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Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report: Beating the Summer Heat for Bass and Panfish
This is Artificial Lure, reporting live from the shores of Lake Okeechobee, where the August air is thick and the bass bite is hotter than a South Florida summer. Sunrise rolled in at 6:47 AM, lighting up the Big O with a pastel sky, while sunset is fixing to slip away around 8:09 PM tonight. The weather today’s been textbook summer—muggy, with daytime highs hovering in the upper 80s and a light breeze out of the southeast. There’s a mix of sun and towering afternoon clouds, and more than one local’s been keeping an eye out for those classic pop-up storms, just like Drew Thompson mentioned—storm’s coming in and the water’s restless.
For those tidal-minded anglers—remember, Okeechobee ain’t tidal, but the moon phase is on the wane, and that’s spurred good morning activity before the heat slows everything to a crawl. Water levels are holding near 12.05 feet above sea level, according to the pier at the Clif Betts Jr. Lakeside Recreation Area. With muck and weed issues being the talk of the bait shop lately, there’s been a little extra murk after recent spraying efforts, so stick to cleaner edges and the outside grass lines for the best visibility and more oxygen-rich water.
Fish activity’s been prime during the early hours. Reports out of the north shore say the bite kicks off strong right at daylight, with 30 to 40 bass getting hauled in per boat before breakfast—spinnerbaits and soft swim jigs are catching fire. The early topwater action’s still good: black frogs and shad-colored poppers have been the go-to around sunrise. By mid-morning, big females push deeper, and flipping a black and blue creature bait into hydrilla mats becomes the game when that sun gets high.
Looking at the day’s catch, local families and guides alike are seeing double-digit hauls, with most bass running between 1.5 and 3 pounds, and the occasional lunker tipping the scales at 7 or 8 pounds. TrophyCatch Florida had one proud youngster bring in a solid bag of bucketmouths just yesterday. Panfish are schooling in the rim canals, and live crickets or small jigs tipped with red worms are picking up steady bluegill and shellcracker. Shiners have still been the hot bait for big bass, but artificial lovers, don’t sleep on watermelon Zoom Super Flukes or chartreuse ChatterBaits—both lures are producing along the deeper reed lines.
For those looking for today’s best action, consider these hot spots: the Kissimmee River mouth, especially early, and Tin House Cove along the northern rim. Both are holding fish in numbers, and there are some quality bass pushing up to hunt followed by the cooler overnight temps. If you’d rather stay south, South Bay still has pockets of clean, moving water, drawing both largemouth and crappie if you get your jig in just the right spot.
A quick tip—weed issues remain, and anglers have noticed a little more algae and muck, especially after recent treatments, so try to fish just outside where the water starts to clear up and keep those oxygen meters handy. Locals around Garrard’s Tackle Shop swear by adapting fast to conditions and say don’t waste time in water that stinks or looks stagnant.
That’s it for this evening’s Lake Okeechobee fishing report—tight lines to all, and don’t forget to share those fish stories. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Make sure to subscribe for more daily reports and insider tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
For those tidal-minded anglers—remember, Okeechobee ain’t tidal, but the moon phase is on the wane, and that’s spurred good morning activity before the heat slows everything to a crawl. Water levels are holding near 12.05 feet above sea level, according to the pier at the Clif Betts Jr. Lakeside Recreation Area. With muck and weed issues being the talk of the bait shop lately, there’s been a little extra murk after recent spraying efforts, so stick to cleaner edges and the outside grass lines for the best visibility and more oxygen-rich water.
Fish activity’s been prime during the early hours. Reports out of the north shore say the bite kicks off strong right at daylight, with 30 to 40 bass getting hauled in per boat before breakfast—spinnerbaits and soft swim jigs are catching fire. The early topwater action’s still good: black frogs and shad-colored poppers have been the go-to around sunrise. By mid-morning, big females push deeper, and flipping a black and blue creature bait into hydrilla mats becomes the game when that sun gets high.
Looking at the day’s catch, local families and guides alike are seeing double-digit hauls, with most bass running between 1.5 and 3 pounds, and the occasional lunker tipping the scales at 7 or 8 pounds. TrophyCatch Florida had one proud youngster bring in a solid bag of bucketmouths just yesterday. Panfish are schooling in the rim canals, and live crickets or small jigs tipped with red worms are picking up steady bluegill and shellcracker. Shiners have still been the hot bait for big bass, but artificial lovers, don’t sleep on watermelon Zoom Super Flukes or chartreuse ChatterBaits—both lures are producing along the deeper reed lines.
For those looking for today’s best action, consider these hot spots: the Kissimmee River mouth, especially early, and Tin House Cove along the northern rim. Both are holding fish in numbers, and there are some quality bass pushing up to hunt followed by the cooler overnight temps. If you’d rather stay south, South Bay still has pockets of clean, moving water, drawing both largemouth and crappie if you get your jig in just the right spot.
A quick tip—weed issues remain, and anglers have noticed a little more algae and muck, especially after recent treatments, so try to fish just outside where the water starts to clear up and keep those oxygen meters handy. Locals around Garrard’s Tackle Shop swear by adapting fast to conditions and say don’t waste time in water that stinks or looks stagnant.
That’s it for this evening’s Lake Okeechobee fishing report—tight lines to all, and don’t forget to share those fish stories. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Make sure to subscribe for more daily reports and insider tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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By Quiet. PleaseThis is Artificial Lure, reporting live from the shores of Lake Okeechobee, where the August air is thick and the bass bite is hotter than a South Florida summer. Sunrise rolled in at 6:47 AM, lighting up the Big O with a pastel sky, while sunset is fixing to slip away around 8:09 PM tonight. The weather today’s been textbook summer—muggy, with daytime highs hovering in the upper 80s and a light breeze out of the southeast. There’s a mix of sun and towering afternoon clouds, and more than one local’s been keeping an eye out for those classic pop-up storms, just like Drew Thompson mentioned—storm’s coming in and the water’s restless.
For those tidal-minded anglers—remember, Okeechobee ain’t tidal, but the moon phase is on the wane, and that’s spurred good morning activity before the heat slows everything to a crawl. Water levels are holding near 12.05 feet above sea level, according to the pier at the Clif Betts Jr. Lakeside Recreation Area. With muck and weed issues being the talk of the bait shop lately, there’s been a little extra murk after recent spraying efforts, so stick to cleaner edges and the outside grass lines for the best visibility and more oxygen-rich water.
Fish activity’s been prime during the early hours. Reports out of the north shore say the bite kicks off strong right at daylight, with 30 to 40 bass getting hauled in per boat before breakfast—spinnerbaits and soft swim jigs are catching fire. The early topwater action’s still good: black frogs and shad-colored poppers have been the go-to around sunrise. By mid-morning, big females push deeper, and flipping a black and blue creature bait into hydrilla mats becomes the game when that sun gets high.
Looking at the day’s catch, local families and guides alike are seeing double-digit hauls, with most bass running between 1.5 and 3 pounds, and the occasional lunker tipping the scales at 7 or 8 pounds. TrophyCatch Florida had one proud youngster bring in a solid bag of bucketmouths just yesterday. Panfish are schooling in the rim canals, and live crickets or small jigs tipped with red worms are picking up steady bluegill and shellcracker. Shiners have still been the hot bait for big bass, but artificial lovers, don’t sleep on watermelon Zoom Super Flukes or chartreuse ChatterBaits—both lures are producing along the deeper reed lines.
For those looking for today’s best action, consider these hot spots: the Kissimmee River mouth, especially early, and Tin House Cove along the northern rim. Both are holding fish in numbers, and there are some quality bass pushing up to hunt followed by the cooler overnight temps. If you’d rather stay south, South Bay still has pockets of clean, moving water, drawing both largemouth and crappie if you get your jig in just the right spot.
A quick tip—weed issues remain, and anglers have noticed a little more algae and muck, especially after recent treatments, so try to fish just outside where the water starts to clear up and keep those oxygen meters handy. Locals around Garrard’s Tackle Shop swear by adapting fast to conditions and say don’t waste time in water that stinks or looks stagnant.
That’s it for this evening’s Lake Okeechobee fishing report—tight lines to all, and don’t forget to share those fish stories. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Make sure to subscribe for more daily reports and insider tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
For those tidal-minded anglers—remember, Okeechobee ain’t tidal, but the moon phase is on the wane, and that’s spurred good morning activity before the heat slows everything to a crawl. Water levels are holding near 12.05 feet above sea level, according to the pier at the Clif Betts Jr. Lakeside Recreation Area. With muck and weed issues being the talk of the bait shop lately, there’s been a little extra murk after recent spraying efforts, so stick to cleaner edges and the outside grass lines for the best visibility and more oxygen-rich water.
Fish activity’s been prime during the early hours. Reports out of the north shore say the bite kicks off strong right at daylight, with 30 to 40 bass getting hauled in per boat before breakfast—spinnerbaits and soft swim jigs are catching fire. The early topwater action’s still good: black frogs and shad-colored poppers have been the go-to around sunrise. By mid-morning, big females push deeper, and flipping a black and blue creature bait into hydrilla mats becomes the game when that sun gets high.
Looking at the day’s catch, local families and guides alike are seeing double-digit hauls, with most bass running between 1.5 and 3 pounds, and the occasional lunker tipping the scales at 7 or 8 pounds. TrophyCatch Florida had one proud youngster bring in a solid bag of bucketmouths just yesterday. Panfish are schooling in the rim canals, and live crickets or small jigs tipped with red worms are picking up steady bluegill and shellcracker. Shiners have still been the hot bait for big bass, but artificial lovers, don’t sleep on watermelon Zoom Super Flukes or chartreuse ChatterBaits—both lures are producing along the deeper reed lines.
For those looking for today’s best action, consider these hot spots: the Kissimmee River mouth, especially early, and Tin House Cove along the northern rim. Both are holding fish in numbers, and there are some quality bass pushing up to hunt followed by the cooler overnight temps. If you’d rather stay south, South Bay still has pockets of clean, moving water, drawing both largemouth and crappie if you get your jig in just the right spot.
A quick tip—weed issues remain, and anglers have noticed a little more algae and muck, especially after recent treatments, so try to fish just outside where the water starts to clear up and keep those oxygen meters handy. Locals around Garrard’s Tackle Shop swear by adapting fast to conditions and say don’t waste time in water that stinks or looks stagnant.
That’s it for this evening’s Lake Okeechobee fishing report—tight lines to all, and don’t forget to share those fish stories. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Make sure to subscribe for more daily reports and insider tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn