EverStart series kicks off 2005 season at Lake Okeechobee.

On January 5, some 400 anglers on 200 boats will be turned loose on Lake Okeechobee for the first of four days of competition in the EverStart annual tournament season opener. They’ll be visiting a much different lake than what they saw last year.

“The lake is up big time and a lot of grass is gone,” said Justin Schrier of Okeechobee, who won last season’s EverStart series opener on the Big O. “You can still catch fish, but the key to this one will be finding clear water.”

The lake was crisscrossed by hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne and even portions of remnant Ivan last fall, and it will be interesting to see how traveling tournament pros adjust to the conditions.

Tournament takeoffs will be at Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina at 7 a.m. each day. Wednesday and Thursday weighins will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday weighins will be held at the Wal-Mart store in Clewiston starting at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weighins are free and open to the public.

EverStart tournaments feature some hefty cash and boat package prizes—as well as divisional point structures leading to a national championship event in November. The top 10 pros and co-anglers from each division also qualify for the Wal-Mart FLW tour, the world’s most lucrative tournament series, named in honor of Forrest L. Wood, founder of Ranger Boats. For more information, visit www.FLWoutdoors.com