CLEWISTON, FL – We’re taking a break from hurricane season here in Florida to bring you our previously scheduled programing — BIG BASS AND BIG CHECKS on Lake Okeechobee!
The final qualifier of the Roland Martin Marine Center Series 2024 season presented by HUK on November 16, 2024 brings back the RMMC Series sticks to battle it out for the big bucks and offers up a preview of next months series championship. The weather has settled in South Florida and we’re back at it.
To get us back on track, a legend of the lake showed us how it’s done. Steve Lake and his partner, Eric Johnson put five in the well for the only 20-pound bag of the event and raised the big check.
“We caught about ten today,” said Lake. “A couple got away and we’ll be back at it tomorrow.”
Since the rescheduled October Qualifier was moved to tomorrow on Lake Okeechobee, Lake and his partner didn’t have much else to say.
“It’s honestly a privilege to fish with a legend of the lake,” said Johnson.
That says it all. And the day turned into a $5400 payday for the team that’s looking to repeat on Sunday.
Bringing almost 18-pounds to the stage, the second place team of Tim Kirchman and Jose Santiago worked a worm pattern to the tune of $2800. They, too are looking to repeat on Sunday.
And rounding out the top three is the team of Cody Whitley and Kyle Barbosa. Their limit 17.69 earned the third place check for $1800.
And as the highest paying team tournament trail in Florida, the payouts continued deep into the 144 boat field.
The U.S. Sugar Big Bass of 7.63 pounds earned Jose Santiago $500 while the 2nd Big Bass of 7.28 earned HB Chambliss $100 Gambler Bucks. Santiago also collect $250 from HUK as the highest finisher to cross the stage in HUK Gear. The highest finishing Mercury owner earned Steve Lake another $250 along with $150 in Bruiser Bucks to Lake and Johnson as the highest finishing team. Brice Prowant collected $250 as the highest finishing Gilbert Chevrolet owner. Evan Vick collected $100 from the Roland Martin Marina as the highest finishing Youth Angler. The highest finishing Female Angler earned Jennifer Constant $100 from Mary Ann Martin. And winning big for going small, the team of Tony and Jacob Payne turned the smallest limit of 4.97 pounds into $300 from AV Inspection.
For a majority of the field, we’re reseting the leaderboard and doing it all again on Sunday for the rescheduled October qualifier. Join us LIVE @ 2:30 in Clewiston to see how we wrap up the season and head to Championship in December.
