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Early December Bass & Crappie Bite on Big O
Published 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in from the Big O with your morning fishing rundown.
We’ve got a classic early‑December pattern on Okeechobee: cool, light northeast breeze, high in the upper 70s, low in the upper 50s, and mostly clear skies with a slight chance of a midday sprinkle according to the National Weather Service out of Miami. Winds around 5–10 out of the NE will keep the main lake a little choppy but very fishable. Sunrise is right around 7:00 a.m., sunset about 5:30 p.m., so you’ve got a tight feeding window at both ends of the day.
Being an inland lake, tide isn’t a factor here, but the solunar tables from sites like Tides4Fishing show a solid major feeding period lining up late morning, with a minor flurry at first light. That matches what locals saw yesterday. A recent “Froggy morning on Okeechobee – Quiet in Tin House and Worm Cove” video on YouTube from December 7 reported a slower early bite on topwater, with fish turning on as the sun got up and warmed the pads.
Water temps are sitting in the upper 60s to low 70s depending on where you’re at, which has these bass sliding shallow around pencil reeds, peppergrass, and eelgrass edges. The Bassmaster EQ practice reports referenced in Lake Okeechobee News say anglers have been boating good numbers of 2–4 pound largemouth with a few 6–8s mixed in, mostly on reaction baits early and soft plastics as the sun climbs. Crappie anglers around the rim canal and at the mouths of major cuts are reporting solid limits of specks on minnows and small jigs, especially at first light.
For baits, think Florida staples. Early, throw **black or junebug frogs** and **white or shad‑pattern swim jigs** over topped‑out grass and pad fields. As the sun gets higher, flip **black‑and‑blue jigs**, **junebug or watermelon red creature baits**, and **big straight‑tail worms** into reed clumps and isolated mats. Live shiners are still king if you’re hunting a true trophy; guides around Clewiston and Harney Pond are saying the biggest fish of the week all came on wild shiners drifted along outside grass lines.
Crappie guys should stick with **live minnows**, or tiny **white, chartreuse, or monkey‑milk jigs** slow‑trolled in the 6–10 foot range in the rim canal and just off the main lake points. Bluegill and shellcracker are still chewing on red worms and crickets around cattails and riprap in the afternoons when the water’s warmed a touch.
Couple hot spots to circle today:
• **Tin House Cove** on the north end – pads and scattered reeds are holding decent numbers of keeper bass. Start with a frog at first light, then flip into any thicker clumps once the sun’s up.
• **Worm Cove / Harney Pond area** on the west side – slightly stained water and healthy vegetation have been giving up both numbers and some better‑quality fish, plus a mix of specks for those slow‑trolling the edges.
If you’re closer to the south end, the **Clewiston channel and outside grass lines** are worth a pass with a chatterbait or crankbait before you settle in to flip.
That’s your Lake Okeechobee rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a Big O update.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
We’ve got a classic early‑December pattern on Okeechobee: cool, light northeast breeze, high in the upper 70s, low in the upper 50s, and mostly clear skies with a slight chance of a midday sprinkle according to the National Weather Service out of Miami. Winds around 5–10 out of the NE will keep the main lake a little choppy but very fishable. Sunrise is right around 7:00 a.m., sunset about 5:30 p.m., so you’ve got a tight feeding window at both ends of the day.
Being an inland lake, tide isn’t a factor here, but the solunar tables from sites like Tides4Fishing show a solid major feeding period lining up late morning, with a minor flurry at first light. That matches what locals saw yesterday. A recent “Froggy morning on Okeechobee – Quiet in Tin House and Worm Cove” video on YouTube from December 7 reported a slower early bite on topwater, with fish turning on as the sun got up and warmed the pads.
Water temps are sitting in the upper 60s to low 70s depending on where you’re at, which has these bass sliding shallow around pencil reeds, peppergrass, and eelgrass edges. The Bassmaster EQ practice reports referenced in Lake Okeechobee News say anglers have been boating good numbers of 2–4 pound largemouth with a few 6–8s mixed in, mostly on reaction baits early and soft plastics as the sun climbs. Crappie anglers around the rim canal and at the mouths of major cuts are reporting solid limits of specks on minnows and small jigs, especially at first light.
For baits, think Florida staples. Early, throw **black or junebug frogs** and **white or shad‑pattern swim jigs** over topped‑out grass and pad fields. As the sun gets higher, flip **black‑and‑blue jigs**, **junebug or watermelon red creature baits**, and **big straight‑tail worms** into reed clumps and isolated mats. Live shiners are still king if you’re hunting a true trophy; guides around Clewiston and Harney Pond are saying the biggest fish of the week all came on wild shiners drifted along outside grass lines.
Crappie guys should stick with **live minnows**, or tiny **white, chartreuse, or monkey‑milk jigs** slow‑trolled in the 6–10 foot range in the rim canal and just off the main lake points. Bluegill and shellcracker are still chewing on red worms and crickets around cattails and riprap in the afternoons when the water’s warmed a touch.
Couple hot spots to circle today:
• **Tin House Cove** on the north end – pads and scattered reeds are holding decent numbers of keeper bass. Start with a frog at first light, then flip into any thicker clumps once the sun’s up.
• **Worm Cove / Harney Pond area** on the west side – slightly stained water and healthy vegetation have been giving up both numbers and some better‑quality fish, plus a mix of specks for those slow‑trolling the edges.
If you’re closer to the south end, the **Clewiston channel and outside grass lines** are worth a pass with a chatterbait or crankbait before you settle in to flip.
That’s your Lake Okeechobee rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a Big O update.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI