Lake Okeechobee fishing report for December, 2021 submitted by Capt. Angie Douthit

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Bass and Crappie fishing on the big O has been a good steady bite and will continue to get even better as we move into the winter time spawn pattern. When bass fishing with customers we’ve been fishing with both live bait and artificial lures or with just lures or just live bait, all depends on what is producing more bites at the time and customer preferences of course. The lures that have been consistently producing bites are plastic worms/senkos; slow working top water lures such as Devil Horses, Zara Spooks, Bang a Lure, Chug Bug and Pop-R’s in colors shad, bluegill and crawdad. Swim jigs worked through the grass as well as swim baits are catching some great quality pre-spawners waiting to move into the shallows and on the beds. On windy days spinner baits, chatter baits and rattle traps in gold and black/blue colors work the best to cover water and catch the ones that are actively feeding. Isolated grass clumps can offer some bigger bass, the best technique to catch those have been flipping/pitching creature-style lures such as crawdad, tubes and smaller senkos in colors black/blue, junebug, redshad, white and crawdad color patterns. When crappie fishing with my customers, I use artificial lures such as small tube jigs tipped with a small round head jig on a 10-11 ft BnM Jig pole and Bucks mini reel. The jigging technique can catch the crappie off the beds as well as the pre and post spawners coming in/out of key areas of the lake. A popular way of catching crappie for some are using small live minnows, anchored on the boat with multiple poles set up. This technique can be productive if you don’t mind sitting in one spot. To really enjoy the lake and expand your fishing knowledge jigging for crappie is a wonderful and fun experience. If you don’t know how, it’s a quick 5 minute lesson and we’re off and running catching crappie and having fun. If you want great tasting fish to eat, specks is the fish to eat and one of the main reasons why Okeechobee gets a lot of people staying during the winter months. Areas to consider next time you’re out on the lake can be: 2nd-3rd pole area of Observation Shoal; some areas in the Monkey Box and Dyess Ditch and up around the point of Horse Island and a few areas on Dupree Bar. Parts of Indian Prairie and Tin house (back inside) as well as 3rd-4th point of the Buckhead Ridge area and at the outside pole of Buckhead Ridge. A few areas in/around Kings Bar, parts of Grassy. On the East side look at Nub N Slough, Hendry Creek lock area and J & S (North side of the lock and down about 1 mile).

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To book your next fun filled, productive day fishing Lake Okeechobee call me at 863-228-7263 or log onto my newly revised website at www.southfloridabassfishing.com while at the site you’ll see up-to-date customers and their catches; fishing guide rates; information to obtain a fishing license, hotel accommodation information, latest and most accurate fishing report and etc.  My Sponsors include:  Mercury Marine; Gill; Maui Jim Sunglasses; Bullet Weights; Pradco brands; Real Magic; Road Runner Crappie lures; Mega Strike; BnM Poles; Mid-South Tackle; G-Loomis Rods and Lews.

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