Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Okeechobee fishing report.
We’ve got a cool, breezy winter pattern on the Big O. According to the National Weather Service marine forecast out of Miami, expect **northeast winds 10 to 15 knots on the lake with a moderate chop** and that breeze easing a bit tomorrow. Sunrise is right around **7:05 a.m.**, sunset near **5:35 p.m.**, so your **prime windows** are first light to about 9 a.m., then again the last two hours before dark.
Air temps are running mild for winter, with cool mornings and comfortable afternoons under mostly clear skies. That NE wind is pushing a little stain into the east and northeast shorelines and stacking bait along wind-blown edges.
The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach just issued a **blue‑green algae caution on parts of the Lake Okeechobee shoreline**. If you see pea‑soup water or strong odor, give that area a pass and don’t eat fish from right in the bloom.
**Bass bite:**
The chatter around Clewiston and Okeechobee City shops is that the **shallow grass bite is waking up**. With this stable NE wind, bass are hanging in **2–5 feet** on outside grass lines and in the clean pockets behind them. A recent local report out of Lake Okeechobee mentioned a blustery December morning where a **soft‑plastic fluke was the ticket**, and that pattern is still solid in the clearer water.
Best producers right now:
- **Weightless flukes and soft jerkbaits** in watermelon red or June bug worked over eelgrass and peppergrass.
- **Swim jigs and swimbaits** in shad or bluegill colors slow‑rolled along the edges.
- **Black/blue or green pumpkin creature baits** pitched into reed clumps and buggy whips.
- On cloudy or breezy mornings, a **black or white buzzbait** or popping frog can still draw some explosive eats.
Average catch has been **10–25 bass on a decent half‑day**, with a mix of schoolers and a few fish in the **4–6 pound** class. You grind enough quality grass and shell, someone’s going to stumble into an eight‑plus before this front pattern changes.
**Specks (crappie) and panfish:**
The speck bite is quietly strong in the **rim canal and outside grass lanes**. Minnows under a float or small tube jigs in white, chartreuse, or monkey milk are putting **limits together** for folks slow‑trolling or drifting. Expect **hand‑sized bluegill** mixed in when you find hard bottom.
**Catfish:**
Local bank anglers around bridges and culverts are reporting **steady channel cat action** on cut bait and chicken liver. A recent YouTube clip from Griffin Outdoors mentioned a **20‑plus‑pound cat out of Okeechobee**, and there are plenty more where that came from if you soak bait near current and drop‑offs.
**Bait & lure cheat sheet:**
- Live shiners: still the **number one** for trophy bass.
- Flukes, swimbaits, and swim jigs for covering water.
- Texas‑rigged worms and creature baits for picking apart thicker cover.
- Minnows and small jigs for crappie; worms for bream and cats.
**Hot spots to try:**
- **South Bay / Pelican Bay area:** Work the **outside reed and eelgrass lines** with flukes at daybreak, then pitch soft plastics into the thicker clumps as the sun gets up.
- **Harney Pond and the West Wall:** Focus on **shell bars and scattered hydrilla**; slow‑roll a swimbait or drag a worm where grass meets clean bottom.
- Bonus: The **rim canal near J&S and around Taylor Creek** is a solid bet for specks and cats when the main lake’s choppy.
That’s the word from the Big O. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
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