Roland and Scott Martin Win 2018 Black Bass PanAmerican Championship on Lake Okeechobee Day!

Super slow speed anchors USA win.
FLW PRESS RELEASE

Biggest limit and 7 pounder rockets Martins into lead.
(Photos: FLW)

Roland Martin wasn’t happy about fishing with the flu, but his fatigue literally enlightened him and his son Scott Martin to a key detail that sparked an impressive come-from-behind victory with a two-day weight of 15.51 kg (34 pounds, 3 ounces) at the inaugural PanAm Black Bass Championship at Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort on Lake Okeechobee.

After placing 10th on day one with a disappointing limit of 4.99 kg (11 pounds), the father/son duo roared back with a day-two limit of 10.52 kg (23-3) – the tournament’s biggest catch, which included a 7-pound, 3-ounce kicker that won the Big Bass trophy. The key, Roland says, was speed.

“You have to learn to be humble; we don’t always catch fish, and yesterday [Wednesday] was a good example,” says the nine-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “But we figured something out, and one of the main reasons we caught fish today was that I was extremely sick with the flu and I sat on the ice chest. I’d occasionally cast and reel it very slowly and hardly do anything. But the big fish liked that.”

After fishing the Monkey Box on the lake’s west side on day one, the Martins ran south to Kreamer Island on day two, but found the area uncooperative. With only two pound-and-a-half fish by 10 a.m., they returned to the Monkey Box area, fished the reeds and experienced a furious rally that transformed a dismal day into pure fireworks.

“We got into this one spot and, in one hour, we caught all those big fish,” Roland says.

Team Canada

Scott says their day-two productivity came from an area he had never fished until the FLW Tour event two weeks ago. With the spawn in full swing, the week’s warming trend triggered a shallow move, but these moody and sensitive fish require stealthy and strategic approach. Scott says he enjoyed promising practice results, but the Big O is known for its day-to-day changes.

RESULTS BELOW

2018 FLW Tour Lake Okeechobee Day 3: Tim Frederick Grads Lead with 65-06lbs!

Cory Johnston 4^th & Chris Johnston 9^th

By by Sean Ostruszka3

FLW PRESS RELEASE
Tim Frederick’s very first tournament during his rookie season on the FLW Tour was on Lake Okeechobee. He finished dead last. Two years later, he has a chance to go from worst to first.

Following a day two that saw six anglers crack 20 pounds and one nearly break 30, Frederick was the lone angler to crack 20 pounds on day three. His 23-3 bag on Saturday jumped him to 65-6 total, which allowed him to overtake Bryan Schmitt by 15 ounces to lead the FLW Tour presented by Evinrude on Lake Okeechobee.

Tim finding beds with big worms.
(Photo: FLW)

 “I have a love/hate relationship with Okeechobee,” says Frederick, who hails from Leesburg, Fla. “The hate is that first tournament, but I’m a Florida power fisherman by nature. So I still love it.”

The ironic part for Frederick is that as much as he’d love to be powerfishing, what has him in the lead is a painfully slow and steady approach.

The pro is target fishing for bedding fish he can’t see. To do that, he’s lining up on isolated clumps of pencil reeds and other targets, putting his poles down, and then methodically casting to specific spots. Frederick says watching him is like watching paint dry, as he’ll take as long as five minutes to complete a cast.

“I can actually feel the bed when I’m dragging my bait through,” says Frederick. “When I do, I really slow down and will make multiple casts.”

The pattern has produced some big bites, though it took a little longer than expected Saturday. He caught one good one early, but it took him awhile to catch a limit. Then the water temp in his area near Harney Pond hit 64 degrees and a 45-minute window opened up where he caught two more giants.

As for the final day, Frederick says he has no intentions of changing.

“I’m going to stick with it,” says Frederick. “The clouds seem to be hurting a little, which is not good for tomorrow, but I have no other choice. I have to stick it out there, win, lose or draw.”

Top 10 pros

1. Tim Frederick – Leesburg, Fla. – 65-6 (15)

2. Bryan Schmitt – Deale, Md. – 64-7 (15)

3. Mark Rose – West Memphis, Ark. – 61-3 (15)

4. Cory Johnston – Cavan, Ont. – 53-11 (15)

5. Chad Morgenthaler – Reeds Spring, Mo. – 53-0 (15)

6. Brandon McMillan – Clewiston, Fla. – 52-11 (15)

7. Jared McMillan – Belle Glade, Fla. – 51-14 (15)

8. Scott Canterbury – Odenville, Ala. – 51- 12 (15)

9. Chris Johnston – Peterborough, Ont. – 50-0 (15)

10. Christopher Brasher – Longview, Texas – 48-13 (15)