You dont need to drive as far as Okeechobee or Kissimmee to catch crappies.
But in the spring Kissimmee would be worth the trip for both crappies and red ears.
If you go to Blue Cypress dont waste your time fishing the lake itself.
Around the edges there are some good places, and on the north end there is a long canal that again leads to Stickmarsh. That canal is the beginning of the St. johns river.
About a half mile in there is another canal to the right which borders Farm 13 and can be worth the time to fish.