Capt. Angie Douthit
Lake Okeechobee’s water level has been hovering around the 14 ft. mark, which makes for a somewhat safer boating experience, but please still use caution, come off plane, then idle in/out, as parts of the lake do have a rock bottom.
While out on the lake exploring and on guide trips, I’m noticing some really nice eel grass and hydrilla starting to come back, especially in/around the Tin House area, which is located on the northwest side of the lake. I’m also seeing some mixtures of Kissimmee grass with reeds.
Areas on the lake that are producing bass are: Kings Bar; Buckhead Ridge area(s); Tin House; some spots around Indian Prairie, and on down towards Dyess Ditch. Outside areas around the Dupree bar, some parts of the Monkey box, and areas on the Shoal as you make your way South.
On the East side, Nub and Slough, and around Hendry Creek, are holding bass and crappie. Live bait for bass is catching numbers, along with bigger female bass that are spawning. The lure bite is good, with options including throwing frogs, swim baits/jigs, worms, flipping/pitching, some topwater, and spinner baits.
Lure colors are: june bug; red shad; white; tilapia; bluegill patterns (shallow crank baits), and black/blue. Boaters are scattered as they fish; you’ll see some back in against rigid walls of vegetation, some out in the middle area, and others keeping to the outer edges. Limits of crappie are being caught both trolling with lures/minnows and the jig bite in/around vegetation is coming on strong.
The lake is now much more open, and some areas will appear different, with some sections having no vegetation and others having more than last year. Every year, the lake changes, so explore your old spots and check out new areas that look promising! I’m anticipating a very active but tricky bass and crappie spawn this year, which means that they could be in the regions that you couldn’t or didn’t find in the past.
To book you’re next fun-filled day fishing Okeechobee, call me at 863-228-7263 or check out my updated website that contains a plethora of information at www.southfloridabassfishing.com I can accommodate 4 people on my new 21.5 foot Caymas bass boat that is rigged with forward-facing sonar and offers a really nice-comfortable, roomy ride with tons of storage for you to bring your own tackle/lures if you choose to do so, but I do supply top of the line rods/reel, supply all terminal tackle for artificial trips for both bass and crappie; bottles of water; ice; sunscreen and light rain gear. I also have access to another guide boat, which can accommodate group trips and offer Military and One-person guided trips. For those of you who are traveling, I do offer fish cleaning for a nominal fee. I hope this information helps you to have a better, more productive day of fishing. Tight Lines !!
— To book you’re next fun day fishing, call 863-7263 or check out my website, where you’ll see up-to-date info, customer catches, hotel info, past reports, and more www.southfloridabassfishing.com. I can accommodate groups of people; I offer Veteran and one-person discounted trips. Inquire when calling to book.
A big thank you to my sponsors: Mercury Marine; Toho Marine (St. Cloud, Fl); Bullet Weights; G-Loomis; Lews; BnM Poles; Bobby Garland; Rapala; Gill; Gene Larew; Lurenet.com
