2025 Bassmaster Elite Series: Lake Okeechobee Conditions, Schedule & Updates

Follow live coverage, get expert insights, and track the latest results from the Lake Okeechobee tournament.

Kurt Mazurek | Mar 2, 2025

The 2025 Bassmaster Elite series makes their second stop of the year on Lake Okeechobee. Solid, generally good conditions and a long history of giant bass mean this should be an exceptionally exciting tournament. / B.A.S.S.

Bassmaster Elite Series 2025: Lake Okeechobee Tournament Overview

As the first event of the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series is wrapping up, the second event is already underway. The Lake Okeechobee event in Southern Florida runs from February 27th to March 2nd, 2025. The Bassmaster’s top level pros will be battling for their chance to take home a big, blue trophy and the $100,000 first prize. The Bassmasters have visited Lake Okeechobee many times over the years and it's always an exciting event.

Aerial map of southern Florida, highlighting Lake Okeechobee.

Lake Okeechobee is the largest lake in the state of Florida. / Google

Where to Watch the Bassmaster Elite Series

Watch Live: Bassmaster LIVE
Realtime Unofficial Weights During Competition: BASSTrakk
LIVE Daily Weigh In: Weigh In Show
T.V. Coverage on FOX/FS1: Broadcast Schedule Here
The ROKU Channel: Free Access to Live Coverage

The event takes off from C. Scot Driver Boat Ramp in Okeechobee, Florida at 7:00 a.m. each morning and weigh-ins start at 3:00 p.m. every afternoon at that same location. Plus, there will be a free, family-friendly, bass fishing expo on the weekend in conjunction with Bass Bash! which includes kids activities, food vendors, a car show and live music.

Aerial view of C.Scott Driver Boat Ramp in Okeechobee, Florida

The event will be headquartered from the C.Scott Driver Boat Ramp in Okeechobee, Florida on the north end of Lake Okeechobee. / Google

Okeechobee, FL Weather Forecast

A graphic showing the next 7 days of weather for the Okeechobee, FL area.

Relatively stable conditions are predicted for the tournament days toward the end of the week. / Google Weather

Lake Okeechobee Bass Fishing Conditions & Expert Predictions

Lake Okeechobee is Florida’s largest lake and the 10th largest in the United States, but it has a reputation as fishing fairly small. The fish tend to group up in areas where the aquatic vegetation is at its best, but that means the anglers get grouped up too.

I spoke with Clewiston local and longtime, pro tournament angler Brandon McMillan who told me the water level has been dropping slowly, but steadily for several weeks. “That’s going to have the fish positioned more on the outside of cover. But it’s tricky because we’ve lost so much of the grass and hardline over the past several years from high water and hurricanes that a lot of the well-known old school spots are just gone.”

“And clean water is really tough to find. So while there will be a lot of bed fishing, it won’t be sight fishing. Scoping in perspective mode will be the deal.”

McMillan emphasized that the places with the right combination of cover, depth and water quality are few and far between. So, the small number of places that do hold concentrations of fish are going to hold a lot of fishermen.

Bass pro Brandon McMillan on his bass boat on Lake Okeechobee setting the hook on a largemouth bass

Clewiston pro Bandon McMillan predicts lots of guys will be bed fishing in a few very condensed areas. But the winner will likely be doing something a little different than the crowds. / B.A.S.S.

In a recent article on bassmaster.com, Clewiston, Florida legend, Scott Martin said, “The lake resets every year. The water comes up during hurricane season then it comes down, so it’s all a matter of what habitat remains. This year, it’s very different and a lot of habitat has changed. There’s not one single waypoint where I caught them last year [at the Bassmaster Open event he won] that I think I can catch them at this year.”

“The lake is fishing small like usual, but the fishing’s been really good,” Martin said. “I believe that we’ve had a good spawn around the lake due to light winds and warm temperatures for the last three weeks.”

Bassmaster pro Tyler Rivet holding up two bass on the bassmaster Elite weigh in stage.

Last time the Elites visited Okeechobee, Tyler Rivet took home the trophy with his four day total of 86-15, and won by almost 4 pounds. / B.A.S.S. | James Overstreet

In that same bassmaster.com article, Georgia, Elite Pro, Drew Cook, known as a shallow water power fisherman and a sight fishing expert, has said he would expect bed fishing to be a major factor in this event. But, with that said, he also knows these Florida fisheries will have bass moving through all phases of the spawn at this time of the year.

“Any time in Florida, you’re going to have to have fish coming to you,” Cook said. “Whenever you find that area where they’re coming to you, you’re going to succeed.

He added, “If there are any offshore grasslines, they should be absolutely stacked with staging fish.”

“It’s not going to be a home-run-type spawn, but it will still be good; I think it will take 85 pounds to win,” Cook said. “I think you’ll need about 17 a day to make the Top 10.”

Day-by-Day Tournament Updates & Standings

Day 1: Leader DiPalma Shares Key Spot with Second and Third

Greg DiPalma on the weigh in stage of the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee getting help to hold up his 5 big bass.

Greg DiPalma leads Day 1 of the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee with 29-12. / B.A.S.S. | Andy Crawford

DiPalma, Davis Jr., and Palaniuk battle for the lead after all uncovering the same overlooked bass hotspot...FULL STORY HERE.

Day 2: Brandon Palaniuk Drops Historic 34-10 Bag to Lead

Elite Pro Brandon Palaniuk lifting a giant bass out of his livewell just beore weigh in.

Brandon Palaniuk surges to the lead at Lake Okeechobee with a historic 34-10 bag, proving patience pays off in the Bassmaster Elite Series. / B.A.S.S. | Shane Durrance

Monster bass, patience, and game-changing decisions define Day 2 as the leaderboard shifts dramatically...FULL STORY HERE.

Day 3: Palaniuk Increases Lead With Rock Solid Performance

Bassmaster Elite Pro Brandon Palaniuk in his bass boat fighting one of the fish that gave him the lead heading into Sunday.

Brandon Palaniuk put together another 20-plus pound limit giving him an 18 pound cushion over 2nd heading into Championship Sunday. / B.A.S.S. | Dalton Tumblin

After a historic 34-10 bag on Day 2, Palaniuk holds a commanding lead heading into Championship Saunday. Can anyone catch him?...FULL STORY HERE.

Championship Sunday: Brandon Palaniuk Crushes Bassmaster Elite on Lake Okeechobee: Record Catches and a $102,000 Payday

Bassmaster Elite pro Brandon Palaniuk shows off his biggest fish to the Florida crowd at the final day Okeechobee weigh in.

Palaniuk holds on to the lead at lake Okeechobee for his seventh Bassmaster Elite victory. / B.A.S.S. | Shane Durrance

A dominant performance, a historic bag, and a crankbait to the face—Palaniuk claims his sixth Elite trophy...FULL STORY HERE.

New 2025 Bassmaster Rules

The year’s competition comes with some interesting new rules for 2025 including limited electronics and zero entry fees, so everyone is eager to see how this will play out.

The tournament playing field includes Lake Okeechobee and all rivers, creeks and canals connecting to Lake Okeechobee. Locking is allowed into J & S Canal, Taylor Creek, Buckhead, Henry and Lakeport. No Locking into the Kissimmee River Lock, Port Mayaca Lock (St. Lucie River) and the Moore Haven Lock (Caloosahatchee Canal).

The daily limit is 5 bass with a 12 inch minimum.

The full field will start competition on Days 1 and 2. On Day 3 the field will be cut to the top 50. Only the Top 10 after Day 3 will qualify to fish on the fourth and final day, Championship Sunday.

Reminder of the New Electronics Rules for the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series

1. Total Screen Size

Boats are restricted to no more than 55 inches of screen size. Inches are measured per the (diagonal) display screen size listed on each manufacturer's website rounded to the nearest inch.

2. Limited Live Transducers

Each competitor’s boat is limited to one (1) live transducer and this transducer must be mounted on the trolling motor shaft at the bow area of the boat.

3. Electronics Placement

All electronics must be mounted in a way not to obstruct the competitor’s line of sight while piloting the boat on plane. It is recommended that console electronics be mounted in a manner where the tops of graphs are no higher than 26 inches from the steering column where it exits the console, and bow electronics be mounted in a manner where the tops of graphs are no higher than 18 inches from the front deck.