South / Central Florida

Question
QUESTION: My questions are a bit further south than your most recent experience, but you're the closest "expert" I can find.
I'm interested in a trip to Lake Okeechobee but I don't want to be taking fish off their beds.  With this trip in mind...
1.  For a Spring trip (Apr or May is preferred), which timeframe
   is least likely to find spawning bass?
2.  Do you know anything about use and/or transportation of a
   boat registered in Virginia?  e.g. Does Florida require fees
   or registration to launch out of state registered boats?
   Note - in case it matters, it's a small (<18ft) bass boat.

Thanks for your time and information.
Fred

ANSWER: Fred; While it is a bit south of my primary area I have fished Okeechobee a couple of times with an uncle who lived at Moore Haven.  Spawning will likely be mostly over for bass by April or May.  The spawn here in late February to March so probably earlier down there.

At Moore Haven on the west side of the lake is where I fished.  If the weather is calm you can follow a trail out of the lock at Moore Haven to an area called the "Monkey Box."  This area is only about 4-5 feet deep and is almost completely covered in pepper grass.  The way we fished was to drift with the wind and cast about forty five degrees off the direction we were moving on either side.  We used what I remember as a black plastic bait about 9 inches long and with the hooks moulded in the body.  I think it was called some kind of witch but not sure.  We would cast out and reel the lure in across the tops of the pepper grass.  When we would see a boil at our lure we would lower our rod tip and wait a second or two then tighten up and strike.
The fish would then dive into the weeds so we would use the oars to take us to the bass.  We would then pull up a big bunch of grass and take the fish out of the middle of it. Not really the kind of bass fishing I like but this was what my Uncle liked to fish.  We caught several fish in the one to three pounds but no big ones.

There are here and there open spaces usually with sand bottom.  If I had been fishing by myself I would have given these areas more time but Uncle wanted to move out of them.  I think a lure worked around the edges of the grass at these open spaces might have produced some bigger fish.  If possible it would likely pay you to hire a guide for the first day and ask him to take you to several different areas for bass.

Now as to your boat, If it is licensed in any State in the U.S. you may use it in Florida without fees other than sometimes a launch fee of a couple of dollars.  Most public landings used to be free but now they charge a fee to launch.  There may be a few places that are free. Make certain that your boat is up to par on safety requirements and have enough PFDs  for all passengers.  They are pretty strict on this down there.

Watch the weather, this is a large shallow lake and the wind can kick up some big waves.  If the wind on the lake is too high you can still find some good fishing in the rim canal.  Get a good map of the lake and set your GPS on the landing so you can get back as the lake is big enough for you to get out of sight of land.

If I were going down there by myself I would spend some time in one of the bait stores and milk as much information out of locals as possible.

The lake isn't all weeds there is some open water especially in the south.  The deepest water is where the intercostal  waterway crosses.  Probably about 15 feet if I remember right.  I have no knowledge of fishing in this area.

Actually February and March would probably be a better time for big bass and they do not all bed at the same time.

I hope this has been of some help and I hope you have a good trip.  I wish I could give you more information but just remember a bass is a bass most anywhere you find him.


Jack L. Gaither          (JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole, Georgia

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Jack,

First - Thank you very much for your answer to my question.  Based on your response (and my options), I'm hoping to make the trip between the middle of March and mid-April.  In anticipation, I ordered a "Fishing Hot Spots" map of the lake, which I received today.  Prior to your original answer, I was unaware of the existence of the "rim canal."  All other areas of the lake are well marked, but (unfortunately), this map doesn't indicate any depth information within the canal.  I understand you knowledge is limited to the area closer to Moore Haven, but any information, or even estimation, of canal depth would be appreciated.
Thanks (again),
Fred

Answer
I had heard of the rim canal but never fished it.  I read an article in one of the magazines about fishing the canal when the lake was too rough to fish.  From what I can remember about the article there are some places in the rim canal that are deeper than the usual depth of the lake.  If I remember correctly there were a few places that are fairly deep relative to the average depth of the lake.  I think I saw something about ten foot depths.  I realize this is flimsy information but it is the best I can do.

I hope you have a good trip and catch some big Florida bass.  I know they are in there but that is a lot of water for them to hide in.  Even here with 37,500 acres in Lake Seminole is a lot of water for fish to hide in but I have been fortunate enough to find some of them.  My biggest is just under ten pounds.  I think I have had a ten plus one on but as usual the big on gets away.  I have caught a good number of seven and eight pound bass though.  I hope you hook one over ten pounds.  Let me know how you do after you get back home.  You can use my e-mail if you like.  [email protected].

Thanks for the follow up.

Jack L. Gaither          (JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole,  Georgia.