December on Lake Okeechobee is a wonderful time for fishing, with mild weather and great catching. Each fall, as the days get shorter, the water temperatures get cooler. Th ere is much speculation about what really triggers big bass to move toward their spawning grounds and start feeding like they have not eaten for months. But every year, in late October and early November, the large female bass suddenly make an appearance. When the water level started going up some anglers expected that the bass would start moving back further into the marsh putting us and the fish into a transition period of sorts. In reality we are still catching bass in the same areas as we were prior to the water rising nearly three feet. The great fishing is not limited to only bass. Specks, shell cracker and bluegill are also being taken in good numbers. Specks are showing up along the north shore of Okeechobee. Many are on the very outside edges of the cover, such as hydrilla or Kissimmee grass. A greater amount of specks can be found just outside the edge of the cover, holding well off of the visible cover, and tight to the bottom.
If you can find areas where there is a new growth of eel grass, pepper grass or hydrilla that is not yet apparent to the naked eye, you just may hit the mother lode of fat, pre-spawn specks. The more successful anglers are catching their specks on a small jigs. Colors vary greatly with each angler’s preference. Pink, chartreuse, white, black red and any variation or mixtures of these colors have proven effective. It’s quite easy to ramble on about Okeechobee’s bass fishing and how great it is, and the reasons for the great fishing are many. Massive amounts of native vegetation are prevalent; the fish have had terrific spawns for the last four to five years, leading to huge numbers of small fi sh that are now starting to become big fish. The water is gin clear along the whole North end, and the water quality is good. Add all of these factors together and it leads to a fishery that is second to none. Shiner fishing is as consistent right now as it ever gets, catches of 30 to 50 bass are common. It is all dependent on how many shiners you want to buy. For a live wild shiner, once they are loaded into the live well at the tackle shop it’s a one way trip, shiners rarely make the return trip back to the shop. Th e bass are feeding heavily, storing up for the spawning ritual that will take place gradually over this winter season. There is not a better time to catch bass on Lake Okeechobee than during the fall feeding frenzy. With big bass in the seven to ten pound range being caught with regularity on guided shiner trips.
FORECAST BY: Capt. Mike Shellen
Shellen Guide Service
Phone: (863) 357-0892
Email: sjmike7@aol.com
www.OkeechobeeBassFishing.com