Let the Games Begin

Excitement abounds about now around a couple of famous Florida waterways. Less than two hours from now, the B.A.S.S. Southern Opens will kick off a new season on the Harris Chain of Lakes while Southeast Division FLW Everstart Series anglers blast off at Lake Okeechobee. Rumor has it that Okeechhobee is red hot and that some big bags should show up at the scales this afternoon.

This weekend's concurrent events begin a month or so of major Florida tournaments and really bring a new season of bass tournament competition into swing.

Next week at Lake Toho, the PAA Tour Team Challenge will bring a brand new look to bass fishing, with two-man teams competing together in a major national-level event. The field will pair some of the biggest names in the sport -- Terry Scroggins & Gerald Swindle; Shaw Grigsby & Paul Elias; Mike McClelland & Jared Lintner -- so it should be fun to watch.

A couple of weeks after the PAA's Toho tournament, FLW will return to the Big O, this time with higher stakes, as the Walmart FLW Tour begins its 2012 campaign on Lake Okeechobee.

Then the focus shifts from Florida to Louisiana's Red River and the 2012 Bassmaster Classic!