Lake Okeechobee Bass Fishing Reports

April 9th, 2007

Clewiston-----It’s been a good week on the Big Lake with the bass hitting both artificial lures and wild shiners. I know I’ve been reporting about the lake not being all that good but it has changed a lot in the past week, the water is cleaning up as the wind has calmed down some and with the lake level dropping the bass are really starting to move into the areas with deeper water. The lake level is down to 10.09 above sea level and if you have not been on the lake for a while it will really surprise you with the way it looks, there are rocks and shallow mud flats in most areas. The channels and dynamite holes are your best bet if you want to catch some nice bass. I have had several bass over six pounds this week on guide trips and several three to five pound bass both on shiners and artificial lures. On several trips this week we caught bass all day long on Spro Aruka Shad lipless crankbaits and Zara Super Spook topwater lures. Some of the areas that were producing best were the channels like Uncle Joe’s Cut and the Clewiston channel, the key was to fish in the clear and stained water not dirty water so you will have to keep an eye on the wind and fish accordingly. A few area that you may want to try with wild shiners are cuts and dynamite holes south of Clewiston off the rim canal. With the water temperature in the mid to upper 70s you will have to weed through the mud fish and gar but you will catch some nice bass in between. There are also some good sized bass out in the open water, you will want to be careful fishing out in the lake try to key in on water that is clear to stained and throw out a couple free swimming shiners on floats behind the boat and start throwing Rat-L-Traps or Spro Aruka Shads in a gold color in front of the boat.

I also guided a couple days at Holiday Park last week and caught over fifty bass a day on artificial lures up to five pounds. Gambler Super Stud in watermelon-red color and Zara Super Spooks accounted for most of my clients fish but we also did good on Senkos. The key is fish the cuts that go out onto the flats and lily pads on the side of the canal that is closest to the sawgrass or Everglades side. The Bluegills and Oscars have been hitting great on crickets in most areas of the Everglades.


Bass Wishes
Capt. Scott Martin / Capt. Mark King