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Fall has finally arrived in South Florida and the snow is getting ready to fall up north so it won’t be long before fishing and guiding season is in full swing. Lake Okeechobee is in the best shape that it has been in many years and the fishing has been good and getting better everyday. I believe that this will be the best season we have seen for many years here on Okeechobee and I know that the fishing for bass will be awesome. We have more vegetation like eel grass, pepper grass, and hydrilla than I have seen in years and with the amount of small bass that you can see in an area just swimming around Okeechobee can only get better. The bass are moving toward their traditional spawning areas and looking for bait on their way. I’m looking forward to an awesome guide season here on Lake Okeechobee this year and the future looks even better.

Let’s talk about some of the areas that have been good as of lately and they include the Monkey Box, Cochran’s Pass, East Wall, Bluehole area, and Uncle Joe’s Cut. The water in all of these areas is in great shape and for the most part clear. Most of the trails that we had in these areas back in the grass have grown shut but as we run our boats through them they will open back up. The outside grass line in most areas has had stained water color from the wind and the water level where it is, but if you can find some clean water you can catch some bass on spinnerbaits up against the grass. As the water cools off more there should be more bass on the move heading in from the open water.

Frogs and topwater soft plastics have been the bait of choice lately and with the heavy vegetation that we have should work right on through the winter. Gambler Cane Toads and Reaction Innovation Skinny Dippers have been working better than anything else for me and my clients lately. I fish them on a heavy action Deep South rod and at least thirty pound test PowerPro line and a heavy Gamakatsu Superline hook. Try to make long casts so that you do not spook these bass grinding through the heavy cover with your trolling motor. There is two pieces of equipment on my boat that I couldn’t do without, one is my Minn Kota trolling motor and the other is my Power-Pole. My Minn Kota trolling motor has been grinding through the weeds here on Okeechobee for years and not a single problem and it gets used everyday, now that is a testament in itself to the quality of workmanship that goes into every Minn Kota trolling motor. The other piece of equipment on my boat that I couldn’t do without is my Power-Pole shallow water anchor. I have the ability to anchor my boat almost anywhere on Okeechobee and stay where I Power-Pole down and not have to worry if the wind is going to blow me off my anchors or that I’m going to have to pull my anchors up from the muddy bottom. If a client catches a fish I can put my Power-Pole down real quick and we can stay right in that place and catch more bass without the wind pushing us on through. One other product I want to mention is Fuel Medic Ethanol Treatment, if you are not using an ethanol treatment with your outboard motors you are asking for trouble that could cost you a lot of money. I have been using Fuel Medic in both of my boats and have had no fuel issues, not even a clogged filter. Give me a call and I can point you in the right direction to get this great product to put an end to any fuel problems you might have.

The bass in Uncle Joe’s Cut and in Cochran’s Pass can be caught using a Gambler Ace rigged weightless or a shakey head worm fished along the edge. I think for the most part we will be fishing in the heavy vegetation like we did last winter, but there are more bass to be caught and getting better every year. We are still catching a few bluegill and I did here that a few crappie are being caught up at the north end of the lake, let’s keep our fingers crossed that it is a good year for crappies.

Captain Mark King is a full time guide and tournament angler guiding out of the world famous Roland Martin’s Marina and Resort in Clewiston Florida. Mark is an IGFA Certified Captain, active member of the Florida Guide Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Captain Mark is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Deep South Rods, Sebile Lures, Power-Pole, Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Minn Kota trolling motors, Gambler Lures, AFTCO clothing, Van Staal pliers, Smartshield Sun Protection Products, Northlake Marine, RMR Industries, Fuel Medic Ethanol Treatment, and Frigid Rigid coolers.

Mark can be contacted to book a guide trip, seminars, personal appearances, test rides in his Evinrude powered Ranger or to fish a tournament with him at 863-983-9950 or at www.markkingfishing.comand be sure and check out www.mybassclass.com