Eady swims to victory

The Gator Division of the Walmart Bass Fishing League ventured north from Lake Okeechobee to Lake Toho on Saturday for the third event of the season. 176 boats set out form Kissimmee Lakefront Park to hunt down the big bass the Kissimmee Chain is known for.

Don Eady wouldn’t have to travel a long distance to catch a limit of bass that would eclipse the rest of the boater field. He weighed a 26-pound, 6-ounce five-bass limit to claim his first ever BFL win.

“I focused on submerged hydrilla and Kissimmee grass in less than four feet of water on the north end,” said Eady. “I fished the bait really slow. I made sure that it would come right over the grass, and touched it from time to time.”

Eady’s bait of choice was a purple swimbait, which he used to catch almost five separate limits throughout the course of the day.

“My biggest fish hadn’t spawned yet and were in grass waiting to go to beds,” stated Eady. “That was a huge factor in my pattern.”

The largest of Eady’s five-bass winning bag weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces and earned the Big Bass award for the boater division.

Ronald Yentz finished the day with a 24-pound, 1-ounce limit to finish in second place.

Third place was awarded to Kyle Walters for his 23 pound, 4 ounce limit.

Donny Bass finished in fourth place with 20 pounds, 4 ounces, followed by Trevor Hamlin in fifth place with 20 pounds, 3 ounces.

The next event for the Walmart BFL Gator Division is scheduled for April 23rd at Lake Okeechobee.

Photo: FLW Fishing