Lake Okeechobee help

[leatherhead]

Finally getting to go to the big o this year but I am clueless where to start. I will be going the first part of next month and staying in Okeechobee and using the Scott Driver park ramps. Any ideas or tips into what general area to start would be much appreciated. It's a lot of water and I only have 2 days to fish by myself and don't want to waste much time sightseeing. Thought about hiring a guide but the wife shot that expense down fast and hard with multiple guns and ample ammo, then she reloaded for my next idea.  Thanks again.

[LgMouthGambler]

My best spots are out of Clewiston. Fish West wall and Coot Bay, or tuck into the flats a bit and you might catch some beds.

[bassindude]

Two things.  Dont try to see the whole lake.  Fish near where you put in.  There are fish everywhere if the water is good.  If the water is terrible where you put in, pull out and drive to another ramp.  Much quicker than trying to navigate the lake.

Be sure to have a GPS!!!  and dont run out of batteries to run it.  It can be very difficult to find a small cut that leads back to the ramp you used because from a distance everything looks the same.  Have a FULL tank of gas and know its limits.

If the sun is bright fish the mats,  if it is cloudy, try the sparce vegitation, and grass lines.  You cant fish history on Big O.  It is different every day.  Punch rigs, big worms and bugs for punching.  Lipless baits, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, "woops"y swimmer type baits, for moving baits.  Watch how the water moves through the cuts.  Ive done better where the water exits the cuts, but have also found some on the slack water side.  I am by no means an expert on Big O or fishing in general  but I was where you are now a few years ago, and I've been skunked there many times.  This time of year they say clean water is very important.  There will be bass in all phases of the spawn.  Dont be shocked when you hit open water, it looks like an ocean. 

Good luck
Jim

[Canesfan]

What Jim said.  Many years ago before GPS's, or at least portable, reasonably priced ones, I had a boat and used to fish the Belle Glade area.  Lots of good spots there also but I used a compass because once you were out in open water, it was like being on the ocean and you can get disoriented very easily. Try to remember landmarks, etc.  You will have a great time and hopefully catch a ton of fish.  Good luck.

[leatherhead]

Thanks that's some good advice.   I fished Toho last year for the first time and I was size struck. I live near the withlacochee river and I had never been on a lake that big so Okeechobee will be an adventure for sure.

[LgMouthGambler]

Thanks that's some good advice.   I fished Toho last year for the first time and I was size struck. I live near the withlacochee river and I had never been on a lake that big so Okeechobee will be an adventure for sure.

Listen, all along the edge of the open lake is vegetation. You really don't need to go any further out then that. Unless someone can pinpoint you on a bombing hole, you are not gonna do much damage out there. You could always tuck back in the channel to get back into the "rim ditch" and navigate the lake that way so you don't get disoriented.

[RangerAndBass]

Did you get there Leatherhead? I launched out of Harney Pond (not far from where you were going to. The water there was nice. you could fisha all day & never go more than a a couple miles in any direction. There are deep weeds, there are back flats. there are tons of reeds.
I stay in the south end but am heading back up there at the end of the month to fish there again. it was that compelling.

[leatherhead]

Not yet, I go there next week. Hoping this FL blizzard weather is over by then. I feel like kid waiting on christmas.

[West6550]

Not yet, I go there next week. Hoping this FL blizzard weather is over by then. I feel like kid waiting on christmas.

Looks like you may hit some decent weather so far.

I agree 100% with Jim on this.  Make sure you have gas, charged batteries, and a good gps.  I also agree with moving ramps.  I have always launched out of Roland Martin marina area except when fishing with Jim.  Believe me even at 65 mph it takes forever by boat to get anywhere on that lake lol.

Another good idea is leave a note where you are planning on launching just in case you get stranded with no cell phone service.  Nobody can come help you if they don't know where to look.  I am not trying to scare you lol I do this everytime I go fishing.  I tell the wife what ramp if there are multiple.  If it gets late and she ain't heard form me then atleast has a starting spot when she calls the

When you hit the edge it seriously looks like an ocean, because it is only water as far as you can see.  I used GPS to move my big boat around down there and it don't take long to go out far enough to not be able to see anything but open water in all directions.  It's insane big.  Only the great lakes are bigger if I'm not mistaken.


The hardest thing is it all looks good lol.  I have done very well at Roland Martin (south end) by just going to the end of the lock area and shooting off to the right into some random cut I find.  Which change constantly lol

Blue and green (Okeechobee craw) is a great color down there along with bluegill pattern.

Okeechobee craw: GoogleOkeechobeeCrawColor

Have fun and good luck!

[Deadeye]

West I do the same thing every time I go fishing or hunting, I tell my wife where I am going to. You never know when something can happen.

For example if I just say "I'm going to the River", she would know I meant the St Johns but there are hundreds of ramps to launch into the river. I always tell her where and what ramp I'm using if there are more than one at that spot. Lake Monroe has at least 4 different ramps I could use.

With cell phones now I also text her and let her know when I'm off the water and headed home. Gives her piece of mind and we always let each other know if we are doing or going somewhere different from where we had said we were. Not about Trust, it's about Respect for each other.

[West6550]

Yep I normally text when I'm loading the boat up.  All it takes is you fall in and cant get to the boat or currently freeze lol

I am all about being safe, got a decent tool and first aid get for the boat too.

Again good luck Leather! 

[leatherhead]

Haha glad yall said that because I send my wife two word updates alot. At ramp, on water, I kick ass ,heading in, at ramp, headed home is normal a fishing trip. I do agree 100% its got nothing to do with trustworthiness it just respect and worry prevention.