Welcome to the December issue of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Okeechobee edition. December is one of those months we always look forward to; we have the year-end holidays, we get to visit with friends and families, and we get to play hooky, even if just for a few days, from the daily grind of work and life.
Getting away from it all is just what Lake Okeechobee and south-central Florida is all about. The local weather turns into some of the best weather in the nation while the fishing turns into the hottest in the nation. Over the next few months Lake Okeechobee and the lakes of Highlands County and south-central Florida are the places to be if you’re interested in a trophy sized bass. The spawning season comes to full strength over the next few months with those supersized females crashing the shallows to spawn and then to feed to rebuild their energy reserves to spawn again. These bass will be constantly on the move from the spawning beds to post spawn areas and then back to the spawning beds. This makes targeting these fish much easier since they’re not hiding off-shore or under some thick vegetation. This is ‘the’ time of year for trophy bass.
December is also a great time for Black Crappie (Speck) fishing. Over the next few months, as the water temperatures drop, Crappie begin to congregate in schools just before moving into the shallows to spawn. During these times it’s not unusual to limit-out within two hours with slabs of over 1.5 to 2 pounds. With this type of action, Crappie fishing is a great family activity so make it a day and build some life long memories.
Finally it’s that time to renew and create new relationships with those that live up north but seek the warmth of south Florida during the winter months. Our area explodes with visitors and this brings life and vitality to our area. Embrace the camaraderie and enjoy the conversation and activities this time of year brings. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines. South-central Florida has a lot to offer, so get outdoors and explore it.
Happy Holidays and have a safe and Happy New Years!
