Ehrler’s Edge: Here we go, 2011

Here we go, 2011

The new year has arrived and the race to get everything ready for the first big road trip has me all over the place. Breaking in the boat, setting up the new Humminbirds, organizing tackle and coordinating the travel for the season is a lot to get done. I leave for Florida this week to the first FLW Open of the year on Lake Okeechobee.

I have been to Lake Okeechobee a few times and it’s a great place. I haven’t done very well there in the past but, I am excited about this year. Okeechobee is a huge lake with tons of vegetation, canals, backwaters and huge fish. It should be a slugfest and a lot of fun.

This season I will be fishing all of the FLW Opens and the FLW Majors. The schedule looks like this:

FLW Open : Lake Okeechobee : 2/3 – 2/6
FLW Major : Beaver Lake : 3/3 – 3/6
FLW Major : Lake Hartwell : 3/24 – 3/27
FLW Major : Lake Chickamauga : 4/14 – 4/17
FLW Major: Table Rock Lake : 5/5 – 5/8
FLW Major: Red River : 5/19 – 5/22
FLW Open: Potomac River : 6/2 – 6/5
FLW Major: Kentucky Lake : 6/16 – 6/19
FLW Cup: Lake Ouachita: 8/11 – 8/14
FLW Open: Lake Champlain: 9/15 – 9/18
FLW Open: Lake Guntersville: 10/20 – 10/23

When I look that schedule over a couple things stick out to me. First, Lake Ouachita for the FLW Cup. I won there last year but, it was a different time of year then the Cup is being held. It will fish different and its going to take something special to beat Scott Suggs on his home water.

Next I see Kentucky Lake and Lake Guntersville down the road a bit. Both of these are events I am looking forward to for a couple of reasons. They are both great fisheries and should be a lot of fun. However, I have not had great success at either of these places so I am looking for some redemptionthis year at both of those lakes.

The rest of the schedule is exciting and I plan to work as hard as ever at bringing home the AOY. The FLW has a talented group of anglers so it won’t be easy but, that’s my ultimate goal. For now its off to wrap up my final preparation duties before hitting the 10 freeway for 3+ days on my way to Okeechobee.