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Professional Angler:Fishing the BASS WBT and Guiding on Lake Okeechobee Lake Okeechobee Professional Guide Service:
Professional Guide, Angie Douthit, when not traveling on Tour, she is guiding anglers on the waters of Lake Okeechobee. World famous for the quality of the bass fishing, Okeechobee is an expanse of water covering 735 square miles. When most anglers see this small ocean for the first time, they are immediately notice that it all looks the same. Needless to say, that is not true in the case of the huge bass that ply the waters in search of golden shiners or other baits. The fish select certain areas of the lake, based on season and weather conditions. In order to have the trip of a lifetime, a professional guide can save you days of wandering around just looking for that secret area.
Angie loves the sport of bass fishing and even more, loves to help others to learn how much fun it can be. Whether its artificial lures or live-bait used, Angie will see to it that you have a great day on the water. Check out these happy clients.
Contact Information
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Lake Okeechobee Fishing Reportby Captain Angie Douthit
August 18th, 2008
Lake Okeechobee (south-end) fishing report submitted to the “Outdoor Florida” monthly magazine for September, 2008 by Capt. Angie Douthit.
The current Lake Okeechobee water is 11.26 ft. Tropical storm Fay is heading our way and should add another couple inches (if not more) to the already rising lake level which is great news because we are still on the low side of catching up to our normal water level for this time of year. The pan fish anglers are still catching some bluegill on and around the beds during the full and new moon phases. The lure of choice seems to be the beetle spin in yellow w/ black and live crickets. Some areas to try on the south-end of Okeechobee are: Observation Island (middle to north-end); East wall/Coot bay area; West wall, Bare beach (channel) and along the Clewiston channel (spoil islands) going out into the lake. Bass fishing on the big O has been good early in the morning but as the day progresses and the temperature heats up the bite can slow way down and mixed with no wind, can be a challenge at times. When booking guide trips this time of year (especially July/August months), I mention to my customers, this is the best time to take advantage of both the morning and late afternoon bite and won’t have to experience the intense sun and humidity and still enjoy our day on the water and get a full-day of fishing in. As the water level keeps rising, we’re able to reach some areas of the south-end that have GRASS which we haven’t been able to do for quite some time and gives me the feeling of being on a whole different lake…..but this is a good thing J and gives us anglers something new to look at and fish. On the south-end of Okeechobee you may want to try these areas that are easily accessible to everyone wanting to enjoy a day of bass fishing: The rocks along the Clewiston channel; East wall/Coot bay area; Uncle Joe’s cut and ditch (runs out into the lake) and Bare beach ditch. If you’re not familiar with running the lake, these areas are the safest to reach and are fishable. There are other places on the south-end that are producing but I do not recommend anyone running to these areas despite the water level slowly rising unless you have knowledge of the lake and how to run it. If you want to fish these other areas of the lake and experience some grass fishing, I would be happy to be your professional/knowledgeable guide for the day. Here are some lures to take with you next time your out on the big O. For the morning bite, try tying on a Zara spook (with rattles) in colors either bluegill, shad, clear/w lemon back. A slow rolling buzz bait with skirt colors in white or black will work, as well as a Rapala skitter prop in shad worked very slowly. I’ve also had success lately with a Lonnie Stanley ribbit in colors watermelon red and white. As the morning bite slows and the sun continues to get hotter, you’ll want to slow your presentation way down, especially if there is no wind present. When this happens, I down-size in line and weight but stick to the bigger baits, like a Gene Larew 11” worm in colors red shad, june bug and watermelon. Keep in mind that the bluegill are still bedding at times, so I keep a rod rigged with a tube tied on, usually in colors, pumpkin pepper/chartreuse or watermelon/w green flake, both are rigged with no more than an 1/8 oz. weight and 12 lb. BPS fluorocarbon line. I’ve also been using a Gene Larew floating lizard lately in your basic colors such as: greens; red shads and june bug. When the schoolies show themselves, I’ll reach for my Rapala Original floater F13 or F11 in colors bleeding olive shiner or shad, twitch the lure once and they’ve got it. I hope this information will help you to have an enjoyable day on the water. Remember, be safe, have fun and always be respectful of your fellow boaters. For all your travel needs at a discounted price, check out www.NetTrav.com/fl To contact Angie call 863-228-7263 or email her at angie@southfloridabassfishing.com Capt. Angie’s sponsors include: Storm boats, Mercury marine, Motor Guide, Bass Pro Shops, Gene Larew soft plastics, Rapala, Bob’s Hi-Performance Machine Shop, Real Magic, Trilene and Navionics.
July 15th, 2008 Despite the almost daily afternoon rain showers south Florida has been receiving, the current Lake Okeechobee water level has remained around 10.00 ft., which is still 4-5 ft. below what it should be for this time of year. For the pan fish anglers, the bluegill are still spawning around the full and new moon phrases and beds can be found out on the south-end of the lake in areas such as: Bare Beach; East Wall (Pipeline area); Uncle Joes; Observation shoal; and parts of the West Wall area. The good old Beetle Spin in colors chartreuse and yellow/black has always worked well for me. I rig my Spin with Trilene 4lb test on a Bass Pro Shops Bill Dance pan fish combo. For bass fishing, the same areas as for pan fish have been producing some quality catches mixed in with some big ones as well. For the morning bite, I’ve had the best success throwing a Zara Spook in colors: clear and bluegill. If its crank’n you like I’ve caught them on lipless crank bait in colors: green shiner, chrome/w blue back and blue shiner. Rapala’s new DT Fat Sure Set (rigged with 2 VMC red hooks) and Fat series (more aggressive wobble) works well and both will run in depths ranging from 3”- 3ft. Finesse fishing lately has really been producing both quality/quantity bass. My finesse tackle consist of the Johnny Morris Elite 7ft. medium rod and Johnny Morris Elite bait cast reel or a Johnny Morris 7ft. spinning rod/reel combo. My line of choice is Bass Pro Shops 10lb test Fluorocarbon rigged with a 3/16 or 1/8 oz. Bass Pro Shops round jig head. For lure selection I like Gene Larew’s 5” Salty head shaky worm and Zoom’s finesse-style worms. When choosing colors, I stick with the basics like: June bug, black, red shad and watermelon w/red flake. The big O has always been a big worm lake and my favorite #1 go-to lure has been the Gene Larew 11’ salty snake in colors: red shad, June bug and watermelon, depending on water clarity and cloud cover. While fishing out on the lake, I always keep a rod/reel handy rigged with a mojo weight, which you can find them at your local Bass Pro Shop store. This is nothing more than a skinny version of a Carolina rig. It’s quick and easy and it requires no swivel. Just slide the weight to the depth you want, peg it with a rubber stopper, tie your hook to the end and rig it with your favorite finesse-style lure. I hope this information will help you to have an enjoyable day on the water. Remember, be safe, have fun and always be respectful of your fellow boaters. For all your travel needs at a discounted price, check out www.NetTrav.com/fl To contact Angie call 863-228-7263 or email her at angie@southfloridabassfishing.com Capt. Angie’s sponsors include: Storm boats, Mercury marine, Motor Guide, Bass Pro Shops, Gene Larew soft plastics, Rapala, Bob’s Hi-Performance Machine Shop, Real Magic, Trilene, Navionics, and Gambler.
March12th, 2008 Lake Okeechobee (south-end) fishing report submitted to the “Outdoor Florida” monthly magazine for April, 2008 by Capt. Angie Douthit.
The water level on Okeechobee has remained around the 10 ft. above sea level mark for the past months and is currently 10.16. As a bass fishing guide on Lake Okeechobee, I’m constantly being asked by customers, “just how low is the lake for this time of year”….approx. 5 ft. and “will the lake eventually recover” ? My answer to these questions is very positive, and yes, I truly believe that Lake Okeechobee will recover and we’ll begin to see more vegetation and a stable, desirable lake level to meet a “happy medium” for everyone. If you’re planning a day on the water, be sure to stop by Jolly Roger Marina in Clewiston for all your supplies and live-bait. Bass fishing on the big O has been excellent on wild-shiners and artificial lures. Some lures to keep handy in your boat next time your out fishing is a shad pattern Zara spook jr. and super spook; Rapala’s skitter-prop and Gene Larew’s three-legged frog in colors, black and watermelon pepper. When the cooler air temp’s arrive from time-to-time be sure to keep a Rapala Husky Jerk close at hand which has produced some very good quality bass. Other lures I’ve had success with has been Rapala’s 4, 6, and 10ft. DT series crank baits. I stay with the shad, bass and chartreuse colors and switch according to the sky conditions. If finesse style fishing is what you like, then the drop-shot and mojo rig will produce both quality/quantity. Some great baits for finesse fishing are the centipede styles, trick worms and small craws in colors, june bug, red shad and watermelon. It’s still our spawn time here on the big O, so with that in mind be sure to throw some tubes and lizards in your boat. Gene Larew soft plastics at www.genelarew.com makes an awesome “floating lizard” which comes in a wide variety of colors and offers a little different presentation. The rim canal area is “still” the hottest area to fish on the big O which has humps, drop-offs, points, ledges, rock, etc. If you have the opportunity to fish the lake stay with the areas that you are confident in running/fishing for safety purposes. During the recent annual Bass Pro Spring Fishing Classic held at the Dania Beach, Fl. location, I was asked to talk about the reasons/importance of knowing how to choose the correct rod/reel combination. As I’ve mentioned in my previous articles, “in order to get the most out of your day on the water”, having the right equipment can be the difference between a so-so day vs. a great day. If your not sure as to “what works best for the specific style of fishing that you’ll be doing I would be more than happy to answer any emails with questions. The pan fish anglers are still catching good quality crappie and with the now-and-then cooler temperatures helps to kick it up a notch. The choice of most anglers is live-minnows and jigs. With April fast approaching, I’d like to take a moment and mention to all the women angler’s out there to check out the www.bassmaster.com/wbt website. If you want to experience some top-quality tournament angling either as a boater or non-boater, what better way to get started than fishing BASS. The 2008 season is composed of 5 tournaments which kick-off in early April in Texas. For more information on these events check out the website or by calling 407-566-2277 and ask for the WBT department. To contact Capt. Angie Douthit you can log onto www.southfloridabassfishing.com or by calling 863-228-7263 Until next time, be safe and kind to your fellow boaters. Angie’s sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Motor Guide, Bob’s Hi-Performance Machine Shop (Bob’s Jack plate), Navionics, Bass Pro Shop, Gene Larew, Rapala, Real Magic, Gambler lures, Trilene and Mega Strike.
February 18th, 2008
The current water level on Lake Okeechobee is 9.98 ft. above sea level. Because the water level has been hovering around the 10 ft. mark for the past few months, the rim canal has been very busy with both pan/bass anglers along with some rented pontoon boats from Jolly Roger marina in Clewiston. The pan fish anglers have been getting some great catches both in size and quantity, stemming from Sportsman’s canal all the way towards Pahokee, especially with the occasional cold front that passes through from time to time. Choice of bait is live-minnows but artificial lures like the Bobby Garland soft plastic 2” baby shad in Bluegrass (LAM) or Cajun cricket and a 2” & 3” Slab Slay’r in Electric Chicken have been produced quite well. These and bass lures can be viewed and purchased at www.genelarew.com or 1-800-yes-salt. Here’s a question for the bass anglers that have some knowledge of real estate. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Location, Location, Location”. Well, a somewhat similar term applies here on the big O. For example, “Rim canal, Rim canal, Rim canal” especially as evidence from a recent major bass fishing event that stopped and fished the big O, “one of the country’s best fisheries” just a few weeks ago. Yes, the rim canal area has been producing some awesome fishing lately, and for those of you who like the safety factor of finding some deeper water, that’s great news. Along with the canal fishing of late, let’s not forgot what actually put the “big waters” on the map, the lake itself. After the occasional cold front passes from time to time and wind dies down and settles the water clarity, if you truly know your body of water, you will experience a great day of fishing and you’ll probably have it all to yourself. If you’re launching from the Clewiston city ramp, here are some areas to try: the channel itself that runs out into the lake which has rock on both sides; Coot bay, which has been referred to lately as the pipeline area; East wall; Point of Kreamer Island; outside area of Pelican bay and Uncle Joe’s ditch. For the morning bite, try your technique and “walk the dog” with a Zara super spook Jr. in colors, black shiner or bone. After the morning bite slows, my favorite has been the trusty old favorite, the worm. Gene Larew makes a great 11” salty snake floating worm, colors to try are the red shad (LAM) and black blue. I’ve also had success with their new 12” El Salto Grande in jalapeņo pepper. For finesse style fishing try throwing Gambler’s Giggy head rigged with the bumble bee colored floating worm or sweebo in pepper grass for clearer colored water and red bug in off-colored. If crank’n is your go to lure, Rapala has come out with some great shallow running lures, like the DT Fat SureSet Series rigged with VMC hooks and the aggressive wobble and square lip of the DT Fat Series. Stick with your shad colors on clearer sky days and chartreuse colors on over-cast, cloudier days. For line choice, I’m a big fan of Fluorocarbon and Bass Pro makes a great one with their XPS line for performance and price. I use Fluorocarbon mainly for slower presentations like worming, Carolina rigging and jigging. I do however use a Monofilament line for crank’n and top water such as Trilene XL smooth casting ranging from 8lb-17lb test. For all the women anglers out there who want to put their skills to test, check out the BASS website at www.bassmaster.com and look for the WBT (women’s bass master tour). Once there, you’ll find all the information you need to sign up either as a boater or non-boater. The season kicks off in early April at Lake Lewisville, Texas. This upcoming season is one you don’t want to miss out on because the top female angler at years-end will earn a spot in the 2009 Bass master Classic! How cool is that. Until next time, be safe, have fun and be courteous to your fellow boaters. As a current touring professional angler and Lake Okeechobee guide, sponsors play a very important role, without them I could not enjoy doing what I love most, which is FISHING. My sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Motor Guide, Bob’s Hi-Performance Machine Shop; Bass Pro Shops; Gene Larew Soft Plastics; Rapala; Navionics; Mega Strike; Trilene; Sure Life and Real Magic. To contact Capt. Angie for a great day of fishing on the big O call 863-228-7263 or log onto www.southfloridabassfishing.com and send her an email at angie@southfloridabassfishing.com
December 26th, 2007
Lake Okeechobee water level is now
10.27 ft. above sea level. Fishing has been great in
both quality and quantity and the water temp. has been ranging
from 66-70 degrees. With the temp. hovering around the magic
number of 68...the big females will constantly be on the move
throughout the winter and into the early spring months. The
crappie bite has been good mixed in with some bigger ones. The
rim canal from South Bay to Moore Haven has been a favorite area
lately as well as the Kissimmee river. Tube jibs and live
minnows have been working the best.
Areas on Okeechobee to try for bass
are the rim canal (same areas as for crappie); dynamite holes on
the lower-end; the waterway channel leading into the lake from
Clewiston is still producing; the flats located on the east
wall/coot bay; Norman's channel and Pelican bay area; Uncle
Joe's cut leading out to the lake and Horney pond canal.
You can get an early morning bite on
Buzz baits (work real slow) such as the Cavitron Buzz bait, the
Zara Spook Jr. in white or shad colors and a Rapala Skitter Pop
in shad.
As the morning bite slows down
I switch to a search bait for the roaming big females moving in
to spawn and schoolies. A lure that always works for me is the
Spro Aruka Shad lipless crankbait in Green shiner. A Mann's
baby minus -1 is shad or chartreuse works great (depending on
water clarity) in 1-2 ft. Switching to a mid-running crankbait
such as the Rapala DT 6 in shad or bluegill for deeper crankin'
areas works well. As the day continues, I also throw a mojo
rig, rigged with any finesse type bait (small senko or french
fry) in the watermelon red and junebug colors. An 11"inch red
shad Gene Larew worm will work, as well as a Grape colored
Producto worm on a Giggy head.
These particular lures have produced
some quantity/quality bites.
As always, be safe, have fun and be
courteous to your fellow boaters !!
Bass Wishes,
Capt. Angie
November 24th, 2007
The Lake Okeechobee lake level is
maintaining at around 10.32 ft. above sea level. Since the
Florida rain season is now over, talks of starting to conserve
the water are now being discussed (especially) southern Florida
residences as mentioned in the Palm Beach Post.
Despite still low lake conditions,
I'm seeing more boat activity in areas of the lake that haven't
been fished since (almost) last year. Just recently, I've been
fishing the shoal and monkey box areas and have been finding
bass in both places. Another area is Pelican bay and Norman's
channel.
Some old favorites to try are the
dynamite holes around the Clewiston and South bay area. The rim
canal itself and Pahokee rocks area is always a good place to
fish especially when the wind kicks up. Uncle Joe's cut on both
ends are producing as well as the spoil islands going out Uncle
Joe's into the lake.
Sportsman's cut/canal area is a good
one to fish if your in the Lakeport area.
If your on the north-end and your
not sure as to where you can run and be safe, the Kissimmee
river is always an option, once there you can find the
crappie bite. Harney Pond is starting to see quite a few
crappie anglers as well.
Here are the lures that I've had
success with: For shallow-running cranking'; Mann's baby -1 in
shad or chartreuse (depending on water clarity). For
mid-running cranking'; Rapala DT 4-6 ft. firetiger, bluegill or
shad colors. Carolina-rig for rim canal or dynamite hole
fishing OR mojo-rig for shallower areas; try lizards, worms and
flukes in the watermelon and junebug colors. For top-water
action try the Zara spook Jr. in shad or the Rapala pop-r. A
slow running buzzbait like the Cavitron will catch em' too. I
always catch bass on a worm, sometimes I mix it up between an 8
inch. or 11 inch. depending on weather conditions. I stick to
the old favorite colors such as the red shad's, junebugs and
watermelon colors. Since the cooler temp's are upon us and
spawn time starting to kick up, I always keep my Smithwick
jerkbait rigged and ready to go.
*All
the above areas I've mentioned in my lake report can be accessed
by everyone and safely. If there is an area you'd like to fish
but your not sure how to run it or even if its
fishable/reachable, ask someone who you know for sure spends
quality time on the lake !!
As always, be safe and courteous to
your fellow boaters !!
Capt. Angie
October 26th, 2007
The big O lake level is now 10.23
ft. With the rainy season almost to an end and with concerns
regarding the levee that encircles the entire lake don't expect
the water level to continue to rise much.
Here's some areas that are
reachable/fishable on the lake at this time: Starting with the
north-end area; you have access to the ramp at Okeechobee and
can fish the Kissimmee river which contains humps, points and
cuts. Lures to use are the 10"inch junebug Gene Larew or
Gambler worm; a Rapala DT 6 crankbait in bluegill or firetiger;
carolina-rig a 10" worm or lizard (pumpkin pepper/chartreuse
tail).
Taylor creek on the north-east side
has been producing lately. This channel contains some humps,
points and a few flats. Lures used are the same as for the
Kissimmee river. I have had some success with an early morning
topwater bit in Taylor creek using a Rapala pop-r in a shad
color and a Spook Jr. color perch.
If your fishing the south-end of the
lake (Clewiston area) you can always catch fish in the
channel. Try throwing a shad colored jerk-bait such as a Rapala
F-13. A Mann's -1 in chartreuse works well on top of the reef
area. Keep your eyes/ears open for schooling bass. The
dynamite holes on the south-end are still producing bass along
with an occasional catfish or two. The rim canal itself
contains rock piles (around the channel markers) and humps.
Just watch your depth finder and fish these areas with a
mid-running crankbait or Carolina rig.
The east-side of the lake (Pelican
Bay area) is starting to produce but I highly recommend running
the rim canal to this particular area. Once inside Pelican, if
your not sure as to the depth....idle !!
As always, be safe and show courtesy
to fellow boaters !!
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie Douthit
Sept 26, 2007
The water level is slowly rising on
the big O and is just over 9.7 ft. The areas on the lake that
are reachable (safely) is the rim canal itself and some parts of
the canal have deeper holes and rock piles. A good place to try
cranking a Spro lipless Aruka Shad in Blue Shiner are the
channel markers themselves. Once you find a deeper hole within
the rim canal try Carolina Rigging a Gambler 10' junebug worm or
Gene Larew black floating lizard.
The channel leading out into the
lake via Clewiston lock always holds fish on both sides. Early
in the morning throw a Spro Dawg 100 in silver black or a Prime
Popper 50 in silver blue. As the morning bite slows down, slow
your presentation down as well. I've been having success
catching bass on the follow lures/colors: A Gambler tube in
pumpkin pepper/chartreuse; Gene Larew green pumpkin or black
floating lizard; Gambler 10' junebug worm or 7' EP's secret
worm; and Gambler 5' Flapp'n Tail in red shad green and shadow
blue glitter.
Uncle Joe's ditch (located between
Moore Haven/Clewiston) is always a good place to fish. Try
throwing a Spro Fat Crank 20 in shad and any of the above
plastics will work as well. Be sure and fish the cuts heading
into the lake between Clewiston/South Bay, especially if there
is a east, south-east wind.
I hope these tips helps you have
more success on the water.
Until next time, be safe and
courteous to others.
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie
August 28th, 2007
The current water level on the big O
is just over 9.5 ft. and rising due to rainfall and water
release from the Kissimmee River.
Most areas on the south-southeast
are still not safely accessible to all boaters.
The areas that are fishable
and producing is the waterway channel markers from the Clewiston
lock out into the lake.
The topwater bite is coming on
strong in the a.m. and will continue to work pretty much
all-day, just keep your eyes and ears open for schooling action.
Lures that are producing are the
Zara Spook Jr. in baby bass and flitter shad; Rapala pop-r in
shad and the Spro in Silver Black. As the day progresses and
heat intensifies the bite will slow down as well. When this
happens fish slower and try using finesse baits such as the
Gambler Giggy head rigged with a Giggy stick in watermelon/red
or an Ace in Green Pumpkin/red.
Others areas to try are the rim
canal up around Moore Haven. The same type baits/lures will
work as mentioned above. Also the dynamite holes located around
the South Bay area, especially in the early morning around the
edges using the topwater lures.
Also, if your fishing the channel
markers out from Clewiston you can idle (with the Mercury motor
and bob's hi-performance jack plate trimmed up) over to the
spoil islands and fish those but use extreme caution.
The water leading into the Monkey
box from the lake side is slowly rising but still not
accessible.
The bottom scraping of the Harney
Pond, Fish Eating Bay area looks great and should give the bass
a great place to spawn when the time comes.
Until next month, be safe, have fun,
and be kind to your fellow boaters.
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie
June 21st, 2007
The current water level on Lake
Okeechobee, Fl -- Clewiston is approx. 8.50 ft. above sea
level. Due to almost daily rain and pumping water back into the
lake the water will continue to rise.
If your launching at Clewiston
please use the inside boat ramp located in the basin which is
the public city ramp. The basin is shallow but the canal to the
lock has been dredged and holds plenty of water for idling out
to the lake. Once out to the lake fish the inter coastal
waterway that takes you out to the lake. Once there, you'll see
other boats fishing that area. This is a good place to start !!
Fish the drop off and the flat on
both sides. Keep your eyes open for the bluegill beds and
that's where you'll catch the bass. You'll catch many in
numbers with average size 2-4 lbs. with a bigger bite mixed in.
For the morning bite I suggest a
Rapala pop-r in shad color or Zara spook w/rattles and a Spro
Dog 100. As the morning bite slows down try using a Gambler 10'
inch junebug worm or red shad green. I also suggest
Spro's Aruka Shad lipless crankbait in Blue Shiner. Along the
top of the drop off try throwing Spro's Fat Crank 20 in shad and
Fat Crank 25 in perch. These lures will catch you bass.
Other areas to try that are
accessible for all to fish and launching from the Clewiston
public boat ramp is the mouths of all the dynamite holes heading
east (towards South Bay) via the rim canal...those areas will
always hold bass. If you turn left out of the lock and head west
(via rim canal) head up to Uncle Joe's cut (first idle zone) and
fish the cut that will take you out to the lake.
Both the dynamite hole areas and
Uncle Joe's both hold bass and can all be caught on the same
lures I mentioned above.
REMEMBER.....Summer is here, so wear
your widest brim hat put the sunscreen on and drink plenty,
plenty of water especially if your fishing the entire day.
ALSO ---- Since its hot the bass are
going to be sluggish as the day progresses (gets hotter)...so if
your not getting the bites slow your presentation down.
As always, be safe and courteous to
your fellow boaters !!
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie Douthit
863-228-7263
May 21st, 2007
The Okeechobee water level is still
coming down and its currently at 9.35 ft. Certain areas of the
main lake have been producing some great bass fishing both in
numbers and big bass. But due to the extreme low water
conditions and safety here are a few places that is accessible
for bass fishing and has produced some great fishing not located
on the actual lake.
Uncle Joe's channel which still
holds 3-5 ft. of water. Some lures to use are the Spro lipless
crankbait Aruka Shad in Green Shiner, Spro's Fat crank 20 in
shad or firetiger also Gambler's 10" junebug worm.
The dynamite holes located between
Clewiston and South Bay are producing some great fishing as well
and can be easily accessible to everyone via the rim canal. A
Rapala Flat Series crankbait in Silver and Hot Mustard as well
as Gambler's 10" inch junebug worm or Red Shad has been
producing. Fishing the rim canal itself can be rewarding as
well, whether you choose to Carolina Rig a watermelon/chartreuse
tail lizard, crank or throw a worm, fishing the canal is safe
bet whether battling the wind or shallow, shallow fishing.
Important reminder: The
outside launch ramp at Clewiston has a deep drop off but can be
used, just use extreme caution when launching/loading your boat,
especially helpful if you have a 4x4. The inside launch ramp at
Clewiston is accessible but the canal itself is extremely low
and can hit bottom when idling out to the lock.
*** Tune in to 94.3 FM or
107.1 FM every Saturday morning around 7:15-7:30 a.m. as I give
the most-up-to-date Lake Okeechobee fishing report !!
As always, be safe and have fun !!
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie Douthit
April 23rd, 2007
Due to extremely low water levels on
the big O the fishing areas are limited and what is
fishable/reachable you must still use caution when running in
your boat and coming off plane. Some areas that have been
producing are the dynamite holes on the south-end of the lake,
lures to use are the Spro Aruka Shad rattletrap, colors are gold
shiner and perch. Also, a crawdad or worm in colors junebug or
red shad. Special tip : Keep an eye on your depth
finder and be sure and fish any litter difference you see in
water level.
On the east-side of the lake try the
Belle Glade- Pahokee area around the rim canal and look for rock
and grass. Lures to use are the Spro Bronzeye Frog in black
early morning then switching to a mid running crankbait or
Spro Aruka Shad/ Rattletrap
after the morning bite stops.
If your on the south-west side of
the lake try the shoal area around Observation Island or above.
In the morning throw a Cavitron buzzbait in chartreuse/white and
10" Gambler worm in junebug as the day progresses.
As always, be safe, be kind and
courteous to others while out on the lake.
February 27th, 2007
Due to low lake levels, the big O is
limited in areas that are fishable/reachable.
Some places to try are the rim canal
which has some clean looking water and the Kissimmee river if
your on the north part of the lake. If your fishing down south
try fishing the dynamite holes/rim canal which holds crappie and
bass.
It seems the bite has been either
very early in the morning or later in the afternoon.
Baits to use that have been
producing are the Spro's lipless crank bait, Aruka Shad in
Golden Shiner and Perch colors.
Also the Gambler 10' inch junebug
worm and Lonny Stanley's Ribbit, colors, black and chartreuse
/white across the top in the Kissimmee grass early.
As always, be safe and have fun !!
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie
January 17th, 2007 Well, the guide season is into full-swing. Some of my fishing
areas on the Lake Okeechobee that have produced well for my guide
trips are still the south-end such as: outside/middle grass area of
Pelican Bay; Clewiston-side of Rita Island; Dynamite holes of
Bare-Beach and Football Field.
Nov 10th, 2006
Wind, Wind and more Wind has been
blowing on the big O lately which has made the fishing a little
tough. Mixed with some cooler temp's the bite on the big O's
hotter spots on the south end such as Pelican Bay, Rita Island
and the East Wall is somewhat of a challenge. Despite mother
nature's conditions for fishing, bass are still being caught on
these hotter area's.
If your up on the north end of the
lake try fishing the Kissimmee River area.
Some lures to use while out on the
big O are: Spro's Akruka Shad in Golden Shiner color; also
Spro's 3/8 oz. double willow leaf Spinner bait w/
chartreuse/white skirt; and Gene Larew's 11' junebug worm.
As always, be safe, have fun and
catch some bass !!
Capt. Angie Douthit
September 25th, 2006
Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report:
The south end of the big O is
shaping up and is one of the hotter areas of the lake.
Some areas to try are Coot Bay, East
Wall and Rita Island (north and south end). Some baits to use
are the Gene Larew 11" salty snake in watermelon and junebug.
I also had some topwater action on
the new Spro black Bronze Eye Frog As
the temperature continues to rise you may want to slow down your
presentation of the worm. Keep your eyes and ears tuned to
what's happening around you and you'll hear/see them
schooling.
I always give myself the advantage
by using Megastrike Fish Attractant...it definitely improves my
chances of catching and landing more bass !!
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie
July 10th, 2006
The west side of Okeechobee known as
the Shoal is the hot area right now. The shoal consist of the
upper end of the west wall, Uncle Joe's, observation island and
Cochran's pass. All of these areas on the outside grass are
full of bass, not just quantities but quality as well. I've
been having the best luck catching them on the Gene Larew 8'
inch ring tail worm in colors, junebug, redshad and plum. Also
try the 11' inch worm in the same colors and white as well as
the bass are feeding on real small white shad. I haven't been
having much success with a small spinnerbait but they will chase
after topwater thrown just inside the grass line. Lures to try
are the High Roller 3.25 Poproller in bone, a Cavitron 3/4 gold
blade w/transparent skirt and the Nemire Spoon in white.
Keep your eyes open and ears peeled,
they will come up schooling !!
As the morning progresses the bass
move back into the thicker grass but early morning they will be
out in the open.
Have fun, be safe and remember to
always use caution when driving your boat up around the shoal
area....its all rock so sit down approx. 200-300 yards out then
idle your way in.
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie
June 1st, 2006
Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report
Now that summer is approaching and
the spawn complete its time to check out some of the summer
patterns on the big O.
A few places to try is the outside
edge of West Wall, the Middle grass line of Coot Bay, Rocky
Point on the East Wall both outside edge of the grass and down
the boat trails. If your out in the early mornings, keep your
eyes and ears open, you'll hear them schooling. Some of my
favorite lures to use are the Cavitron Buzz Bait w/ chartreuse
/white skirt; also the Spro Fat Crank 20 in shad; Spro Aruka
Shad (rattle trap) Perch color. When the feeding frenzy dies
down on crankin' and topwater switch to the Gene Larew 11'inch
junebug worm and Larew's 4'inch salt craw in watermelon
green/green. As the day goes on the bite has been slowing down
so work your baits slower.
Have fun out there and remember,
always use common courtesy towards your fellow angler !!
Bass Wishes, Capt. Angie Douthit
Lake Okeechobee:
Lake Okeechobee, world renowned bass fishing destination, is the second largest freshwater lake inside the US borders. It cover nearly 750 square miles in south central Florida and is the natural headwaters of the Everglades. |
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