OVERVIEW
The weather for this weekend will be cool and unstable but the fishing should be hot. I don’t know about you but I always love fishing in sloppy weather so long as the lightning is held in check. The long range forecasts indicate that this will be the end of our unseasonably warm temperatures and a return to seasonable temperatures which means cooler nights and falling water temperatures which will ignite the fishing bite. All reporting stations can’t wait for next week’s cooler temperatures.
WEATHER OUTLOOK
Another cool front is headed our way this weekend and it will make conditions unstable. As the front passes on Friday there will be a 50:50 chance of rain and thunderstorms. Saturday the front will stall and retreat northwards which will bring a 60% chance of rain and thunderstorms. Then on Sunday the front pushes south again which will bring an 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms. The silver lining is that once the front finally pushes through it will bring cool temperatures, low humidity, and sunny skies for the remainder of the week all the way through Thanksgiving weekend. On Friday winds will be out of the NE and moderate in strength, that is, less than 10 mph though higher during passing storms. On Saturday winds will eventually shift to the south and again be moderate during the day except around storms. Sunday the winds develop a westerly component and once again remain moderate in strength except during thunderstorms. Morning temperatures will be in the upper 60’s and rising to near 80-degrees on Friday and Saturday but only the mid 70’s on Sunday. The barometer will be falling all weekend and then take a sudden spike on Monday as High Pressure moves in.
WATER LEVELS
- Lake Okeechobee: 14.27 ASL, ↓ 0.18-ft, Surface Temp 78.1°
- Lake Istokpoga: 39.28-ft ASL, ↓ 0.07-ft
- Arbuckle Creek @ DeSoto: 3.87-ft, ↓ 0.06
- Fisheating Creek @ US 27: 2.25-ft, ↓ 0.9-ft
- Peace River @ Zolfo Springs: 5.82-ft, ↓1.30-ft
- Kissimmee River, Lock S-65E: 20.99-ft Head, 14.03-ft Tail, NR CFS
- St Lucie River Lock: Head 13.84-ft, Tail 1.29-ft, Flow 0 CFS
- Port Mayaca Lock: Head 14.25-ft, Tail 14.09-ft, Flow 0 CFS
- Caloosahatchee River
- Moore Haven Locks: Head 14.05-ft, Tail 11.43-ft, Flow 764CFS
- Ortona Locks: Head 11.25-ft, Tail 2.95-ft, Flow 238 CFS
- W.P. Franklin Lock: Head 3.15-ft, Tail 2.01-ft, Flow 406 CFS
Lake Okeechobee South End
Slim’s Fish Camp, Belle Glade (561-996-3844): Jim reports the bass fishing has picked up considerably over the last week especially with wild shiners. Besides an increasing number of bass being caught, some nice size females, we’re talking in the 11-lbs range, are being caught. The artificial bite has shown signs of improvement. Specks remain mostly a night time affair with minnows the primary bait, jigs not so much. If the approaching cool front brings rain and cooler temperatures, the lake’s water temperature will drop and the fishing will improve considerably.
Roland Martin Marine Center, Clewiston (863-983-2128): Reports still indicate a slower than usual artificial bite. Early mornings remain the best time with topwater still producing bass. Larger females are in the area but just not being aggressive. You’ll need to work for these fish. Wild shiners are still producing the best results. Cooler temperatures will bring this area alive.
The Bait Shop at Harney Pond, Lakeport (863-946-0170): Ed from The Bait Shop at Harney Pond reports some great bass fishing on wild shiners. One group went out with shiners and landed five fish around 5-lbs and two over 7-lbs. Not bad for a short morning outing. The big females are laying under the hydrilla during the afternoons and coming out near the edges of the peppergrass and eel grass beds to feed. Plenty of young bucks in the 2-3 lb range and they are aggressively taking topwater and buzz baits during the mornings and evening hours. Hildebrandt’s white spinners are doing real well. As for Specks, the Indian Prairie and Horse Island areas see the most activity. Minnows still remain the favorite bait. Chartreuse jigs are active in the mornings but as the sun gets higher into the sky the Specks sink deeper and turn to minnows. The water still remains dirty and will need some steady north winds to clear.
Lake Okeechobee North End
Garrard’s Bait & Tackle, Okeechobee (863-763-3416): Lief says shiner fishing is been real nice. Plenty of 2-3 lbs fish with 7 & 8 lbs in the mix. Artificials are also showing signs of improvement with topwater frogs and speed baits in the morning and slower presentations like flipping and Carolina rigs in the afternoon. The west side from Kings Bar to Harney Pond is producing solid results. Speck fishing continues to improve with drifting the lake still providing the best opportunities though Indian Prairie and Horse Island areas are producing as well. Minnows and chartreuse jigs remain the staples for bait.
No Bad Daze Bait & Tackle, Okeechobee (863-484-8126): Tyler reports that the bass bite has picked up considerably since last week. The early morning top-water bite has been on fire with frogs being the hottest lure. Quality shiner fishing is extending into the afternoons which is a good indication of things to come. The Speck bite is getting stronger with the schools building in mass and size of individual fish. Minnows still remain the bait of choice though jigging is not far behind. The Rim Canal and the feeder streams up by Taylor Creek and Henry Creek are producing some nice bass. Look for hydrilla and toss crankbaits. Oscars are also being caught in the canal on solid black jigs. Down at Port Mayaca bass and specks are taking spinner baits and beetlespins.
Highlands County
Admiral’s Cove. Laker Placid (863-465-0982): Ed reported mixed results among the fishermen going out this past week. Some anglers found a nice bass bite in the morning while others found it to be slow. The same is true for the panfish. Ed’s also seeing an uptick in the number of fishermen on the water which is a good indication of a great season coming up.
Performance Marine Bait & Tackle, Lake Placid: The fishing around Lake Placid has been up and down mirroring the weather patterns. Bass remain scattered and occasionally showing up in the shallows. Tournaments over this past weekend saw full bags at the scales though the weights were light, generally under 20-lbs for a 5 fish limit. Speck fishing has been slow but there have been some schools of shell-crackers showing up in the deeper lakes at a depth of 8 to 20-ft. Red worms seem the bait they can’t resist though crickets and minnows are producing as well. Expect a rapid increase in bass activity once the front passes and the cool temperatures settle in.
Lorida Bait & Tackle, Lorida (863-655-2323): Lake Istokpoga has been up and down this past week. Windy conditions over the weekend kept most boaters close to shore with minimum run times. Therefore fewer and smaller fish were being caught. The water conditions remain good and the fishing rebounded during the week. Specks are still being caught though the numbers have declined slightly. Changing weather this weekend should provide better fishing in the coming week.
Tale Tales Bait & Tackle, Avon Park (863-452-2248): Rob reports plenty of wild shiners were being bought this weekend so the bass are on the feed. Many of the lakes around Avon Park and southern Polk County are deeper lakes so their temperatures remain stable during these passing fronts. Speck fishing has been limited though some lakes in the Sebring area have been very active. It’s kind of a hit and miss with these lakes at the moment.
Caloosahatchee River
Miller Bait & Tackle, LaBelle (863-342-8264): Fishing on the river has remained slow but steady. Snook still remain the story with more being caught over the last few days. For these live bait and artificials in the current near the spillways seem to be the best options. Unstable weather can bring out the best in Snook bites. Bass and Speck fishing seem to be waiting for the temperatures to drop before taking off. Hopefully next week we’ll turn the corner to cooler weather.
Summary
Falling barometers and moving fronts make bad weather conditions but some of the best fishing conditions. If you venture out, just be mindful of thunderstorms and lightning. Have a Plan B if you see storms rolling in.
Thanks for reading this week’s Okeechobee Fishing Report! Please share your stories and pics with us at pics@OkeechobeeCAM.com. Tight Lines!
