The fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been great the past few months as the water continues to pour in the lake from the Kissimmee River and all the rain that we have been receiving. The lake level is up to 11.85 feet above sea level and it is finally safe to run your boat in most areas. The bass have been having feast eating bluegill from everywhere on the lake, if you can find active beds with bluegill around them than the bass aren't far away. And if bluegill fishing is your passion than Okeechobee should be the ticket for you since there are bedding bluegill from Kramer Island to Cochran's Pass.
The bass that my clients and I have been catching have been in a lot of different areas from open water to in the scattered grass. Summer is my favorite time to fish Okeechobee because I get to fish open water where the big bass hang out during the hot summer months. But that's not to say that you can't catch just as many bass in the grass and close to cover but I just like to fish out away from everyone else if I can. When fishing open water you need to look for little differences in the bottom like a small rock pile or an area with deeper water or a ditch as this is where the bass will be holding. On Lake Okeechobee there is not humps and drop offs like other lakes that are deep but a small indentation that is six inches deeper than the surrounding water or a few scattered rocks will hold fish.
Some of the most productive ways to catch bass out in open water is with lipless crankbaits, Carolina rigs, and my favorite a shakey head jig and worm. You will see bass come up schooling from time to time and this is a great time to throw a lipless crankbait like the one I throw from Azuma called the Shaker-Z in a chrome blue pattern. Azuma is a new company that has a line of hard baits that are awesome, their wake bait called a Wake-Z in bluegill pattern will flat out catch fish and the finish on these baits are second to none check them out at www.fishazuma.com. And then there is my favorite way to fish for open and deep water bass and that is with a shakey head jig and worm. I have been using a shakey head here on Okeechobee for a number of years and during the summer months this accounts for a large percentage of the bass I catch. My shakey head rig starts with my signature series rod from Deep South Rods www.deepsouthfishingrods.com that I designed for fishing a shakey head jig. This rod made by Deep South Rods has a very sensitive tip a medium action midsection and a good heavy butt to get the big ones in the boat. I use Edge 100% fluorocarbon line made by Gamma that is invisible in the clear water and has a high abrasion resistance to keep the big ones on even if your line gets a nick or two that you don't know about. For worms and shakey head jigs I use the Sweebo worm and Giggy Head jigs from Gambler but and combination of shakey head jig and soft plastics will work from time to time. Keep an eye out for my new worm that will be out later on this summer, I think it will be the perfect shakey head worm.
The bass and bluegill fishing is awesome right now and what a great time to plan a family outing on world famous Lake Okeechobee or plan to fish here a day and I can take you saltwater fishing for a day. Anyone wanting to book a trip for bass, bluegill or some saltwater action can contact me at 863-983-9950 or through my website at www.markkingfishing.com. And be sure and check out the new store on my website.
Captain Mark King is a full time guide and tournament angler guiding out of the world famous Roland Martin's Marina and Resort in Clewiston Florida. Mark is an IGFA Certified Captain, active member of the Florida Guide Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Captain Mark is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Deep South Rods, Azuma Baits, Power-Pole, Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Minn Kota trolling motors, Gambler Lures, AFTCO clothing, Van Staal pliers, Smartshield Sun Protection Products, Northlake Marine, RMR Industries and Frigid Rigid coolers.
Mark can be contacted to book a guide trip, seminars, personal appearances, test rides in his Evinrude powered Ranger or to fish a tournament with him at 863-983-9950 or at www.markkingfishing.com and be sure and check out www.mybassclass.com