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Big Bass, Crappie, and Shiner Bites Heat Up on Lake Okeechobee
Published 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Good morning from the edge of the Big O – this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Okeechobee fishing report for Sunday, November 9th, 2025.
We’re starting the day under clear, breezy conditions with fall finally settling in and overnight lows cooling things off. According to the National Weather Service, sunrise hit at 6:37 AM this morning, and sunset will be about 5:35 PM. Expect highs today right around the mid-70s, with a decent east wind at 10 to 15 mph—so grab your windbreaker. Tidal movement isn’t a huge factor directly on Okeechobee, but feeder canals flowing strong and wind-driven currents in the shoals mean baitfish are on the move.
Big bass action this week has been red hot, with the best bite coming early and late. Local guides and weekend warriors alike are reporting catches of 4- to 8-pound largemouths, especially after the big winds laid down for a spell. According to Major League Fishing’s recap of last week's Toyota Series event, Jessie Mizell hauled in over 51 pounds across three days, anchored by a late surge on a topwater frog. Custom SPRO Bronzeye Poppin’ Frogs in killer gill and Medlock Jigs were money. Swimbaits and vibrating jigs like the Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait JackHammer, especially in golden shiner or black-and-blue with matching trailers, were favorites for culling up big limits around grass lines and reed edges.
The north end, up by Tin House Cove and Horse Island, has been especially productive when the water’s clean. Anglers working the outside reed edge and pitching to isolated cover have done well, with Gambler Burner Worms and Gambler Fat Ace stickbaits in black-blue or copperfield drawing solid bites. Down south, Harney Pond and the rim canals are holding fish too, particularly where baitfish schools stack up. Don’t overlook shell beds close to the Kissimmee River mouth—Carolina rigs and deep-diving jerkbaits are putting big girls in the boat.
Shiner fishing, as always, is a Lake Okeechobee staple and has been absolutely crushing it this week, especially for the live bait purists. As seen recently at Roland Martin Marina and mentioned by Outdoor TV Classics, the shiner bite first thing in the morning is putting out quality fish, so bring a few dozen if you want a shot at the biggest bass in the lake.
Crappie action is picking up as well—YouTube reports from just yesterday show slabs being caught trolling tube jigs around eelgrass flats near the mouth of the Kissimmee River and Harney Pond. Stick to white, chartreuse, or sparkle combinations for the best results as the water continues to cool.
Your best artificial choices right now are:
- Topwater frogs in calm pockets for aggressive morning fish.
- Chatterbaits, especially gold or shiner patterns, worked briskly around grass edges.
- Soft plastics—stick worms and swimbaits rigged weedless—pitched into holes in the hydrilla.
- Carolina rigs with long leaders and bulky creature baits dragged along hard-bottom areas.
For live bait, nothing beats wild shiners fished on a float near submerged cover. That’ll get the attention of the giants.
Top hot spots this week are:
- **Tin House Cove**: Clean water and active fish on inside reed lines.
- **Harney Pond Canal**: Steady bass action and crappie showing up on the flats.
- **Kissimmee River outlet shell beds**: Big fish lurking; perfect for slow-dragging a worm or slow-rolling a chatterbait.
Remember, stay mobile and don’t be afraid to move if you’re not getting bit. The fish are schooling up and feeding heavy before the next front.
Thanks for tuning in to this Big O update. Hit that subscribe button to stay up on the action, and tight lines out there! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
We’re starting the day under clear, breezy conditions with fall finally settling in and overnight lows cooling things off. According to the National Weather Service, sunrise hit at 6:37 AM this morning, and sunset will be about 5:35 PM. Expect highs today right around the mid-70s, with a decent east wind at 10 to 15 mph—so grab your windbreaker. Tidal movement isn’t a huge factor directly on Okeechobee, but feeder canals flowing strong and wind-driven currents in the shoals mean baitfish are on the move.
Big bass action this week has been red hot, with the best bite coming early and late. Local guides and weekend warriors alike are reporting catches of 4- to 8-pound largemouths, especially after the big winds laid down for a spell. According to Major League Fishing’s recap of last week's Toyota Series event, Jessie Mizell hauled in over 51 pounds across three days, anchored by a late surge on a topwater frog. Custom SPRO Bronzeye Poppin’ Frogs in killer gill and Medlock Jigs were money. Swimbaits and vibrating jigs like the Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait JackHammer, especially in golden shiner or black-and-blue with matching trailers, were favorites for culling up big limits around grass lines and reed edges.
The north end, up by Tin House Cove and Horse Island, has been especially productive when the water’s clean. Anglers working the outside reed edge and pitching to isolated cover have done well, with Gambler Burner Worms and Gambler Fat Ace stickbaits in black-blue or copperfield drawing solid bites. Down south, Harney Pond and the rim canals are holding fish too, particularly where baitfish schools stack up. Don’t overlook shell beds close to the Kissimmee River mouth—Carolina rigs and deep-diving jerkbaits are putting big girls in the boat.
Shiner fishing, as always, is a Lake Okeechobee staple and has been absolutely crushing it this week, especially for the live bait purists. As seen recently at Roland Martin Marina and mentioned by Outdoor TV Classics, the shiner bite first thing in the morning is putting out quality fish, so bring a few dozen if you want a shot at the biggest bass in the lake.
Crappie action is picking up as well—YouTube reports from just yesterday show slabs being caught trolling tube jigs around eelgrass flats near the mouth of the Kissimmee River and Harney Pond. Stick to white, chartreuse, or sparkle combinations for the best results as the water continues to cool.
Your best artificial choices right now are:
- Topwater frogs in calm pockets for aggressive morning fish.
- Chatterbaits, especially gold or shiner patterns, worked briskly around grass edges.
- Soft plastics—stick worms and swimbaits rigged weedless—pitched into holes in the hydrilla.
- Carolina rigs with long leaders and bulky creature baits dragged along hard-bottom areas.
For live bait, nothing beats wild shiners fished on a float near submerged cover. That’ll get the attention of the giants.
Top hot spots this week are:
- **Tin House Cove**: Clean water and active fish on inside reed lines.
- **Harney Pond Canal**: Steady bass action and crappie showing up on the flats.
- **Kissimmee River outlet shell beds**: Big fish lurking; perfect for slow-dragging a worm or slow-rolling a chatterbait.
Remember, stay mobile and don’t be afraid to move if you’re not getting bit. The fish are schooling up and feeding heavy before the next front.
Thanks for tuning in to this Big O update. Hit that subscribe button to stay up on the action, and tight lines out there! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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