Lake Okeechobee, North End, Fishing Report and Forecast: July 2016

Tanya Carr with an 8-pound bass on a wild shiner. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Eddie Perry.
Tanya Carr with an 8-pound bass on a wild shiner. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Eddie Perry.

Here we are again, it’s summer time, and with that we have very hungry bass on the north end of the lake. Early morning bass fishing has been as good as it gets and it doesn’t look like it will be slowing down any time soon. Our typical early morning spinner bait and top water bite is in full swing, which makes for some exciting fishing first thing in the morning. Outside Kissimmee grass edges and bull reed edges with a half-ounce War Eagle mouse-colored spinner bait is a sure thing. If the mouse color doesn’t produce the action you are looking for, switch to a white spinner bait with copper blades. As far as top water goes, try a shad-colored Pop-R or a shad-colored Chug Bug, something that will spit water forward. They are great baits to imitate shad when they are schooled up and in close first thing in the morning. There is also a good flipping and pitching bite when you move to the inside of these areas right now. If you are pitching the reeds, try a half-ounce jig in a dark color. The reason for a half-ounce is it will fall slower and you can work through the reeds better. If you decide to flip, look for hyacinth mats and punch them with a one-ounce to one-and-a-half-ounce weight with the craw worm of your choice. Shiner action has been red hot for the first few hours and slows down as it heats up during the day. Catches on half day trips can range from 20 to 40 bass by 10 a.m., with fish up to the eight-pound class. The tip of Grassy Island, the north end of Kings Bar, Buckhead Ridge and Third Point are all good places to start for your bass fishing day.

For those of you who are looking for bluegills and shellcrackers, look around the mouth of the Kissimmee River and in front of the Buckhead Ridge marker. The bluegills have moved in to spawn and will continue to move in as the summer moves forward. Use crickets and red worms on the bottom in the beds for best results.

Tanya Carr catching them two at a time. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Eddie Perry.
Tanya Carr catching them two at a time. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Eddie Perry.

[easy-social-share]

Captain Eddie Perry is a 5th generation native Floridian and has been around Lake Okeechobee most of his life. He has been fishing the lake since he was a child and has been a full-time guide since 1996. He’s also a member of The Lake Okeechobee Guide Association. He sports a state of the art 20′ custom built BIG-O bass boat with a 225 Merc on the back. Captain Eddie is also an avid hunter and offers gator hunting trips as part of his Okeechobee Adventure services. To reach Capt. Eddie, call (863) 763-7722 or drop him anemail. You can also follow his fishing onFacebook.