October has arrived here in Florida and that means pumpkins, Halloween, and the start of cooler weather for some much needed relief for bass and man. It has been another very hot summer here in Florida but we have had a good amount of rain and the water level is going to be high enough to get us through the winter and spring. The bass have already starting moving toward the grass beds chasing bait so the spawning season will be just around the corner.
I still have been fishing some offshore places like Cross Island and some of the spoil islands but I have also started fishing points along the west side of the lake, Ritta Island, West Wall, the shoal, and Long Point are all great places to start catching bass. These bass will be holding on the outside grass lines and reed patches before they move farther back in the grass flats usually starting in November. Bass in the outside grass can be targeted with a variety of lures including spinnerbaits, swim jigs, Gambler Ace stick baits, and use pitching craw type baits in the isolated reed heads. I like to rig up with a Gambler Why Not and a 1⁄2 ounce bullet weight and just start fishing any points and reed heads I can find. This is also a great time to get out there with some live bait a.k.a. wild shiners and catch good numbers of bass as they feed up and move toward winter and spring spawning areas. When fishing with shiners I like to target points of grass or the mouth of trails heading back into the grass. Be patient and let the bass come to you when you are fishing with live bait.
By mid-October the snow birds will be moving back into South Florida and this means there will be more boats at the ramps and on the water, take your time and be safe both on and off the water. It is shaping up to be another awesome season here on the Big “O” and there should be plenty of water to fish and bass to catch. If you are thinking of making a trip to Lake Okeechobee to fish with a guide you should start getting dates nailed down and travel plans made as days are booking up fast for the winter and spring time. As for now, it is still hot here on the lake so be sure and drink plenty of water and use sunscreen on all exposed skin. Until next month good luck, tight lines, and I hope to see everyone on the water soon.
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