Winning Baits of Elite Series Okeechobee Events
The Bassmaster Elite Series heads to Florida’s famous Lake Okeechobee for the fourth time this month, and while we’ve already profiled “the most Florida tackle box possible,” there’ve been some new wrinkles added to the array so you never know what’ll produce the biggest catches.
Time of year matters, too. This time around the tournament is February 27 through March 2.
Last time, in 2023, it started 11 days earlier (February 16). In 2017, it was in between, February 23-26. In the first visit, however, it was later, from March 22-25. That could influence what proves to be the winning tactic and area, as of course could the weather, the water level and the amount of vegetation in the lake.
Here are the winning baits from those events:
2012
Ish Monroe – 108 lbs. 5 ounces
Bruiser Flash
Black/Blue
2017
Tim Horton – 83 pounds 5 ounces
Black Blue Swirl
Black Red Copper Flake
2023
Tyler Rivet – 86 pounds 15 ounces
Stealth Shad
Black Blue
Green Pumpkin
Notes on Okeechobee Elites
Rivet’s win was his first and to date only with BASS, while Horton’s was his fifth and Monroe’s was his fourth. Monroe is the only one of the three who has won with BASS since then – he claimed the title in a 2018 Elite on the Upper Mississippi River out of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
By virtue of its timing, Rivet’s victory was the only one of the three where the winner benefitted from forward facing sonar. He also didn’t fish in the lake proper, but rather in the upstream Kissimmee River.
Chris Lane’s 2nd place weight of 95-9 in 2012 would’ve been enough to win either of the other two events. Lane won Bassmaster Opens on Okeechobee in both 2006 and 2010.
While the Medlock Jig may be tough to source these days, there are still some double weedguard jigs:
