As June rolls into South Florida the fishing here on Lake Okeechobee continues to be good throughout most of the lake but the bass are moving into their summer patterns. The lake level has been coming down pretty steady and is less than thirteen and a half feet above sea level but the water temperature is pretty warm for
this time of the year. June is a great time to get out on the water early in the morning and catch a good number of bass, and as the sun gets up high in the sky and the fish quit biting, itâs time to get off the water before the afternoon storms roll in.
I have been fishing with both artificial lures and the wild shiners the past few weeks and both are working great; summer time is my favorite time to throw artificial lures here on Okeechobee. I have been fishing swim jigs, big soft plastic worms, and crankbaits with the wind direction and speed being the deciding factors as to where and what I fish. Areas like the shoal, West and East Walls, and some offshore reef areas are my go to spots in the summer months here on Lake Okeechobee. Any of the islands like the spoil islands out of Clewiston or the grassy islands around Uncle Joeâs Cut are great places to fish this time of the year. I have been targeting pepper grass patches and eel grass with a Gambler heavy cover swim jig in white color to start the morning and as the sun gets up higher in the sky I switch to black and blue color, a Gambler Little EZ, or a twin tail grub for a trailer works great. I also like to throw a 10â worm in the eel and pepper grass patches. Remember that the best bite will be from the time the sun starts to come up till about noon, so get out early and catch what you can.
Remember itâs summer time here in South Florida, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and use plenty of good sun screen. With the water level starting to get low, youâll want to watch where you run your boat especially boat trails that are back in off the main lake. My rule is, if you havenât been there before then now isnât the time to go. The other thing to watch out for this time of the year is thunderstorms, especially lightning storms. Donât push your luck with these storms, for here on Lake Okeechobee there is a lightning related death almost every year. If you hear thunder or see lightning, put the boat on the trailer.
Until next month good luck, tight lines, and I hope to see everyone on the water soon.
