Word on the street was Okeechobee might fish tough for competitors in the first Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tourney of 2013.

Instead, the lake greeted 200 pros and as many co-anglers with bunches of bass, including Van Soles’ 7-pound, 14-ounce big bass on the pro side. The co-angler big bass also topped 7 pounds as Scott Crisafulli weighed-in a 7-03.

Steve Stinson of Pickering, Ontario won the whole shooting match with a one-day total of 32 pounds, 10 ounces.

Jim Hurlock, Jr. of Lake Worth, FL placed runner-up with 26-05.

Andrew Lee and Michael Meisenheimer shared 3rd with 19-7 apiece.

Jim Folks rounded out the top 5 with 19-02.

Stinson was the only top 20 finisher from outside Florida.

Meisenheimer was the only angler among the top 65 to have less than his five-fish limit, and one of only 2 in the top 100 to weigh 4 fish.

Limits were also common on the co-angler side where all of the top 20 anglers weighed 5 fish.

James Trudel of Boca Raton, FL won the co-angler division with 17 pounds, 14 ounces.

Okeechobee is in great shape and boasts a huge bass population including its share of 10-pounders. That’s good because the big lake is fixin’ to get a workout when the EverStart Series visits next week and the FLW Tour kicks off out of Clewiston next month.