Florida’s Lake Okeechobee will host the final Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops of the season November 13-15.
Photo by Craig Lamb/B.A.S.S.
Nov. 6, 2025
Finding consistency will be key in final EQ at Lake Okeechobee
CLEWISTON, Fla. — To claim a spot in next year’s 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series field during the final 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops, anglers will need to find consistency on a Lake Okeechobee that has been “all or nothing” as of late, according to local guide and social media guru Kane Weekley.
“It has been super hit or miss,” the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN angler said. “One day you’ll pull into a spot and catch almost 30 pounds and the next day you won’t catch anything. It’s not the peak spawning season, but there are early spawners moving in and I think that is why it is hit or miss. As well as some cold fronts.
“There’s going to be all sorts of things going on.”
Tournament days are scheduled for Nov. 13-15. Anglers will launch from Roland Martin’s Marina in Clewiston starting at 7 a.m. ET and will return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The winner of the event will earn a spot in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour while the Top 10 anglers in overall EQ points at the end of the tournament will earn an invitation to the Elite Series.
Since the Elite Series visited at the beginning of the year, water levels have dropped close to normal levels, which has allowed the vegetation to begin growing in earnest on the vast fishery. As a result, the water is cleaner throughout the lake than it’s been in several years.
The improved water clarity and the reemergence of eelgrass, needlegrass and other grasses has Okeechobee on the upswing. Big bass have always lived in these waters, but anglers have been catching impressive stringers as of late.
“There are a lot of different areas that are fishable,” Weekley said. “I think people will spread out a lot. The community holes will still play, but there will be a lot of areas that people will be fishing in.”
Fall cold fronts have made repeating successes difficult, and the EQ field will face one of those cold fronts during practice.
Sunday’s forecasted high is 86 degrees, before the front moves through in the evening. Once the front moves through, Monday’s high will only be 72 degrees while Tuesday’s high will only rise to 67 degrees. The lows, meanwhile, will bottom out at 47 and 51 those two days, which is very chilly for south Florida.
“The first couple of days of practice will be tough for sure,” the 20-year-old said. “There is a chance it could be a little bit tougher than usual.”
While it could be a tough practice period, temperatures warm back up into the high 70s and low 80s for the tournament, and more importantly the lows will be closer to the 60-degree mark.
Weekley anticipates both prespawn and spawning largemouth to factor in this tournament, but those bites occur in completely different areas. Even though its November, water temperatures are still conducive for spawning activity. During his trips ahead of the tournament, Weekley noticed plenty of bucks in those spawning areas.
Targeting the shallow needlegrass with Texas-rigged worms, frogs and swim jigs will likely be the most productive pattern for spawners.
“The females just haven’t moved in like crazy yet,” Weekley said. “It could be next week. If the water temperatures stay between 72 to 80, that bite will still be good. The warmer the better.”
The prespawners are less predictable. The wind tends to dictate where the baitfish in the lake set up. Those prespawners can also choose to hit the bed at any time. But, if a pro can find the right group of bass, they can get a sizable limit in the box in a hurry. Spooks, swim jigs, Gambler Big EZ swimbaits and ChatterBaits will be popular baits for targeting this class of largemouth.
“There are some big fish around prespawn areas with some shad balls in the grass,” he said. “There have been times when big bass are busting shad out of the water. Depending on the wind, you can get right. But it can also be a total fail. It’s weather dependent.”
With how the weather is setting up, Weekley doesn’t anticipate a 30-pound bag being weighed-in, but he does think close to 67 or 68 pounds will be enough to win the tournament and claim a Classic spot.
“Most of the tournaments on Okeechobee are won within a single area. You Power-Pole down and stay in one spot or move around within an area. That seems to be a Florida thing. But, there might be some moving around in this tournament with how many different bites are going on. But it is hard to (pin down) the timing.”
Kentucky’s Matt Messer leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops standings after two events with 175 points followed closely by Michigan’s Aaron Jagdfeld in second with 174 points. Alabama’s Fisher Anaya is third with 170 points, Pennsylvania’s Grae Buck is fourth with 170 points and Alabama’s Russ Lane is fifth with 164 points. Jace Lindsay (164 points), Bailey Gay (159 points), Brock Reinkemeyer (155 points), Sam Hanggi (153 points) and Jack Dice (149 points) round out the Top 10. Only 10 points separate Dice and 14th-place Pake South.
Bassmaster LIVE will be providing coverage of all three days of the 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops. Days 1 and 2 will be available on Bassmaster.com and Roku from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. before Bassmaster.com carries the afternoon coverage from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both the morning sessions and afternoon sessions of the final day of competition will be carried on both Bassmaster.com and Roku.
Visit Hendry County and Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort are hosting the tournament.