Lake Okeechobee Bass Fishing Reports

July 10th, 2007

Clewiston-----Well were finally getting some of the desperately needed rain to the Lake Okeechobee region and the lake level is slowly going up with the level at 9.03 feet above sea level. The other great news is that with the low water level and the water clearing up so good that we are starting to see some shrimp grass growing here on the south end of the lake and hopefully the eel and pepper grass will follow. Mother nature has started the healing processes here on the Lake and hopefully it will fill back up slowly and let the habitat for the fish grow back slowly and the water quality will continue to improve. The bass fishing continues to be great with twenty to thirty fish days being the norm especially on wild shiners. With the water being so clear an early start in the morning is a must if you want to have a better chance to catch some bigger bass. Most of the guides have been using up five dozen shiners in about four hours and than you can still catch a few on artificial lures until the sun gets up overhead and then the fishing slows down fast. Most are still fishing the same areas like the main channel from the locks at Clewiston out onto the lake, the rim canal both north and south of Clewiston and the dynamite holes. The main channel has been the best area to catch some nice bass, only we are fishing farther out from Clewiston as the water continues to get clearer. Some of the lures that have been working good for me the past couple weeks are a Spro Topdog topwater lure, Gambler Super Stud in watermelon-red color, and a Gambler Ace in both watermelon-red and bluegrass color. I have been rigging the Super Stud and the Ace on 4/0 Owner “J” hook and an 1/8 ounce bullet sinker. Another lure that has been working good for me is the Lake Fork Tackle “Live” Magic Shad swimbait, just throw it up in the shallow water and reel it slowly back toward the channel and hold on. Try them in a couple different colors and I think you will see why I like them so well. The Rat-L-Trap bite has slowed down quite a bit, but I think this will change and they will start hitting them again soon. I have seen a lot of baitfish swimming around me the last couple weeks and this just reinforces what I’m saying about mother nature taking care of the lake in her own way. I have also been catching some schooling bass that have been feeding on this bait, if you see them feeding on the baitfish just throw a topwater close to them and it won’t be long before you will catch a bass. The key to fishing the main channel out to the water tank is to work your baits along the edge of the channel, once the sun gets up high in the sky most of the bass will position themselves in the deeper water right at the edge of the drop off.

I would like to congratulate Val Osinski and Byron Childers on there win in the Bass Busters Super Bucks Tournament out of Clewiston where there two day total of 38.01 pounds was good enough for a check worth $5000.00. Val is the owner of Gambler Lures and Byron is the national sales rep. It’s no surprise that they used Gamblers new Giggy Head jig with a black Sweebo worm. Till next time good luck and tight lines.

Bass Wishes
Capt. Scott Martin / Capt. Mark King