Cooler weather temperatures are here, and the bass and crappie are biting. Both species can be caught up shallow near the beds and out in open water as the new wave of spawners are feeding heavily before they move up to the beds. For bass fishing, a lot of multiple artificial lures are working right now such as rattle traps and double- willow leaf gold colored spinner baits; swim jigs and swim baits in the shallows around the grass edges and pockets. Some bass are being caught around wood such as sticks and branches laying in water, just above the water line on light jigs; creature-style flipping baits and senkos. Shallow running crank baits have been working well along the grass edges and some rock-bottom areas.
The crappie bite is mixed catching them out in open water with a slow troll with Roadrunners and a slow drift with live minnows. Some crappie can be caught up in the shallows around new and full moons as a few early spawners have moved in. You can fish with live minnows up shallow around vegetation but it’s tricky, the main thing is to choose open-water areas surrounded by a good grass edge and throw the minnows just short of the grass. This technique can be slow at times but if you can find a nice school of crappie, it will be fish on! I hope this information helps you to have a better and more productive day on the water. Feel free to contact me with any questions and I will help.
To book your next fun-filled and productive day fishing on beautiful Lake Okeechobee call 863-228- 7263 or log onto my website at www.southfloridabassfishing.com to see some great client photos and other “trip” information. Have a “group of a people” no problem, I can accommodate with more than one guide boat for your special trip. My sponsors include: G-Loomis; Lews; Gene Larew; Gill; Maui-Jim; TTI-Blakemore; Mercury; Bullet weights; Navionics; Power-Pole; Rapala and Mid-South Tackle.
