Water levels have ranged between 10 ½ 11 ft on the big O since early spring time. With the current water level just under 11ft, boating safety is the number one priority. If you’re unsure how to safely navigate on the big O the best thing to do is to hire a fishing guide who knows the entire lake, one who will be completely honest and helpful in sharing the most important features of the lake.
The fishing bite consists of mainly bream and bass fishing for this time of year areas to try for bream have been the North shore area; parts of Observation Shoal; Indian Prairie and on up to Tin house; 2nd/3rd point and parts of Kings bar. The bream can be found on the edges/holes in the grass and boat trails. The bream are biting live crickets and small red worms rigged on ultralight spinning gear tipped with a small bobber and split shot weight and typically a #4 long-shank hook.
The bass bite has been spotty with the better times during the day is early morning and late afternoon timeframe. A mixture of deep water fishing such as in the river and canals have been producing crank bait bites; Carolina rigging and jigs worked up the ledges and around some good chunk rock. The bass have been schooling out in open water on shad throughout various times during the day so have a rattle trap or top water tied on and ready. Other baits that have been producing some good action have been the swim jig; frogs; worms/senkos and the flipping/pitching bite into thicker grass areas.
Capt. Angie’s sponsors are: Mercury; Gene Larew, Navionics, Lews, G-Loomis, Maui Jim, Gill, Bullet weights, MegaStrike, Real Magic, Woo tungsten, Power-Pole, Mid-South, True-Turn and Rapala. To book your next Lake Okeechobee trip contact me at 863-228-7263 or www.southfloridabassfishing.com
