The great fishing continues on Lake Okeechobee. This year we have caught record numbers of big bass, as well as huge daily catch numbers. The lake level is at 13 feet for now and each summer so far, we have seen low levels around 11 feet or lower.
In the past we have experienced many great years of pan fishing. This year so far, we have seen some of the best summertime catches of shellcracker. Of course, the big bluegill are caught in the same areas as the shellcracker, but anyone that has eaten freshly caught and fried shellcracker filets knows exactly what I am talking about. The tremendous run of shellcracker started on the full moon in March and has continued each moon phase up through August. How long it will continue remains to be seen. With the water level in the 12- to 13-foot range, the pan fish stayed mostly to the outside edges of the vegetation, some even fanning spawning beds well out into the lake, where the water is still only 2 to 3 feet. The primary baits have been grass shrimp, red worms and crickets. Many anglers target and catch large numbers of bluegill on a fly rod and popping bug when they are in such shallow water.
Bass fishing tournament anglers have found that it takes five bass that weigh 25- to 30-pounds to win a tournament on the lake. The numbers of quality sized bass in the 5- to 10-pound range in the lake right now are amazing, and these bass are growing each season just getting bigger and fatter.
During the summer months, we try to get onto the water before sunup to take advantage of schooling action that takes place along the outside grass lines. Bass can be seen and heard blasting baitfish, such as shad and shiners, in the cover and sometimes well out into the lake. When they are schooling on bait, a spinner tossed well back into the grass and worked toward the outside edge can present heart stopping action. Some morning we catch between 8 and 12 bass and the action ends quickly, other days we may catch 20 to 30 in the first couple of hours. The catching can end in a second and there is no rhyme or reason but the sun rising higher into the sky is certainly one of the reasons. Once they quit eating the spinner bait, we switch to soft plastics, flukes, speed worms and Senkos being an important part of our tactics. Those anglers who want to target only large bass very often will opt to flip and pitch matted vegetation or thick clumps of bulrush with a creature style bait. There are lots of styles, configurations and colors of creature style baits, some use a jig with a trailer, others uses a punch skirt, heavy tungsten, and creature baits.
There really arenât any âsecretsâ. The best anglers in the world are those who spend their time on the water constantly, dissecting depth and cover changes, water temperature changes, like a surgeon, taking advantage of every possible angle to get the most out of each area that may hold fish. Many people, however, tend to stay in an area that is not producing for them, especially if they have caught bass there before; know when to move and be decisive about your game plan, are all keys to success.
Until the next report good luck, tight lines, and Bucket Lips. I hope to see everyone on the water!
FORECAST BY: Capt. Nathan M. Shellen
Okeechobeebassfishing.com
Telephone: 772-501-6886
Email: sjmike7@aol.com
