Bass Fishing on Lake Okeechobee the past two weeks has been as good as it ever has been in the summer. Despite all the negative news reports, on the North and Northwest side of the Lake, the fishing has been outstanding. The ongoing debate of the algae bloom has not affected the quantity, quality, and size of the Bass I am catching.
With little rain and little wind, the heat index is the major fishing conditions to contend with. The rain that came through a few weeks ago increased the water level and is now averaging about 14.29. The water discharge through the Army Corp of Engineers is at a much slower rate this summer. I anticipate that the water level will remain high for the next few months.
The water clarity on the East and South sides of Lake Okeechobee are still limited. Fortunately, my go-to pockets still are producing the numbers I have been catching and we’ve seen sizes up to 7lbs with shiners. The current water temperature is approximately 89 – 93°. The weather forecast shows a lot of rain and heat confirming we are in the summer patterns now.
The best bait has been the shiners in the morning. After the morning bite is over, throwing a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap has been really good. Flipping a big jig has produced a decent fish as well. I highly recommend fishing the following areas…Grassy Island, Tin House, Monkey Box and the Shoal.
If you are heading out for a day of Bass Fishing on Lake Okeechobee, be sure to wear sunscreen, protective gear, and hat and drink plenty of water while out on the Lake.
Here is a picture of myself with a 7.7lb caught by flipping a big jig this summer.
