Okeechobee report

[bigoguide]

What a great summer we are having here in South Florida with some really nice weather and some great fishing. The fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been really good in spite of the eighty degree water temperatures and very little wind. We have been getting some good rains so the water level has remained around the twelve foot above sea level mark so far this summer, that is about two foot higher then what it was last year. For those of you who read my reports you may not realize that Lake Okeechobee is a very shallow lake and two foot of water can make a big difference on the fishing, to put it in perspective it is only about eight foot deep in the middle of the lake and we fish in about two to three foot of water everyday. The water has been very clear this summer so the early morning bite seem to be the best before the sun gets to high in the sky.
I have been fishing a variety of areas from up around Indian Prairie canal area all the way down to Ritta Island. I have been fishing both shallow water weed lines and open water. I have been starting the morning throwing a Gambler Lures Buzz’n Cane Toad in watermelon color in the grass along the outside grass line, you need to retrieve this bait fast and it will produce a reaction strike from the bass in the outside grass closest to open water. I like to use a fast retrieve reel like a 7 to 1 ratio Okuma Komodo for the Buzz’n Toad and also for lipless crank baits, spool it with fifty pound braided line and you will be set to catch the big ones on Okeechobee. Throwing a worm along this outside grass has also been working but once that sun gets up high in the sky this bite really slows down. That is when I will move out to open water and start fishing a Zara Super Spook, lipless crank bait, and a carolinia rig. I fish out on the reef, holes in the reef, and other open water structures that you will need a good GPS with maps to find on Okeechobee.
During the summer months I try to start my charters early in the morning and as the sun gets up high in the sky and the fishing really slows down it is usually time to call it a day. There are windy and sometimes overcast days that you can catch bass all day long on the lake and I will stay out and fish till they quit biting but a typical summertime charter it is good to start by six am and end around noon. You will want to use plenty of sunscreen to avoid a nasty sunburn and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. You will also want to keep an eye on the weather as storms can roll in pretty quick in South Florida whether you are fishing on the coast or fishing on Okeechobee, I keep an eye on the weather and the radar through an app on my IPhone. Now is also the time to do some shark fishing and if anyone is interested I do charters in the Florida Keys for sharks this time of the year.
I am looking forward to an awesome year on Okeechobee with the water level staying up through the summer we should be able to access some great spawning areas this winter. I am already booking trips for 2013 for bass on Okeechobee and tarpon during May and June in the Florida Keys.

[250bassFL]

Nice report.