Lake Okeechobee: Nationally Recognized For It's Large Mouth Bass

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

The second largest body of freshwater in the United States is Lake Okeechobee Florida. Okeechobee is a Seminole Indian name and is derived from the Seminole word "Oki" meaning water.9ft is the average shallow depth of Lake Okeechobee. Okeechobee lake a vast region of spectacular freshwater fishing for a variety of species of fish. The Lake is a renowned superb fishing lake, that has both commercial and sport fishing.

Lake Okeechobee is nationally recognized for its large mouth bass and black crappie fishing. If your looking to catfishing this lake is also the place to go.If you are fishing for large mouth bass try flipping jigs and plastic worms in heavy cover, and spoons and spinner baits in the grass flats.use Use Golden shiners for live bait for bass. The best areas will around the rim canals.

If you are fishing for specs, or crappie fish the pilings under the highway 78 bridge, and fish the near the edges of the canal shoreline in deeper water. Only fish the Kissimmee river when the river is flowing steady. in any of these areas fish live shiners or jigs near vegetation. Fishing late in the day or early in the morning are the best times to fish. To locate the schools of black crappie suspend minnows at various depths,then once you find the crappie use standard jigging techniques.You will have to move often to locate the crappie schools. Once you find the schools fish until they no longer bite then move on and find another school.

The best areas for bream is the rim of the canals around lake Okeechobee that lead to the Kissimmee river. The best baits to use for lake Okeechobee Bluegill or Bream are Beetle spins, and crickets for live bait.

The following 12 areas around Lake Okeechobee are know to hold good populations of largemouth Bass, black crappie, or specs, and other panfish and catfish.If you want to get another perspective of the 12 areas we have listed you can visit the Florida Fish and wildlife conservation commission web page and click on Interactive maps.

Area #1 South Henry Creek Flats The flats from the boat lock at Henry Creek south to Chancey Bay holds an excellent bass population located in the plentiful vegetation. Bulrush, grass and hydrilla grow on a shoal surrounded by sand, about 3/4 mile southwest of the levee.The shoal tapers to a small reef, where bass like to spawn. Fish the outside edges of vegetation with live shiners, topwater plugs and plastic worms. Toss weedless spoons behind the weedline. During summer, cast vibrating plugs and shallow-running crankbaits over the reef for schooling bass.

Nubbin Slough Area #2Bass are caught year-round at Nubblin Slough. At the mouth of the slough look for the small islands and rock piles that are surrounded by maidencane. Toss a spinnerbait, Jerkin' Sam or Rat-L-Trap around these structures during fall. In spring, position the boat on the inside of the vegetation along the boat run that has a sand/shell bottom. Cast a plastic worm, Lunker Lure or spinnerbait. During summer, fish plastic worms in the bulrushes and pencil reeds.

Behind Eagle Bay Island Area #3This area behind Eagle Bay Island near the Government Cut provides great action for all species of panfish. Tannic stained water makes it difficult to see bluegill beds, so drift until fish are located.

Area #4 Eagle Bay Eagle Bay is a prime largemouth area from January through April when the lake is at its fullest. It's good year-round because the water is about two feet deeper than the surrounding area. Summer bass hold here because of the depth and vast hydrilla growth. Try plastic worms and lizards in spring, and switch to topwater plugs, buzzbaits and spoons in summer. Bass move to the outside edge in fall, and topwater lures, vibrating plugs and spinnerbaits are effective.

Area #5 Cast plastic worms and spinnerbaits for spring largemouth holding on the peppergrass in this shallow area. Throw topwater plugs early and late in the day during summer.

North Of North Lake Shoal (Kings Bar)Area #6The rocky area north of North Lake Shoal (Kings Bar) provides excellent bluegill fishing in the bulrushes and cattails. The panfish bed on scattered rocky patches within the vegetation and are easily caught on worms and crickets. Move east about one mile and drift the open water for winter crappie.

Lake Shoal (Kings Bar) Area #7 North Lake Shoal (Kings Bar) is a large weedy island with a variety of vegetation, including lily pads, hydrilla, eel grass, maidencane and bulrush. Bass are caught year-round on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. This is a great area for flippin'. Trophy bass often lurk in the maidencane growing inside scattered bulrushes.

Lake Okeechobee Tin House Cove Area #8 Plastic worms and lizards take spawning spring bass in Tin House Cove. In summer, the largemouth move out to deeper water. The peppergrass holds bass year-round, and schooling largemouth also chase threadfin shad on the outside weed edge. Cast vibrating plugs, spinnerbaits and topwater lures for these active fish.

Area #9 From Indian Prairie Canal North To The South End Of Tin House Co. For Lake Okeechobee From Indian Prairie Canal north to the south end of Tin House Cove there is some emergent vegetation that yields numerous largemouth bass. During spawning season, if water is high, a secondary area behind the cattails in the grassy flats offers good fishing all the way to the levee.

Indian Prairie Canal South To Horse Island Area #10A mixture of peppergrass and reeds extends from Indian Prairie Canal south to Horse Island. Live shiners fished on the points of dense vegetation are recommended for bass. Toss surface plugs and weedless spoons in the sparser cover. The bottom is about three feet deep, and consists of sand and scattered flat-top rock. Behind this area, throw spoons and top water lures for spring bass in the mixture of maidencane and bulrushes. A boat trail behind it can be worked in windy conditions. Horse Island and Worm Cove are also good places to fish plastic worms.

From Dyess Ditch To The Southern Point Of Horse Island For Lake Okeechobee Area #11This area know as North shore is a good spring bass spot a long as you fish along the 1/2 mile wide peppergrass flat. Trophy bass hold along the outside edge of grass on the west side of the bay. Live bait, plastic worms, surface lures, vibrating plugs and spoons produce year-round. Sparse hydrilla patches mixed with maidencane, reeds and pads are used by spawning bass between December and March. This protected area is particularly good when the lake is rough. In summer, bass stay near open water and will move into the shallows as the water cools.

Dyess Ditch to the Harney Pond Canal For Lake Okeechobee Area #12 The area between the 2 beacon lights along the sandy bottom from Dyess Ditch To Harney Pond Canal holds large mouth bass year round. The stained water from Fisheating Creek is filtered by dense vegetation, resulting in relatively clear water. Spring bass will spawn where there are holes in the hydrilla. Spinnerbaits, topwater plugs and weedless spoons take bass around the hydrilla and peppergrass beds.

Well I hope the 12 areas identified in this Florida lake Okeechobee Fishing Report will help on you plan your next freshwater fishing trip to Florida. Lets Go Fish'in!

Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing owner. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Florida's Lake OkeechobeeVisit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"