For all of those who have heard the rumor about how Lake Okeechobee has no bass in it, well after what the FLW Series anglers caught last week we can put that rumor to rest. Bass were caught from the north end of the lake to the south end and everywhere in between. The key to finding the fish was to find clean water and for the first three days that was no problem and than a cold front and the fourth day collided and the fishing was back to being tough again. Big bass of the tournament was caught by a good friend of mine Scott Lunsford that weighed in at 10.3 pounds, it also help him to have the largest five bass limit of the tournament that was 25.15 pounds. Jimmy McMillan from Belle Glade Florida was the winner of the $100,000.00 check with a four day total of 74.04 pounds. There was no fish kill on the lake, maybe in some of the canals around the lake thanks to the farmers but not on the lake!!!!

  

 Bass are being caught from Monkey Box to Bay Bottom and everywhere in between with areas like Turners Cove, the West Wall, the East Wall, and Bay bottom all being well as long as the cold fronts slow down. A couple different techniques that have been working really well to catch bass are to throw a Gambler Flappin Shad or a Cane Toad across the grass and just working them over as much water as possible and you will catch fish. The other way is to pitch a worm or craw in the holes in the grass, I like a 10” Lake Fork worm or a Hyper Freak also made by Lake Fork Tackle. I have been using a 3/16 ounce bullet sinker with the 10” worm and Hyper Freak and not getting caught up much in the thick vegetation. My rod selection has been Deep South Rods in a heavy action and long lengths to get the bass up and out of the vegetation as quick as possible, Deep South makes an awesome rod that is sensitive but yet is very strong to get these big Lake Okeechobee bass out of the thick stuff.  My line selection has been PowerPro braided line in fifty pound test and I may even move up to heavier line in the future. One of the other baits that has been catching a few bass is a Senko thrown weightless in the more open water like up in Monkey Box.

  

The crappie fish is still slow with small numbers being caught on the lake. A couple areas to try are around Moonshine Bay and the West Wall. The bluegill fishing does still remain pretty good with Uncle Joe’s Cut and the East Wall both good areas to try. Minnows and jigs for crappies and crickets fished under a cork for bluegill would be the best baits to catch some pan fish for supper.

  

I have been fishing Deep South Rods for over a year now and I’m blown away by the quality and attention to detail of these rods. They are very sensitive yet are built strong enough to get bass out of the thickest cover. Only top quality components go into the building of these rods. The shakey head rod that I helped design is a bait casting rod designed to fish a shakey head worm or a drop shot rig, it has a fast tip and heavy enough butt section to get the fish in the boat like the 10.6 pound bass that I caught on Lake Okeechobee last summer. I have most all of the different actions and lengths if you are interested in seeing one and I also have the “Mark King” signature series shakey head for sale if anyone is interested in one. Be sure and check out my new bass fishing social web site at www.mybassclass.com      

The fishing on Lake “O” has improved some over the past week and I have been catching a fair number of bass on most guide trips. The grass is making it a little tough to fish in most areas but the fish are there you just have to talk them into biting and then get them out of the heavy cover. There have been bass from the Monkey Box to Pelican Bay but you will have to look for them. The water level is at 13.97 above sea level and still dropping slowly which has started to make some areas a little to shallow to run your boat in, just be careful when shutting down or getting on plane in some areas. The main lake still remains muddy at best but you don’t have to go to far back into the grass to get to clean water. I have seen beds from Moonshine to Bay Bottom, some are from last month but some are new and I have seen fry and fingerlings in a number of areas. This lake will be the most awesome fishing lake in the future.

   Most of the bass my clients and I have been catching have come from the thick grass and clean water. This is some of the hardest fishing since the vegetation is so thick that we are limited to what lures that you can fish in it. I have had the best success on a Gambler Flappin Shad, Zoom Super Fluke, and a Lake Fork Hyper Freak. The Flappin Shad has been the best lure to get these bass to come up out of the thick weeds and eat. I rig it on a 5/0 wide gap super line hook and attach it to fifty pound test PowerPro braided line. I like to throw it on a Deep South 7’ 2” Frog Rod that has a lot of backbone to get the fish out of the weeds, I use a high speed Abu-Garcia Revo STX reel to finish out this combo. The Lake Fork Hyper Freak is a new bait by Lake Fork and has really good action as a flipping and pitching bait, the flat tail really moves when it drops in the water. I fish the Hyper Freak on a Deep South Flipping Rod that is 7’11” and extra heavy action with fifty pound test PowerPro braided line. I’m sure other lures will work but this is what has been working for my clients and me.

   Bay Bottom, around Ritta Island, the West Wall, and from Uncle Joe’s Cut to Moonshine are all areas that I have caught fish in the past couple weeks. No the fish are not everywhere but if you cover some water throwing the Flappin Shad you will catch some fish and usually there are more than one fish in the area. Some days I go out and catch a good number of bass and than some times I don’t catch as many, but the look on a clients face when a bass comes up and grabs the Flappin Shad and leaves a hole in the water is worth all the time you spend locating these bass.

   The crappie fishing is improving a little but it is still slow at best. Try up around Bird Island as this is where the best chance to catch them now. The bluegills are still biting and a cricket fished under a float in Uncle Joe’s Cut is a good place to start. I would like to let everyone know that the FLW Series tournament will be held on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston on 28^th to the 31^st of January. Bring the kids over for the daily weigh in at Roland Martin’s Marina on the first three days with the final weigh in being held at Wal-Mart on the 31^st.

 

 

Product of the Month

 

 

 

I would like to let you know about a new product called BTS (Bow to Stern). BTS is an all surface protectant that you can use from one end of your boat to the other. It works great on the outside to keep water stains, scum lines and road grime from sticking to your boat. It works equally as well on the seats and dash to keep mold and mildew from starting. Spray it in your storage lockers to keep them from getting mildew. It has the highest UV protection that you can get and it does not leave you boat oily feeling like some other products. Another use is to use it on your vehicle and bugs and road grime just hose right off. I’m not usually impressed with many products but I am with this one. Check this product out at www.btsproducts.com or contact me if you want to try a bottle of this amazing protectant.

 

Wow the bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee has improved almost overnight and seems to be getting better every day. We are still getting some cold fronts moving through the area and it does affect the fishing but it only seems to make it tough for a day. The bass are moving in off the main lake toward the shallow clean water to spawn and we have been catching some bass off the beds. The water level is at 14.12 feet above sea level and still slowly dropping from the farms pulling water out of the lake for irrigation. As slow as this fall started out I was a bit worried about the bass fishing this year but if the past couple weeks is an indication as to what the winter will bring the fishing should be great.

   Fishing with artificial lures has been as good as if not better than fishing with wild shiners, I have been suggesting both for my clients and we end up throwing artificial lures more than we shiner fish. I have been catching bass on a variety of different lures but something that you can fish overtop of the vegetation has been the key to more bites. I have been using a Gambler Flappin Shad and a Gary Yamamoto Swimming Senko to get the most bites, but you can also flip a Lake Fork Hyper Freak or throw a weightless Senko and get bites. The next hardest thing to do is to get the bass out of this thick vegetation and into the boat, I try to go to the fish once we have it hooked and usually we get them in the boat before we lose the bass. I have been covering a lot of water and fishing kind of fast until I locate a bass and than I will fish this area very thoroughly because I will usually catch a few more bass in the same general area. I have been catching more fish on the Flappin Shad and Swimming Senko but I have had bigger fish on the Lake Fork Hyper Freak. You will want to use heavy line like the PowerPro braid that I use or the new fluorocarbon line that Lake Fork is now selling that you can get in heavy thirty three and thirty nine pound test.

   The areas that I have been fishing are scattered from the Monkey Box to South Bay with clean water being the only thing that I really have had to have. Bay Bottom has been producing tournament winning sacks of bass the past couple weeks but fish are being caught up on the shoal and the East and West Walls. The key is to look for clean water and to fish areas that have been traditional spawning areas in the past. Even though we are off the full moon I have been seeing and catching bass off the beds. This is very encouraging to see that the lake is healthy enough that we are seeing lots of bass beds this early in the year. The crappies are still a little tough to catch here at the south end of the lake but we are catching good numbers of bluegills.

   I would like to thanks everyone who has followed my column for the past couple years. I really appreciate the e-mails and kind words at the marina, boat ramps, and out on the water. I hope everyone has happy and prosperous New Year.

 

Bite of the Week

I would look for clear to slightly stained water at the south end of Okeechobee and cover a lot of water until I located some fish. I would throw a Gambler Flappin Shad or Swimming Senko until I found the bass and than work the area good with a Lake Fork Hyper Freak. For bluegill try crickets in Uncle Joe’s Cut.

The bass fishing has been a little tough the past couple weeks here on the Big “O” as cold front after cold front moves through South Florida. The lake level has been slowly dropping and has the lake level at 14.18 feet above sea level. I know we all wanted to see water back in Lake Okeechobee but the fishing has been tough since the water has filled the lake back up and no one seems to know why it has been so tough to catch bass. But that is why we call it fishing, it seems like we were so use to catching big numbers of bass the past couple years with the water being so low that now when we do catch a few bass it isn’t enough.

   Some of the bass that we have been catching have been in areas that have very clean water but the main lake and the outside grass line has very dirty water and the wind has kept it that way. Some of the areas that do have clean water are around Ritta Island, the East Wall, West Wall, and from Cochran’s Pass to the Blue Hole. Most of these areas have clean water back in from the outside grass line. Look for areas that look healthy with some green on the vegetation and any signs of bait fish moving around. You will not be able to go into any of these areas at any given time and catch bass, you will have to cover lots of water and look for them.

   My bait selection has been pretty small the last couple weeks with a swimming Senko, Zoom U-Vibe Speed Worm, and a Zoom Horny Toad being my main baits. I have been fishing the Swimming Senko and the Zoom U-Vibe Speed Worm with a one sixteenth ounce screw in sinker, 4/0 hook, and on twenty pound test fluorocarbon line. I fish the Zoom Horny Toad on a Deep South heavy action frog rod rigged with fifty pound test PowerPro braided line. The key the last couple weeks seem to be to cover as much water as possible and keep your bait in the water. Another lure that my clients have caught a few bass on is a Gambler Flappin’ Shad fished over top of the grass. Most all of the areas that I have been fishing have pretty thick vegetation and it limits you to the type of lure that you can use. Be sure to use a good heavy action rod like the Deep South Rods that I use or you will have a hard time getting the bass out of the heavy grass.

   I have also been fishing at the Sawgrass Recreational area and have been catching bass but most of them are small. It is a little different scenery than fishing the lake and is a little easier to catch bass which is great for the kids. Try fishing a Senko wacky style and Zoom Flukes in green pumpkin and watermelon colors and you should be able to catch a good number of bass in the canals. A few crappies are being caught on the lake at Bird Island and around Uncle Joe’s Cut. The numbers of crappies have not come in off the lake yet but if you just want a few to eat it shouldn’t be any trouble to catch enough on some minnows. If you are still looking for that perfect Christmas gift I do have some of the Deep South “Mark King” Shakey Head Rods and gift certificates available, just contact me at www.markkingfishing.com. I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and try not to forget what the true meaning of Christmas really is about.

 

Bite of the Week

With the bite being slow I would start fishing around Ritta Island and work my way toward Cochran’s Pass fishing any water that looks good and also covering as much water as possible. I would rig a frog, swimming Senko and Zoom U-Vibe Speed Worm and just go fishing. For a few crappies to eat try Uncle Joe’s Cut with minnows.

The cold fronts just keep rolling through South Florida and it is not helping the fishing here on Lake Okeechobee for sure. The fishing is still hit and miss and no one really seem to know why. You can go out one day and have a fair day and catch a few bass and than have a slow day the next. But the water is really cooling off and this should bring the bass in from out on the main lake. The mornings have been chilly here on the lake but by afternoon it has been warming up as long as the wind isn’t blowing too hard. The lake level is at 14.34 feet above sea level and still dropping slowly. As we are coming up on the dark of the moon the buck (male) bass should start to move toward the grass and hopefully the big females will follow.

   The areas that I have been concentrating on are Ritta Island, Coots Bay, and the East Wall. All of these areas have some bass in them roaming around but they are not bunched up for sure and it seems like you will need to find clean water but not crystal clear water. The best water color for me has just a small amount of stain or tint to the water. Another area that has had some fish is Bay Bottom, this area has a lot of dying vegetation but the water is fairly clean and my clients have been catching a few bass here. All of the areas that I mentioned above have been staying fairly clean even with the wind blowing everyday. I have also heard that the Monkey Box area has been producing a few bass when the wind isn’t blowing too hard. This area has been looking better every time that I go up there but I can’t seem to locate the bass but the reports are coming from a reliable source. The key is to cover lots of water and fish as slow as you can.

   I have been using a Swimming Senko and a Lake Fork Hyper worm to catch ninety percent of the bass that my clients and I have been catching. I have been fishing both weightless and just throwing them out and slowly reeling them in across the grass and when you come to a hole just stop reeling and let the bait drop slowly to the bottom. I have been using both green pumpkin and junebug colors but the color doesn’t seem to matter as much as the presentation. On windy days when it is hard to fish the soft plastics across the grass I switch to a black Cavitron buzzbait and have been doing pretty well with a slow retrieve across the grass. The Cavitron is the only buzzbait to fish when you want to fish real slow. I have also been pitching a craw in the holes in the grass but have only caught a few bass, this method should be a great way to catch these bass that are back in the grass but it just isn’t so right now.

   The crappie and brim fishermen are catching a good number of fish on almost every outing. The crappie are moving in off the lake with this water temperature dropping and can be found in places like Uncle Joe’s Cut and the Barge Canal. Minnows are bait of choice for crappies and if you want to catch a few brim take some crickets along. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving as I know that my family will as we head to the Florida Keys for the holidays. Everyone needs to check out my new web site at www.mybassclass.com and become a member of the fastest growing bass fishing social web site.

 

Bite of the Week

I would star in Bay Bottom throwing Swimming Senkos or Lake Fork Hyper worms rigged weightless in the grass and than move on toward Clewiston stopping at Ritta Island and Coots Bay. For some crappies I would start looking at the lake side of Uncle Joe’s Cut fishing with minnows.

Lake Okeechobee is a mysterious lake these days; the bass are here one day and darn hard to find the next. The water level is right, the water color is right, the water temperature is getting right, yet the bass seem to be a little hard to locate on a consistent basis. I had a couple good days last week where we caught some nice fish but we had to work for them. But with the full moon just around the corner we should have bass in on the beds like we did last month. The water level is at 14.66 feet above sea level and that is just about right going into winter here on Lake Okeechobee. We have some great grass growing almost everywhere on the lake, from pepper grass, eel grass, to hydrilla and it is keeping the water clean in most areas.

   Some areas that have been producing the bass that my clients and I have been catching are the East Wall, West Wall, Ritta Island, Long Point, and Coots Bay. The wind has been blowing a lot here so fishing out on the lake side of these areas is almost impossible. The water color back in the grass has been really good with it being clear in most areas. Out on the lake the water looks muddy from the wind blowing almost everyday, but it is fishable in some areas. With the bass being so unpredictable from day to day I’m not sure that the majority of the bass have moved in from out in the lake yet. There is some larger shad moving around out in open water and these bass may be chasing them around and not moving into the grass yet. The only problem is that with the wind blowing so much the lake is muddy and it will be hard to locate these bass that are off the grass in open water. You might be able to find some fishable water out in the open water if the wind slows down some and a Spro Aruka Shad would be the perfect bait to locate these bass. This outside grass will also be a great place to catch bass on wild shiners as they move toward the inside grass from out on the lake.

   For most of the areas back in the grass I have been using a Lake Fork Hyper Worm rigged weightless, I just throw it out and slowly swim it across the grass. I have also been pitching a Lake Fork Hyper Freak rigged with a half ounce weight in to the holes in the grass. Junebug and green pumpkin have been the best colors for me the past few weeks. I have been throwing both of these baits on Gamma Edge 100% Fluorocarbon line in 20 pound test. The grass that I have been fishing is pretty thick and I have been going to the fish when you catch them not even trying to pull them through the grass, it is just too thick. The new line of “Hyper” soft plastic lures by Lake Fork are awesome baits to add to your bass fishing arsenal, they have a wide tail that has great action in the water and are loaded with garlic and salt to make the bass want to hold on. And of course I have been throwing all my lures on the new line of Deep South Rods (www.deepsouthfishingrods.com) that were designed by fishermen for fishermen. They are the most sensitive rods I have ever used and are assembled with quality Fuji components. Try one of my signature series shakey head rods that I helped design to fish a shakey head rig with a baitcasting reel not a spinning reel.

   The  brim are still biting good and most reports that I have been receiving are that you can go out almost any day and catch all you want. Be sure to check out my new site at www.mybassclass.com for all the newest bass fishing information.

 

Bite of the Week

I would start fishing the open water off Long Point or Ritta Island and move into the grass looking for bass. Throw a Spro Aruka Shad as a search bait to locate the bass in the open water and than switch to a Lake Fork Hyper worm in green pumpkin color fished weightless over top the grass and let it sink into the holes in the grass.

 

Click image to view full size

 

The fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been for a lack of a better word “strange”. You can go out one day and catch them pretty good and than the next day it is hard to find even a few fish. I think that the bass are still out roaming around and haven’t settled into any type of fall pattern yet. But with the cool temperatures that we are getting this week it should trigger the bass into wanting to eat and move into traditional fall areas. The lake level has remained at around fifteen feet above sea level and looks like that is what it will be going into the winter, this is good news and will enable the bass to spawn in areas that the fry should have plenty of cover to survive. For the past few years when the water level was low the bass had to spawn out in open water and the fry had no cover to hide in so the survival rate was low. I’m starting to see some hydrilla, lots of eel grass, and some pepper grass in a lot of areas around the lake.

   Some of the areas that are producing bass are the East Wall, West Wall, Coots Bay, Long Point, and around Ritta Island. These areas all have certain or small areas that the bass seem to be holding in and can sometimes be hard to find. Some of these areas have very clear water and others have stained water in them it just all depends on which way and how hard the wind is blowing. When you do find bass in an area you should spend more time dissecting that area as most of the fish seem to be in small areas. There have been reports of bass being caught in the Monkey Box area but I can’t seem to locate any bass in this area. Some other great looking water is the shoal from the Blue Hole up to Cochran’s Pass but this is also an area that I can’t seem to locate any fish.

   The bait selection the past couple weeks has been pretty small but does include the Swimming Senko, Snag-Proof Frog, and a buzzbait. As all the bass that my clients and I have been catching have been back in the thick grass a frog or weightless Swimming Senko have been the go to baits. The Snag-Proof Bobby’s Perfect frog I’m fishing is on a Deep South Frog rod with fifty pound test PowerPro line and an Abu-Garcia Revo STX reel. For the Swimming Senko I have been using a 7’2” Deep South medium heavy action rod with Gamma Edge 100% fluorocarbon line in sixteen and twenty pound test spooled on an Abu-Garcia Revo STX reel. When fishing the Swimming Senko I reel it slowly across the grass and than let it fall in any holes in the grass I can find. The buzzbait seems to work good when the wind is blowing hard and everything else is hard to fish. I like to throw a Cavatron buzzbait in 3/8 ounce size and use both a black and white colored ones. I have also been doing pretty good on wild shiners; the key is to find a hole back in the grass big enough to fish and than be patient and you will catch a few bass.

   The bluegill bite has slowed down but I do know of a few guys that are still catching them on a regular basis. Fish a live cricket under a cork in the rim canal and on the inside of the dyke on the East Wall and down toward Bear Beach channel. As I write this South Florida has just had its first cold front of the year pass through and it should cool the water down even more which should get the bass move looking for bait. Good luck and hope to see you on the water and don’t forget to take time to take a kid fishing, you might just be the one to get them hooked on fishing not on drugs.

 

Bite of the Week

Fishing in the grass seems to be the hot spot to fish and the West Wall, East Wall, Coots Bay, and Ritta Island are great places to start. Use a Snag-Proof frog in black color or a weightless Swimming Senko to entice these bass into biting. I would also keep a buzzbait and a spinnerbait rigged for windy days. For fishing with wild shiners get back in the grass and look for holes big enough to fish in, they only need to be as big as your boat in size. Anchor your boat in the grass and fish in the open hole.

 

September has proven to be somewhat a tough month fishing here on the Big “O”. For most to go out and catch a couple fish a day has been good. The bass have been really scattered out, you may catch one or two fish in an area and than you have to find another area to catch them in, this is true even with wild shiners for bait. The water has slowed down flowing into Lake Okeechobee and has even gone down some in the past couple weeks to 14.95 feet above sea level. I believe that the water just needs to cool down a little and the water needs to clean up in some areas from the dead and dieing vegetation. As long as the wind isn’t blowing too hard to dirty up the water I have had good success on the outside grass line but when the wind blows and dirties up the water on the outside you need to move back in the grass. And this is where the trouble locating fish starts, I have found a few open water holes back in the grass and you can sometimes catch a bass or two out of them but for the most part you will put some time in to catch a few bass back in the grass.

   The bass that my clients and I have been catching have been on worms and craws fished along the grass. A ten inch worm like the ones I use from Lake Fork Trophy Lures in junebug color fished with a 3/16 ounce weight on twenty pound test fluorocarbon line has been one of my best producing lures. A Swimming Senko would be my next choice for lures, fished weightless on a 4/0 Gamakatsu wide gap hook also attached to the twenty pound test fluorocarbon line. I swim the Senko through the grass till I get to an open hole in the grass and then just stop it and let it fall in the hole, if no bites just continue swimming it. The frog bite has slowed down but I’m still catching a few and most of them are really good fish. The Snag-Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog in black has been the best color and frog for me to use back in the real thick grass like almost all of the grass is. The fishing has been slow so you will want to really slow down and fish real slow to get the bites.

   Some of the areas that have been good are Long Point, Ritta Island, Coots Bay, West Wall, and around Observation Island. It depends on the wind as to which areas will be the better ones. Try to fish the outside grass line first and move in grass farther as you try to locate the fish. I have heard of a few bass being caught back in the grass all the way against the hard line but the water quality is not very good back in with the dieing vegetation. There does seem to be a lot of bait back in the grass moving around so it is just a matter of time before the bass will be there also. By mid October the bass should really be moving in to the grass and feeding for the fall migration into the spawning areas.

   In tournament news the Wal-Mart BFL was held last weekend out of Okeechobee with Alex Picos from Davie Florida winning with a two day total of 38.14 pounds, second place was Brandon McMillan from Belle Glade Florida with 38.08 pound for two day. The bass are out there as the tournament results show but they are a little bit hard to find for now.

   The bluegill fishing has still been great with most of the bluegill being caught in the rim canal and dynamite holes. My neighbor and fishing guide Joe Payne has been catching a limit of bluegill on almost every trip out. A cricket fished under a cork is the best bet to catch some nice bluegill but a Bettle Spin will also work.

 

Bite of the Week

I would start fishing the outside grass line at Observation Island, Ritta Island, or Long Point and than slowly work my way back in the grass. Throw ten inch worm, swimming Senkos, or frogs and really fish areas thoroughly. Look for water that is not to dirty and does have a little wind blowing on it. For bluegill try some of the dynamite holes south of Clewiston with crickets.

September is flying by here on Lake Okeechobee and the fishing has been really good as the water level continues to rise. For some though the fishing has been a little tough as they learn to fish in the grass of Okeechobee all over again. The bass are not everywhere and you will not catch a lot in one area but when you do find them you will be able to catch a fair number in the general area. With the water level at 15.15 feet above sea level it is no problem to go almost anywhere as long as you can get through the grass. I have been catching bass from above Cochran’s Pass to Kramer Island. The wind seems to have a lot of affect on where the bass are positioning themselves. If the wind blows pretty hard the bass are back in the grass more but when the wind lays down or just blows a little the bass are more toward the outside grass line. Most of this depends on if the wind is pushing the bait back into the grass or if they are hanging out on the edge of the grass.

   Some areas that have been good the past couple weeks are both sides of Ritta Island, Long Point, Coots Bay, and around Observation Island area. Where I go depends on the direction of the wind, I like it to blow straight in against the grass if possible. Another thing to watch for is the dirty water, the harder the wind blows from out on the lake the dirtier the water on the outside of the grass is going to be but as you move farther back into the grass the water will clean up and almost get to clear. I know everyone hates to fish in the wind but this is where the bass will be waiting to ambush bait that the wind pushes in to them. I use my Power-Pole to hold the boat on the outside of the grass and cast back into the grass a couple feet and work my bait out toward open water. Without a Power-Pole you could use an anchor but it would be a long day fishing a grass line for a couple miles if you have to pull the anchor all day, with the Power-Pole all I have to do is use the trolling motor to move me down the grass line and hit the remote to deploy the Power-Pole and I’m fishing. They are expensive but it is one piece of equipment that is on my boat that I couldn’t do without.

   I have been catching bass on both artificial lures and wild shiners. The wild shiner fishing has been really good and all you need to do is find an area that the wind is blowing straight into the grass and anchor out a casting distance away and throw the shiners just of the grass line and give it some time and you will catch some nice bass. As for artificial lures I have been using topwater frogs and 10” worms for the most part. The Bobby’s Perfect Frog made by Snag-Proof has been producing better than any other top water baits I have been using and black seems to be the color to use. The other lure that has been working best is a 10” worm made by Lake Fork Trophy Lures in junebug color. Remember we are now fishing in the grass again and you will need to use braided line like PowerPro, I use thirty pound test for worms and fifty pound test for frogs. Some other lures that have been working are a Johnson Silver Minnow spoon, Lake Fork “Live” Magic Shad, and Heddon Zara Super Spook. Most of the bass that we have been catching are from two to six pounds but I have heard about some bass over eight pounds being caught this past week. Don’t be afraid to keep trying different areas till you find the one that is holding fish that you can catch.

 

Bite of the Week

I would start at Long Point throwing a 10” worm on the outside of the grass and than work my way back in the grass throwing a Snag-Proof frog. I would than move to Ritta Island or Coots Bay and do the same thing till I found some bass. If you want to throw wild shiners fish the outside of Coots or Long Point depending on which way the wind is blowing. Move back in the grass only if the wind is blowing to hard to fish the outside edge of the grass line.

 

 

We wanted water on the Big “O” and now we have it, water level is at 14.60 feet above sea level and going up every day. The fishing has been really good, which is more than I expected with this water coming up so fast. Most of the bass that my clients and I have been catching are holding on the outside of the grass for the time being. The non aquatic grass that has been growing back in the areas that did not have any water in them for two years is now covered with water and dying off. This plant life that is dying off has made this water smell bad and lacks oxygen for fish and bait fish to live in for now. But as soon as this grass does die off the bass will be moving back into these areas and Lake Okeechobee will once again be the famous lake that people come from afar to catch trophy largemouth bass. For now you can catch bass on the outside of the grass from Kramer Island to the mouth of Cochran’s Pass.

   Some of the better areas this past week have been outside Coots Bay, East Wall, West Wall, and around Observation Island. I was really surprised at the number of bass that have moved in toward this grass so fast. You have to cover some water to catch the bass holding on this grass, you may catch two or three and than go a quarter of a mile down the grass line and catch four or five more. There is some areas along this grass line that have some eel grass growing in with the other grass and these spots seem to be the best. There is plenty of water to get around almost anywhere on the lake without fear of hitting the bottom with your motor or boat. If you haven’t been out on the lake for awhile you will be in for a big surprise as there is water everywhere and nothing looks familiar any more. 

   A ten inch Lake Fork worm and a Snag-Proof Frog have been the best lures for the past couple weeks. For worm fishing along the outside grass thirty pound test PowerPro line would be my choice but if you prefer twenty pound test fluorocarbon will also work. I prefer braided line once we start fishing in the grass like we are now and PowerPro is my choice for braided line. For fishing the Snag-Proof Frog I would suggest fifty pound test PowerPro line, the best colors in the frog seem to be black. The worms that I use from Lake Fork Tackle are a ten inch ribbon tailed worm and I use the junebug and blue bruiser color most of the time. I also did catch a few bass on a shakey head rig on the outside of the grass line. I was using the new worm from Lake Fork Tackle called a Hyper Finesse worm on my shakey head and I’m really impressed with the action of this worm. The Snag-Proof Frog that I have been using is the Bobby’s Perfect Frog in black color, fished on a Deep South 7’2” heavy frog rod. This rod has a heavy backbone for getting bass out of the heavy cover and is 7’2” long for making long casts back into the grass. The new line of Deep South Rods are a great rod for beginners to seasoned pros and everyone in between, and are offer in spinning, baitcasting, and specific technique rods. If you have any questions about the line of Deep South Rods give me a call and I can let you know all about them.

 

Bite of the Week

I would fish the outside grass for now as the bass have not moved back in to the grass yet. Fish the East Wall, Coots Bay, West Wall, and around Observation Island with ten inch worms and Snag-Proof frogs. If there is some wind pushing bait into the grass line try a spinnerbait or buzzbait along the edge of the grass.

I’m writing this as tropical storm Fay is approaching the Lake Okeechobee region and everyone has their fingers crossed for lots of rain. The lake level has already come up to 11.34 feet above sea level before this storm so with Gods grace we will get a good amount of rain from this storm. The fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been improving the last couple weeks as some eel and pepper grass has stated to pop up in some areas. The grass is just in patches but for now that is great and it should spread quickly with the clear water that is in most areas that I write about on the south end of the lake. The bass are relating to the small patches of eel grass and my clients have been able to catch a couple bass out of each patch before you need to move on to the next patch of grass. Also with the water level getting up high enough to once again get back into the main grass line in most areas the bass seem to be also heading to these areas.

   Most of the areas from Kramer Island to above Observation Island have some type of grass starting to grow and a few fish to be caught in most of these areas. A shakey head rig and Carolina rigged worm have been the most productive techniques as of lately. But I have been getting my frog rod and heavy flippin rod ready as these bass will be in the grass real soon. I have been fishing a shakey head rig in the eel grass patches with great success, my shakey head rig consist of a Giggy Head jig made by Gambler Lures and a new worm made by Lake Fork Tackle called a Hyper Worm that has great action. On the Carolina rig I have been using a Gambler Ace and a Lake Fork Ring Fry. Darker colored worms like junebug, black-blue, blue bruiser seem to be the best colors to use. I’m still catching a few fish on a swim bait and they are usually bigger bass but you may throw a swim bait all day for just a few bites.

    I really excited about the amount of rain that we are receiving from tropical storm Fay and can’t wait to get out on the lake and see how far back in the grass that we will be able to get. I will be getting a frog rod ready to use along with a heavy flippin stick to fish back in the grass. My rig for fishing frogs consists of a Deep South 7’2” heavy rod, an Abu-Garcia Revo reel spooled with fifty pound test Power-Pro line. The Abu-Garcia Revo reel that I use for fishing a frog has a high 7.1 gear ratio so that I can get a Gambler Cane Toad up on top of the water and can keep it there. I use two types of frogs a soft plastic Cane Toad made by Gambler baits and my favorite type of frog made by Snag Proof that will not sink and can be worked very slow over vegetation. I like to use the Bobby’s Perfect Frog made by Snag Proof Lures when I want a frog that will not sink and that I can add a rattle when I fish over heavy cover, when you stop this frog the legs will pulsate. But if you want to fish a frog fast over top vegetation than a Gambler Cane Toad is the bait I turn to.

 

Bite of the Week

There will be a lot more area accessible after tropical storm Fay passes by and you should be able to fish areas like the East Wall, West Wall, and around Observation Island. There has been a good deal of eel grass popping up in various areas, you just have to get out and look for it. I would fish a shakey head rig, Carolina rig, frog, and a texas rigged worm to search out these bass. Look for areas that have clean water that does not have too much of the tea colored water in it.

Click photo to view full size

Picture of Stacey Stout with a nice bluegill, picture by Mark King

 

The fishing has slowed down as water continues to pour into Lake Okeechobee. With the water level at 10.72 feet above sea level Lake Okeechobee is filling up with water at a pretty fast rate, just hope it continues. The bass fishing has slowed down the past couple weeks here on the south end of the lake. Most of the bass being caught are out on the main lake roaming around chasing bait. The rim canal and most of the channels and canals have the red or tea stain water in them and the bass have moved out of this water that has little oxygen. It is great that we are still getting a lot of water into the lake but it is just a shame that it is such bad water from the agricultural community. Maybe some day someone will figure out what to do with this run off water from the fields and farms before they dump it into Lake Okeechobee. Because if they don’t the most famous lake in the world will be nothing more than a sediment pit with no fish or wildlife for our kids to enjoy.

   The bass that we have been catching are looking for bait so this is also what you need to be looking for. I have seen some very large schools of shad this past week and the bass were in the middle feeding on them like they hadn’t ate for months. The shad that I have been seeing are big shad so in matching the hatch you will want to be fishing larger baits for these bass out looking for shad. Large swim baits and big 10” worms would be my choice. You will probably not get many bites but the ones that you do get will be nice bass. I have also been catching a few bass on a shakey head rig but it has slowed down some. For worm colors for both the 10” worm and the shakey head worm I would stick with darker colors like junebug, black-blue, or black grape. For what color swim bait to use try to get something that looks like a shad color or white. The swim baits I use “Live” Magic Shad made by Lake Fork Tackle have a color called albino shad that I like to use a lot, but any of the colors that look like a shad or wild shiner will work.

   The areas that I have been fishing mostly are out on the lake even though it is shallow in most of these areas. Norman’s channel still has a few fish in and around it, the shoal north of Uncle Joe’s cut has a few bass roaming around chasing shad and bluegill, and the area out from Bear Beach channel has been holding bass most consistently. I have not been able to catch very many bass in the rim canal since they started running the dirty tea stained water in from out in the fields and canals surrounding Lake Okeechobee. There are still bass to be caught on the pipe line that runs from the water tank to the area between Coots Bay and the East Wall. This water out in this area does have a small amount of stain to it but depending on the wind direction it can also be very clear. The pipe line is pretty easy to find as it is covered with rock and is in a pretty straight line. With this water being shallow and clear you will want to stay out a casting distance away from the pipe line and make long casts to keep from spooking these bass. Another tip is to put your trolling motor on a low speed and let it run constant, try not to run it on high or turn it on and off as this will spook these bass in this shallow water.

   The bass have been a little hard to find for most even in the tournaments we have here almost every weekend. The winner may come in with over twenty pound in five bass but than second place may only have a little over ten pounds, but than that’s summer fishing on almost any lake in the United States. My suggestion for this time of the year is to get out early as possible to get the best chance of catching these summer bass and to fish slow and be patient and you will catch some bass. The bluegills are still biting good, as long as you find active beds with fish on them. Crickets under a cork or sometimes without a cork will be your best bet. A Beatle Spin will also work good but for me the crickets have been working best. Yes you heard me right I have been doing some bluegill fishing and having a good time at it. Remember during the hot summer months to drink lots of water and use plenty of good sunscreen like the one I use made by SmartShield (www.smartshield.com) that is eco-friendly and oil free so it will not harm fishing line or any of your outdoor gear. SmartShield also makes a great insect repellent that is Deet-Free and I can tell you from experience this stuff really works even in the Everglades National Park where the mosquitoes are as big as a birds.

 

 

Bite of the Week

I would start bass fishing on the pipe line just off the Clewiston channel and then move over toward the Bear Beach area, fishing 10” worms and swim baits. From there I would try Norman’s channel fishing the holes and drop-offs in the channel with a shakey head rig. Use dark colored worms and look for the bait and you will find the fish. Bass fishing is almost like dolphin fishing, if you see birds diving on bait the bass won’t be to far behind. For bluegill look for beds up on the shoal north of Uncle Joe’s cut and out from Ritta Island.

 

 

As the dirty water continues to flow into Lake Okeechobee from the farms surrounding the lake the fishing has gotten a little tough if you can’t find clean water. Yes we needed water in the lake but this red or tea stained water that is flowing and being pumped into the lake does not have much oxygen in it and has the bass scrambling for good water. The lake level is at 10.34 feet above sea level and still rising everyday. It seems to be one of those deals where do you want dirty water or no water! The key to finding bass the past couple weeks is to find clean water and bait, the clean water is a little easier to find than the bait fish.

   Some of the areas that the water still seams to be ok are the shoal north of Uncle Joe’s cut, Norman’s channel, and the pipeline area. The shoal does have more water on it than it did a couple weeks ago but it is still very shall to fishing it in a bass boat. Norman’s channel and the pipe line that runs from the water tank that is out the Clewiston channel to an area between Coots Bay and the East Wall. The water in the pipe line area is clear and you just need to look for the rocks that cover the pipe. On a weekend it is easy to find the pipe line because there is a string of boats on it, but even then they are still catching bass. At Norman’s channel you want to fish the edge of the channel and up in the shallower water also, you should find the fish if you keep looking around in this area.

   My bait selection has changed some from past months to where I’m throwing a swim bait a lot more especially if I see bait jumping or bass trying to eat them. For soft plastic swim baits try a Lake Fork “Live” Magic Shad in both the 4.5 and 5.5 sizes. For hard plastic swim baits I have been using the King Shad made by Strike King. As for what color to use I have been using shad colored soft and hard plastic swim baits. The other thing about fishing swim baits is the fact that the strike is viscous and braided line and a rod with a lot of back bone is needed. I have been using thirty to fifty pound test Power Pro braided line and a 7’11” Deep South Flipping rod.  My next lure of choice would be an shakey head jig, I use a Gambler Lures ¼ ounce Giggy Head jig but there is a great variety of different jig head on the market now. Just try different ones until you find the one that works best for you, the one made by Gambler Lures has been a great jig for my clients and I to use. One the best feature is the fact you can get it with a 5/0 hook so that you can use large soft plastics with it and still get a good hook set without the worm being in the way and the fact that the hook is bigger and stronger it won’t bend when you get one of these trophy Lake Okeechobee bass hooked up. I have been using a variety of different soft plastics the past few weeks from 10” worms to 4” tube baits, but the straight tailed 6” worm is still the best producer by far. The bite on wild shiners has been very slow with it being tough to use up a couple dozen. My suggestion to clients is to use artificial lures and save the money that they would spend on the wild shiners.

   The bluegill bite has been good as we come off the full moon and the bluegills are on the beds. The key here is the same as the bass fishing, find fish and you will catch them. The shoal has a good number of active bluegill beds on it and would be my choice, just remember that the water is still very shallow and this area is dangerous. Crickets are still producing best but a Bettle Spin will work almost as well. Good luck and hope to see you on the water this week. Now is a great time to pick up some of that trash we all see on the water, lets all help clean up Lake Okeechobee.

 

Bite of the Week

For bass I would concentrate on areas that are safe to get to and have clean water, Norman’s channel and the pipe line would be my choice. I would take three lure a swim bait, a shakey head rig, and a top water lure. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different soft plastic worms on a shakey head jig, the bass will let you know what they want by the way they bite. For bluegill just drift the shoal area till you find some active beds and then throw a cricket under a cork over the bed. If you prefer not to use crickets throw a Bettle Spin with a black trailer. Please don’t keep more bluegill then you plan on eating, save some for others and for next year.

 

Picture of Mike Billet from State College, PA. with a 7.8 pound Lake Okeechobee bass caught on a shakey head worm. Picture by Mark King .  Click image to view full size.

 

 

 

The fishing has been a little tougher as the water continues to drop on Lake Okeechobee. The fish we were catching two to three weeks ago would need shoes to walk around with in these areas. So the bass are on the move looking for deeper water and bait fish to eat, but this is making it tough to find them from day to day. You might go out one day and really catch them and you go back to the same area the next day and can’t even catch a bass. The wild shiner bite has been about as good as the artificial bite, so it is entirely up to you whether you want to watch shiners swimming under corks or move around and throw artificial lures.

   Deeper clean water seems to be the key to catching bass on the Big “O” at the present time. By deeper I mean just a little deeper than the surrounding water, six inches can make a big difference. The best areas to look for deeper water are the channels like the Clewiston channel, Norman’s channel or some of the other deeper channels in the lake. Some other great places to look for are deeper holes out on the lake that you can get to safely with your boat. Buy a good quality map and it will show a lot of the deeper holes out on the lake, just remember the water needs to be clean in the area that you are fishing. The rim canal has really slowed down as far as the bass fishing is concerned; I’m not really sure why because this is deeper water but I haven’t seen much bait in the rim canal for a few weeks now. The only other areas that my clients have caught a few bass are up on the flat areas before the sun gets up high in the sky. But once the sun gets up these bass just disappear.

   The top water bite has been good in the morning and if it is overcast. I have been throwing a Zara Super Spook if the wind is blowing and a small Pop-R if it is calm out. I will also try these throughout the day because there are some days when the bass will eat top water all day long. The other lures that I have been using are soft plastic worms. The shakey head rig is still my favorite technique to catch bass on Lake Okeechobee with the water levels being low like they are now. I have been using a new line of rod the past couple months made by Deep South Rods (www.deepsouthfishingrods.com) and just love the feel of these rods, they are light weight for using all day and are very durable to take the everyday punishment that my clients and I give them. The new signature series shakey head rod with my name on it is just the rod to throw a shakey head and catch bass from under docks or fishing out on the flats where we just drag a Giggy Head on the bottom. These rods can handle anything you throw at them including monster Okeechobee bass. The only other soft plastic lure that has been working with any consistency has been a Lake Fork Lures 10” worm in junebug color. While fishing these channels like the Clewiston channel and Norman’s channel I will have one client throw a shakey head worm and the other throw a crank bait like a Bomber 6A in a shad pattern. When we find that one lure works better than the other than we all switch to that.

The bluegill bite has been pretty good if you can find some beds that still have some fish on them that someone hasn’t come in and caught them all. A Beetle Spin has been working as good as live crickets; try one with a black and yellow tail. I am now doing  bluegill trips and inshore/backcountry fishing. 

 

Bite of the Week

The Clewiston channel would be my pick to catch bass either on wild shiners or artificial lures. Start out in the morning with top water and as the sun gets up use a shakey head jig with a darker colored worm or crank bait in a natural shad pattern. To catch some bluegills look for beds out on the flats around the Clewiston area and throw a Beetle Spin.

The water level is dropping fast on Lake Okeechobee with the level at 9.44 feet above sea level and the fish are starting to move out of the shallow water areas just as fast. Fishing this past week has been a hit and miss deal, one day you catch the fire out of them and the next you struggle to catch just a few. As the water drops the bass will move to deeper water areas and then they will be easier to pinpoint but for now they are roaming around between the shallow water and the deeper water. If you get out early in the morning the bass are up on the shallow flats till the sun gets up and then they disappear. After the sun gets up the rim canal and channels have been holding enough fish to keep your interest. I was even able to catch a few good bass this week on wild shiners in the dynamite holes.

   Some of the areas that are producing well for bass are the Clewiston channel, Norman’s channel, the pipeline from Coots Bay out to the water tank, the rim canal, and the dynamite holes. As this water continues to drop the bass will move to deep water areas like the channels. A great area to fish is the shallow water next to the deeper water as long as the water is not too dirty. As I mentioned earlier the bass have been eating wild shiners in the dynamite holes and out on the lake, try sitting in the shallow water and throwing the shiners in the deeper water. I have been using both shiners fished with a cork float and free runners without a cork. For now the smaller shiners seem to be working better than the big ones. As for artificial lures topwater and soft plastic worms are the way to go. A Lil’ Zip made by local lure maker Sam Griffin or a Bomber Torpedo in a small size are working great for topwater, and like I have said before they work just as good all day as they do in the early morning hours. As for soft plastics the shakey head rig with a straight tailed worm and a Zoom Super Fluke fished with a 1/16 ounce screw in sinker will both catch some nice bass. I have been using a 3/16 ounce Gambler Giggy Head jig instead of the 1/4 ounce now that the wind has slowed down and as to what color worm, try any dark colors. Some of my favorite colored worms are black, junebug, black-grape, and black-blue. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different worms like a 10’ worm or a Senko, both will work at certain times. When I fish a Zoom Super Fluke I like to fish it on a 4/0 wide gap hook and a 1/16 ounce screw in bullet weight. My favorite colors for Flukes are watermelon-red, baby bass and green pumpkin. Another thing to consider is the water color where you are fishing, if it is clear and the wind isn’t putting much of a ripple on the water than you may want to move out toward deeper water and on windy or cloudy days the bass will be up on the clear shallow flats. Also consider your fishing line and use fluorocarbon line in the clear water as these bass can get line shy in the shallow water. If you like to use braided line then just tie a fluorocarbon leader about 24” in length to the braided line and you shouldn’t have any trouble.

   I have been seeing a good number of bluegill beds out on the lake in the shallow water areas I mentioned above. There are bluegills on some and others seem to not have any bluegill even around them, you just have to look for the active beds. Crickets under a cork would be my bait choice but a Beetle Spin with a black and yellow trailer will also get the job done.

   With summer here you want to remember to take lots of water out on the lake and drink it throughout the day not just when you are thirsty. Sunscreen should be applied before you even leave the dock in the morning and reapplied throughout the day, even on cloudy days you will get burnt without sunscreen. I like to use a sunscreen made by Smartshield that is oil free and eco-friendly so I don’t worry about getting it on my fishing line or in the water. One other item is sunglasses; wear them all the while you are out on the water. I have wore cheap glasses in the past and my eyes would hurt like a tooth ache all night but since I started wearing a good quality pair of sunglasses like Costa Del Mar glasses my eyes feel as good after a day on the water as they did in the morning.

 

Bite of the Week

I would start out fishing the pipeline in the morning with topwater and a shakey head rig and move toward the Clewiston channel as the sun got up overhead. If you want to throw some wild shiners than I would head to one of the deeper dynamite holes and sit in the shallow water and throw the shiners to deeper water. For bluegill try the pipeline area and also out Bear Beach channel. There are still a few bass in the rim canal but they seem to be scattered out so don’t expect to sit in one spot and catch a lot of bass.

 

You want to catch up to 30 plus bass a day?  Then Lake Okeechobee is the place to be now if you like catching bass on artificial lures. The main lake is clearing up daily as the wind has finally giving us a break and the bass are almost everywhere in the shallow water flats looking for something to eat. My clients have enjoyed a great couple weeks fishing out on the lake from the pipeline area to the shoal. Most of the bass are in the two to four pound range but we have had a fair number of fish over seven pounds. I’m fishing in water that is two feet deep or less and these bass are fighting like they are monster bass, this is what makes this so much fun to see the rod bent double and these bass out of the water like they are tarpon. The lake level is at 9.78 feet above sea level and has stayed pretty steady this week with the rain we received. It hasn’t been enough rain to fill the lake but enough to keep the farmers fields wet so they don’t take our water.

   If you’re going to be out on these flats areas fishing for bass you will not need too many different kinds of lures. Most all the fish that we have caught the past week or two have been on a shakey head rig or a lipless crankbait. Everyone gets tired me talking about a shakey head rig but when you take out two clients for six hours and they catch over fifty bass with a 7.12 pound bass to anchor the catch why would I want to use anything else. On windy days a lipless crankbait does work pretty well, I have been throwing a Spro Aruka Shad in both the 75 and junior size. The blue and green shiner colors seem to be the better colors, but any color with a shiny chrome finish should work. Spro has gone the extra mile on the finishes they are putting on the Aruka Shad, they are comparable with the high dollar Japanese lures at a fraction of the cost. My shakey head rig hasn’t changed much for the past six months, a Gamble