Fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been fickle, current water level is around 12 feet above sea level. Due to lower water levels, boating safety has been the main focus – please use caution, many parts of the lake have a coral rock bottom. If you are unsure as to where and how to run the lake, hire a professional guide to show you these areas and many other important fish- ing tips that will help you to have a successful day on the water.
The winter months are the main spawn time but anticipate the month of March and April. If you have a limited time schedule to fish, try gearing your upcoming trip around the new or full moon phase. This timeframe will put the fish near their beds and can help increase your odds at landing that big bass and/or crappie (speck). If you are bass fishing, a good area to fish is in the northwest corner of the lake called the Monkey box.
Other areas around the Monkey box that have been producing are: Dyess ditch; point of Horse Island; west-side of Dupree bar and on down Observation shoal fishing the grass edges. The best boat ramp to use when fishing these areas is the Harney Pond canal located conveniently between the cities of Clewiston and Okeechobee on Hwy 78/441.
Artificial lures for bass that have been working are: Flipping/pitching creature-style baits; senkos; some hard top-water lures worked slow such as a Rapala skitter walk or skitter pop; some frogs worked in/ around the pads; swim baits and shallow cranks. Colors for lures can be black/blue; green pumpkin/ red flake; june bug; red shad; white and crawdad. If you are speck fishing, try the shoal; Dupree bar; monkey box and around tin house. If you’re fishing on the east side, try the grass edges out from the J & S lock and Henry Creek.
To book Capt Angie as your Professional bass and crappie guide call 863- 228-7263 or log onto www.southfloridabassfishing.com to gather more info about pricing, hotel accommodations etc.
Angie’s Sponsors are: Power-Pole; Gene Larew; Bullet weights; G-Loomis; Lews; Gill; Real Magic; True-Turn; Rapala; Navionics; Mid-South tackle.
