Staying Current: FLW Tour Event On Lake Okeechobee

Staying Current: FLW Tour Event Bass Fishing On Lake Okeechobee

Okeechobee is a dynamic ecosystem that is constantly changing based on fluctuating water levels and clarity, types of vegetation, and in 2017 a strong hurricane. With that being said nothing remains the same on the Big O from year to year.

Combating the urge to fall back on previous successes on your home body of water is something that we all fight as anglers. To resist this urge I practice for a bass fishing tournament event on Lake Okeechobee in what I like to call 'panic mode'.

When I put my boat in the water to begin practice, I will not start fishing in an area that I think the fish will be. I know that sounds like the total opposite of what you should be doing, but there is a method to my madness. In my mind, starting off my practice without anything forces me to find things that I don't already have. Based on my experience, if I catch a fish early in my practice period I tend to lose the urgency that I have in 'panic mode', and become complacent.

Once I have explored other options that the lake may be offering at the moment, then, and only then will I revisit history. Typically I save my final day of practice on Okeechobee to check the areas that have traditionally produced for me. Putting what I have found in the previous days' practice, together with what I know from experience can be the right combination for success on my home body of water.

So whether you are heading out for a day of fun fishing on your home lake, or your next tournament, try to keep an open mind and 'stay current'. I hope this advice allows you to catch more fish, and opens your eyes to new possibilities that exist on your favorite fishery. And don't forget to register for your chance to fish with me for BIG BASS and be featured on a future SMC Vlog by entering the Fish with Scott Martin Contest.