OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2025) – Hopes were high going into the Toyota Series Southern Division tournament on Lake Okeechobee, and through two days, the lake lived up to the hype. But on Saturday’s Day 3, with a strong southern wind blowing out many key areas, things started to fall apart. Entering with a comfortable lead after two great days, Robert Branagh almost stumbled as well. But, with the rest of the field struggling, 16 pounds, 13 ounces for a 73-1 total was enough for the win and $44,000.
The victory is Branagh’s second Toyota Series title on Okeechobee, which is not a common feat. Branagh also set the three-day Toyota Series weight record for the fishery, bumping the top weight up to 73-1, a bit more than the previous high-water mark of 72-9 that Jessie Mizell set in 2024.
As the vegetation in Okeechobee has deteriorated in recent years, the frequency of success off the lake has increased. Now, it’s pretty well-known that the various canals and ditches around the edge of the lake can kick out winning weight. Still, old habits die hard, and the bulk of the weight and the bulk of the pressure remains in the lake.
Though Branagh did spend some practice time there, he made the canals his primary focus, and it worked.
“I saw what the wind was going to do for the first two days and then the third day,” said the Florida pro. “That’s why I targeted something out of the ordinary. I knew that the water would stay clean and the wind wouldn’t affect it, and it paid off.
“Now that there’s no grass in the lake to clean the water, I knew the water would get muddy right up to the hard line. And I knew fish were going to spawn. They spawn in the canals just like they spawn in the lake. Just so happens, I found them spawning on rocks. No grass, no nothing; but they were spawning on the rocks.”
Branagh found two key areas where bass were bedding on rock and the hard-bottom areas around it.
“I started in practice,” he explained. “I caught a few on a Senko, and then I picked up the Bruiser Baits Bullet, and I caught a couple of better ones. So, I went to another spot in another canal and did the same thing and caught an 8. So, I knew that was the plan going in.”
Branagh never used his forward-facing sonar. He simply fished very methodically, picking apart his zones foot by foot and using his Power-Poles every inch of the way.
“I’d ease up, I’d say, about 5 feet off the bank,” he said. “The fish were actually out about 3 foot from the from the actual rock piles. I would parallel the rocks, put it on the rocks, and just slow roll it out, ticking the top of the rocks. When you felt it tick the rock, sometimes it was rock, and sometimes it was a fish swimming out with your bait.”
Branagh basically only those needed two areas to win – one was responsible for his weight on Day 1, and his backup spot was the place to be on Day 2 and Day 3.
“I was going to try to save my second spot for today and not burn it up yesterday,” he explained. “But I went in there yesterday and should’ve had over 30 pounds again and lost a double-digit. So, I went in there today and just expanded on it.”
Branagh’s victory was not without flaw – he did lose some key fish. But, it turned out not to matter, and he was thrilled on stage after a grueling Day 3.
“Man, I was sick to my stomach for the last two hours,” he said. “Now, I’m freaking stoked.”
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee finished:
1st: Robert Branagh, Malabar, Fla., 15 bass, 73-1, $44,000
2nd: Steve Lopez, Oconomowoc, Wis., 15 bass, 65-8, $17,000
3rd: Parker Knudsen, Minnetonka, Minn., 14 bass, 59-8, $13,750 (includes $1,000 Phoenix Bonus)
4th: Kyle Glasgow, Guin, Ala., 15 bass, 56-1, $10,750
5th: Michael Venditto, Boca Raton, Fla., 15 bass, 53-14, $9,750
6th: Hunter Weston, Palm City, Fla., 15 bass, 53-10, $8,375
7th: Dillon McMillan, Palm Bay, Fla., 15 bass, 52-2, $7,300
8th: Kyle Monti, Okeechobee, Fla., 15 bass, 51-10, $6,300
9th: Travis Pitt, Niceville, Fla., 15 bass, 50-1, $5,300
10th: Michael Catt, Jacksonville, Fla., 15 bass, 49-9, $4,200
Pro Brian Haseotes of West Newton, Massachusetts, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces. On Friday, pro David Sheffield of Davie, Florida, brought an 8-pound, 5-ounce largemouth to the scale to earn the $500 award.
Alan Hults of Gautier, Mississippi, won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 45 pounds, 11 ounces. Hults earned the top co-angler prize package worth $34,000, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee finished:
1st: Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., 15 bass, 45-11, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Rich Frey, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 41-5, $5,375
3rd: Ray Ruiz, Boca Raton, Fla., 15 bass, 38-13, $4,300
4th: Brady Lunsmann, Citrus Springs, Fla., 13 bass, 38-5, $3,650
5th: Roger Phillips, Delta, Ala., 15 bass, 36-11, $3,150
6th: Garrett Vick, Lake Worth, Fla., 10 bass, 36-8, $2,650
7th: Jeffery Baffa, Estero, Fla., 14 bass, 36-0, $2,150
8th: Grant McPeters, Marion, N.C., 11 bass, 35-9, $1,825
9th: Grayson Honeycutt, Temple, Texas, 15 bass, 35-2, $1,530
10th: Michael Leach, Shenandoah, Texas, 12 bass, 34-10, $1,290
Co-angler Greg Shaughnessy of Miami, Florida, earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award with an 8-pound, 15-ounce bass, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Shannon Pike of Sarasota, Florida, who weighed in an 8-pound, 9-ounce largemouth bass.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_132/toyota-okeechobee-21625.html
MLF Toyota Series