not gonna make this one.

‘Yeah that’s me. The guy everybody wants to be. The guy in the front of the line.’

A little chilly here on Toho this morning.

Ott DeFoe is ready to make his way down.

Garrett Rocamora picks his spot in line.

Ott decides to make a few casts while he waits.

Bassmaster Classic Champ Luke Clausen is ready to get started on the same waters he won his title on in 2006.

Clausen makes a cast while waiting for the locks.

That’s it for this go around. The lock doors close.

Brett Preuett, 2015 Carhartt College Series Bassmaster Classic qualifier is number 78 through the lock this morning and there are several more boats on the way.

Hank Cherry slides in.

Doesn’t seem to like the looks of this.

In all, nearly 100 boats made their way through the lock before things slowed down this morning.

One more full lock.

JT Kenney makes his way down.

Rich Howes, who won the 2013 Toho Open, comes hook sliding in…

just in time to make this lock.

David Walker rolls in right behind Howes…

And also sneaks into the lock.

Hunter Shryock just missed this one.

Time to double back and fish for a minute till the lock opens again.

Time to make a lap around Toho to see who we can find.

This guy’s doing a little bird watching.

Clabion Johns works a tree.

Looks like he’s got one.

In the boat.

Slow and methodical for Johns this morning.

Josh Douglas arrives on the scene.

Chunk and wind…

chunk and wind…

chunk and wind.

Not very often in Florida do you see an Eskimo hat, but I kinda wish I had one right about now too. Temps in the low 50’s and the wind is blowing this morning.