Okeechobee 12/3-12/4 Report

Location: Lake Okeechobee

Weather. Sunny, 62* air temp warming to 82*

Wind: 10-12 mph on Sat and light wind Sunday

Water Temp: 72.9*-73.4*

Method: 10' jigging rod, 10lb flouro and hand tied jigs.


Fished Okeechobee on Saturday and Sunday out of Okee-Tantie. Found fish just about everywhere we went. The lake looks completely different after the recennt hurricanes but the fishing is outstanding. My fishing partner and I both caught our limits on jigs in 4 hours and we were culling fish. Smallest fish we kept was 11" and14" was the largest. Probably threw back 30 or 40 fish. Tight lines.

Sounds like a great trip.

good report

Good report and thanks for sharing.

thanks for the information.

Good to hear, I hope there in the mode in mid Jan. we will fish a week down there.

Great job. Take me with you and I will be sure to add four fish to your total haha

Thanks for the report. I’m going to be fishing out of Clewiston for a few days at the end of the week and would appreciate some intel. You already gave some good info but would like to know the depth you found them. Are they in the reeds and hyacinths or open structure? We normally fish around Bird Island but haven’t been back since the big blow.

I been talking to a few guys and watch the okeechobee Facebook page and everyone is catching limits in the grass or just on the edge depending on time of day. Also catching them near the mouth of the Kissimmee river. A ton of guys been having great success around kings bar. More guys use jigs than minnows but both seem to be working great!

I will be fishing out of Taylors creek in Jan for the first time, are there more long liners or jiggers in that area? ill probably fish the Kissimmee river too

I would say more jig style fishing than anything ….. unique jigs by Glenn are top notch as well as banana point jigs. A couple miles east of Taylor creek on 78 is a spillway that produces limits when there’s current flowing. As well as a grassy area you can actually reach from shore.

Definitely a jigging lake. Get yourself in the maidencane around Taylor Creek with a jigging rod or minnows and you'll catch a limit in the a.m. Remember Okeechobee has a 10" minimum. Tight lines.

A couple other questions for you Florida guys, do any of you use a rake or conduit to clear a spot in the pads? I know I do on St.Johns. Another thing, thinking about matching the hatch. What color best mimics a Grass Shrimp? I've heard tan but not sure.

Thanks Tom

There’s a guy on Facebook (banana point jigs) that’s makes a grass shrimp jig or I recommend the white back and red jig referred to as the cocaine jig tied by unique jigs by Glenn and he has a website. As far as making holes in pads or grass yes I have done that and depends on how thick it is. Usually can find little holes to dip into easily in lake O. Headed there Saturday morning hoping the cold front coming through doesn’t put the bite on hold for a few days but we shall see!

With those temps are the crappie spawning?!? Our water in N Ga is low to mid 50's.

Water is still around 70 degrees atleast in all the lakes in fellsmere area.

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The unpackaged jigs are my most commonly used. I tie them myself.

The others are a Muck City grass shrimp and cocaine jig.

I always have a rake.