Okeechobee FLW Tour Open - Behind the scenes

I spent the afternoon at the FLW Tour Open weigh in.  Lake Okeechobee is on fire right now.  All of the pros mentioned how good it was.  Locals like Scott Marin and Brandon McMillan have fished this lake their whole lives and both commented about how it was the best they have ever seen for the Big O.  That's a big statement.  Another big statement was the huge bags weighed in by Chad Prough and Fred Roumbanis the first two days.  I had the chance to talk with Fred and this is what he said about his first two days and the tough day for him today.

In second place is "Peter T" with 82lbs 14oz.  He was amazed at how great the fishing is right now:

Terry Scroggins is always a threat in Florida and had no problem sharing what got him to the fifth place position with 77lbs 8oz.  Here is what the Big Show had to say about the Big O.

1	CHAD PROUGH	CHIPLEY, FL	5	35-03	5	32-04	5	20-08	15	87-15
2	PETE THLIVEROS	SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL	5	27-08	5	21-08	5	33-14	15	82-14
3	RANDALL THARP	GARDENDALE, AL	5	21-08	5	31-10	5	28-02	15	81-04
4	BRANDON MCMILLAN	BELLE GLADE, FL	5	27-00	5	28-14	5	25-05	15	81-03
5	TERRY SCROGGINS	SAN MATEO, FL	5	23-13	5	26-04	5	27-07	15	77-08
6	JACOB POWROZNIK	PRINCE GEORGE, VA	5	29-04	5	23-13	5	23-13	15	76-14
7	ANDY MORGAN	DAYTON, TN	5	24-13	5	30-00	5	18-05	15	73-02
8	JAKE MORRIS	MC KEE, KY	5	16-11	5	29-13	5	26-05	15	72-13
9	FRED ROUMBANIS	BIXBY, OK	5	27-09	5	34-05	5	10-06	15	72-04
10	DEAN ROJAS	LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ	5	20-12	5	24-10	5	24-02	15	69-08

I talked to Dean Rojas and Takahiro Omori a bit and they echoed what everyone else said, the Big O is awesome right now.  Since I grew up in Nevada, Dean and I were talking about the differences between fishing in Florida and the desert lakes of the Southwest.  He loves fishing back there just as much as he does in the South.  The Elite Series definitely had a great showing with five of them in the Top 20.