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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBreedlove cued Tommy to open the show and with his patented, silky smooth delivery, he greeted the audience and informed them of the event\u2019s location and its implications for the competitors. As Tommy served up the intro, JM\u2019s ground crew provided aerial footage of the anglers blasting off from tournament headquarters in Clewiston, Fla. Following up, Ronnie detailed the point standings and what they meant for each competitor in the hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was the final stretch of a yearlong pursuit, each angler surviving a gauntlet of previous competitions. For some, it meant a legitimate shot at Elite Series qualification. For others whose point totals fell short, it was one last chance at qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic, which only the winner of the event would realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the morning progressed, fish catches were minimal. In fact, there were periods of an hour or more with almost no action. That put the pressure back on us in the studio. To take up the slack, we talked about the lake\u2019s physical characteristics and how a newly arriving cold front was affecting the bite, and what the competitors would have to do to adjust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Situated across the studio at his own desk was Sooch, providing periodic updates of any noteworthy catches \u2014 particularly those that affected the leader board. When a big fish was caught, he would sound an alarm and report its estimated weight, sometimes with an accompanying photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sidebars and tackle talk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Halfway through the day, Ronnie and I moved to a mock \u201cTackle Shop\u201d backdrop, where we discussed some of the lures the anglers were using. Among them were hollow-body frogs, jerkbaits, ChatterBaits, speed worms and a variety of minnow and crawdad imitations \u2014 all excellent choices for Lake Okeechobee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later in the broadcast, Ronnie went to what he calls the \u201cScreen of Knowledge\u201d \u2014 a large flat screen monitor used to spotlight certain anglers and various aspects of the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among his talking points were the lake\u2019s fluctuating water levels, key areas to watch and what the frontrunners needed to advance. It\u2019s also where he updates viewers on Bassmaster\u2019s Fantasy Fishing challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Watching the presentation, I was amazed at his familiarity with each angler and how he could recite their stats \u2014 often without cue cards. It reminded me of B.A.S.S. Emcee Dave Mercer, and how he talks up each angler as they cross the Elite Series stage, as if he\u2019s reading their bios from a teleprompter \u2026 when, in fact, he\u2019s not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s all from memory for both of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we broke for lunch, I toured the building that houses the studio. In the main corridor are framed jerseys of former B.A.S.S. Classic and Angler of the Year champions, along with photos, caricatures and mementos from previous projects. Mixed in are some of company founder, Jerry McKinnis\u2019 lure collection \u2014 all serving as a tribute to the man who had the longest running fishing show on television.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Days 2 and 3 went pretty much the same. By then I was much more comfortable in my role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At times, I shared some fun facts on the lake and its surroundings \u2014 including the history of the \u201cRim Ditch,\u201d which was dug to create an earthen dam around the lake for flood control. I also talked about the tributaries that feed Lake Okeechobee and how important they are to the health of the fishery. I spoke on the various types of vegetation that make the lake so productive, and how it\u2019s trying to rebound from recent hurricanes and high water levels, and years of indiscriminate spraying of aquatic herbicides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I mentioned the various non-native species of fish that inhabit the lake \u2014 including mullet, needlefish, clown knifefish, cichlids, snook, juvenile tarpon and \u2026 believe it or not, sharks! Apparently, there are occasional sightings of bull sharks in the summer months, most likely there to forage on the schools of mullet that populate the lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the topics of discussion shifted, so did the leaderboard. And as we predicted, the afternoon bite proved to be the best. Warming water temperatures can trigger Florida-strain largemouth, and the afternoon catch rate reflected it. And as the bite improved, it gave us more to talk about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was exciting to watch and be a part of, but somewhat painful at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, 10 anglers realized their dreams of qualifying for the Elite Series, and the victor secured his spot in next year\u2019s Bassmaster Classic. But for those who fell short, their dreams were crushed. Some suffered mechanical failures; others succumbed to the pressure of the competition. Still others simply never figured out the puzzle. And we felt their pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through it all, however, I gained a new level of respect for the guys in front of and behind the cameras \u2026 the professionals who make this sport what it is. Without them, the industry Ray Scott envisioned would have never prospered as it has.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you B.A.S.S. and JM Associates. I had a blast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow Bernie Schultz on <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a> or through his <\/em>website<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Recently, I was asked to serve as guest commentator to Bassmaster LIVE\u2019s coverage of the final EQ event on Lake Okeechobee. Perhaps you saw the broadcast on Bassmaster.com or Roku…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":1371122,"template":"","meta":{"byline":{"profiles":[{"type":"byline_id","atts":{"term_id":63997,"post_id":65931}}]},"bassmaster_plugin_short_title":"","bassmaster_plugin_photo_attribution":[],"bassmaster_plugin_caption_attribution":[],"bassmaster_article_column":true,"bassmaster_article_columnists":[65930],"bassmaster_dfp":[],"bassmaster_ad_refresh_interval_bool":false,"bassmaster_ad_refresh_interval_length":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[115590],"sponsors":[],"people":[63996],"tournaments":[118739],"tournament-series":[104359],"byline":[63997],"class_list":["post-1371118","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eqs","people-bernie-schultz","tournaments-2025-bassmaster-elite-qualifier-at-lake-okeechobee","tournament-series-eqs"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bassmaster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/JM-Associates-Bassmaster-LIVE-Studio-Screen-Of-Knowledge.jpg?w=1024\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bassmaster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/JM-Associates-Bassmaster-LIVE-Hall-of-Fame-Jerry-McKinnis-Lure-Collection.jpg?w=1024\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe wrap up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bassmaster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/JM-Associates-Bassmaster-LIVE-Set-Image-2-Ronnie-Moore-Tommy-Sanders-Bernie-Schultz.jpg?w=1024\")
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