Bass and Crappie fishing will continue to get even better into December and winter months which are the main spawning time of year for these species. When bass fishing we’ve been fishing with live bait and artificial lures or just lures or just live bait, depends on what is producing more bites and customer preferences. The lures that have been consistently producing bass bites are plastic worms/senkos; slow working top water lures like Devil Horses, Zara Spooks, Bang a Lure, Chug Bug and Pop-R’s in colors shad, bluegill and crawdad. Swim jigs and swim baits worked through the grass are catching some great quality pre-spawners waiting to move into the shallows to prepare beds.
When crappie fishing, we use artificial lures such as small tube jigs tipped with a small round head jig on a 10-11 ft BnM Jig pole and Bucks mini reel. The jigging technique can catch the crappie off the beds as well as the pre and post spawners coming in/out of key areas of the lake. A popular way to catch crappie is using small live minnows. Crappie is one of the best tasting freshwater fish, and one of the main reasons why Okeechobee gets a lot of people staying during the winter months.
Areas to consider next time you’re out on the lake: Observation Shoal; Monkey Box and Dyess Ditch and up around the point of Horse Island and a few areas on Dupree Bar. Parts of Indian Prairie and Tin house (back inside) and Buckhead Ridge. On the East side look at Nub N Slough, Hendry Creek lock area and J & S (North side of the lock and down about 1 mile). Call Capt. Angie directly – she will put you on fish! (863) 228-7263
