Welcome to the June issue of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Okeechobee edition. The summer vacation period is officially on, local public schools are out and the kids will have plenty of energy to burn-off.
June also marks the beginning of extended hours at many of the region’s theme parks. So pack up the car, load the RV, hitch-up the boat, and enjoy the local parks, trails, waterways, and amusement parks before the summer heat settles in.
For freshwater fishermen, the month of May was unusually warm and water temperatures rose quickly. Panfish like blue gill and shell crackers will still be in the shallows but the big bass have moved out and taken residence along the deeper water edges. As the days get hotter, early morning and late evening fishing will become the norm. So don’t forget the sun screen and bug repellant.
Now that the kids are out of school, perhaps a trip to the coast for some saltwater action might be the ticket. On the west coast, Port Charlotte and Ft Myers estuaries have been very active with snook, tarpon, redfish, and just about anything that swims. Fishing in these areas can be as simple as finding some moving current and underwater structure and dropping in some cut bait. On the east coast, dolphin (mahi-mahi) are showing up in good numbers as well as other migratory species. Locally the Avon Park Air Force Base will be hosting its 11th Annual Fishing Derby on June 6th. The fishing is for kids only and restricted to those under the age of 16. It’s also a BYOB, a ‘Bring Your Own Bait’ and Fishing Gear event. It’s a great time for kids to experience fishing and learn about the Air Force Base.
For event goers, local festivals are becoming sparse. You’ll most likely have to travel to one of the coastal cities to find something worthwhile. For rodeo guys and gals there is the Silver Spurs Rodeo held on June 5th and 6th in Kissimmee, FL. This rodeo is billed as the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi. For country music lovers there is the Florida Country Superfest in Jacksonville, FL on June 13th & 14th.
On a more serious note, on Saturday June 13th, the First Baptist Church of Okeechobee will be hosting a BBQ & Auction Fundraiser for Rebekah Prescott who is battling cancer for the third time. Tickets are available at Eli’s Western Wear, come out and support her in the fight against this terrible disease.
Finally, June marks the beginning of our hurricane season so spend a day and check your hurricane provisions. If you have a hurricane preparedness plan, dust it off and run through the check list. If you do this early then you’ll save yourself plenty of anguish while watching the local weather forecasters and their cone of uncertainty. June is also one of the rainiest months for us. So when those thundershowers start to appear on the horizon, get off the lake. Besides being the Bass Capital of the World, Central Florida is also the Lightning Capital of the USA, so “when thunder roars, go indoors.”
Until next month, enjoy the great outdoors.
