By Capt. Robin Clegg
With the cooler weather of January comes the best crappie bite of the year on Lake Okeechobee. Whether you’re fishing with lights at night or jigging with crappie jigs in the reeds and grass at Little Grassy or along the Kissimmee Banks, the fishing is at its best.
Something that has taken off in the last couple of years is trolling the canals and the Kissimmee River with underspin jigs. Roadrunners in chartreuse and white or blue seem to be the best colors on four- to six-pound test line, fifteen to twenty yards behind the boat, adjusting your speed to find the proper depth where the crappie are.
Mixing up the colors to see what they’re hitting on that day is the best way to fill your cooler. I also recommend stopping at Garrards Tackle in Okeechobee to see what the most effective way to catch speckled trout is and at what specific time they seem to be hitting best.
If you’re looking for a guide trip, check out Capt. Danny, Capt. Bob, at Garrard Tackle. Or give me a call at 304-398-5215. And if you’re looking for a more detailed way of catching crappies on Lake Okeechobee, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
And if you’re interested in a fish cleaning service, you can get more information at Garrards Tackle.
Another effective way to catch crappie is bank fishing along the Kissimmee River.
So bundle up, get your spec tackle out, and hit the water. Let’s go fishing
