The full moon during late spring to early fall on lake okeechobee gives anglers the chance at many species of panfish. During the full moon phases these panfish gather in large groups and make catching them fun for everyone. Not only can you get a good mess of meat out of these panfish, there is not a better way to get a kid into fishing then simply catching fish. March through July yielded monster catches of blue gil and shellcracker and August doesn’t seem any different. Anglers are reporting good numbers of Blue Gil around Government Cut and Buckhead Ridge areas. Crickets, worms, and grass shrimp have been the baits of choice. These baits are best fished with no bobber and a light split shot weight (size BB).
Bass fishing still has been great here on Lake Okeechobee. The pattern has stayed the same with large numbers of fish being caught early in the morning and as the sun heats up, the bite slows down. Get out on the water early in the morning or late in the evening, these times are not only cooler they also yield the best bite. The larger fish seem to be scattered throughout the region. Throw reaction baits in the morning and slow it down after the morning bite slows down with senkos or the old classic 7.5″/10″ soft plastic ribbontail worm.
Primary Areas:
- Government Cut (Panfish)
- Buckhead Ridge (Panfish/Bass)
- Henry Creek (Bass)
Primary Baits:
- Crickets, Worms, & Grass Shrimp (Panfish)
- Spinnerbait (War Eagle, Hot Mouse or Golden Shiner)
- Gambler Big EZ
“Little Guy Lands Big O Bass”
“Father and Son”