Florida BASS Nation South Region Pro Am # 3 and Team # 3

The South Region hosted the 3^rd Pro Am and Team qualifiers March 8 and 9 respectively on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston. The weather both days was great, Chamber of Commerce weather. Unfortunately Lake Okeechobee was rather stingy with the numbers and size of fish she gave up. Out of twenty (20) competitors in the Pro Am only six (6) limits were brought to the scale and in the Team event with sixteen (16) teams ten (10) limits hit the scale. There were a total of 111 bass weighed for 215.54 pounds. The participation for the Pro Am was lower than the previous two (2) with only twenty (20) competitors compared to thirty (30) each for the previous two (2).

The Team tournament stayed steady with sixteen (16) teams for the past two (2) tournaments up from eleven (11) from the first. We are still down from what our potential is and I am working to figure out how to increase the numbers. Our payout is second to none when you look at other tournaments around the lake. For example, the Roland Martin Marine Center Series averages around 140 boats per qualifying tournament and first place pays approximately $4,000.00.

If you were to equate the same number of boats in a Pro Am qualifier, first place would pay approximately $4,861.00. The Roland Martin Marine Center Series has an registration fee of $207.50 compared to the Pro Am of $150.00.