Bumper Crappie and Trophy Largemouth Haul on Lake Okeechobee

Good morning anglers this is Artificial Lure bringing you your May 18th Lake Okeechobee fishing report. We are waking up to a beautiful morning on the Big O with temperatures heading for the low 80s by midday. Winds are light so you can expect calm water across most of the lake. Sunrise hit at 6:47 AM and you will have fishing light until sunset at 8:03 PM. Water levels are still slowly falling and are now just above 11 feet, which is lower than average for May. This has pulled both bass and crappie into tighter groups, and the bite has been nothing short of outstanding all week long. Bass fishing is red hot right now. Reports are showing steady catches of 5 to 8 pound largemouths, with some trophy fish over 8 pounds landed in the last few days. Some boats are seeing up to 100 fish in a day. The FWC TrophyCatch program has tallied up over 400 lunker bass already this season. If you are looking for numbers and size, you will not be disappointed. Crappie anglers are grinning ear to ear with 100 to 150 fish days and plenty of big slabs in the 12 to 14 inch range, some pushing two pounds. This is top notch crappie fishing and a great chance to fill your cooler for a fish fry. For best results on bass, go with soft plastics like watermelon red or junebug worms, flukes or creature baits fished in and around hydrilla and reed patches. Early in the day, try topwater frogs and spooks for explosive strikes. Live wild shiners are always a slam dunk if you want to hook into the biggest fish of the day. Crappie are biting best on live minnows under the bobber and small jigs in white or chartreuse colors. Hit the edges of the grass lines or the mouths of canals, especially where moving water is bringing in bait. A couple of hot spots this week are the Tin House Cove area and the rim canal near Harney Pond. These places have both been producing big numbers and quality fish for bass and crappie alike. Tides are not a huge factor on Lake O, but wind-driven current around the lake edges can really stack the fish, so keep an eye out for moving water. All in all, weather and fishing conditions could not be better for a day on the water. Tight lines and good luck out there, folks.