Chasing Gators in Okeechobee's Winter Bite

Artificial Lure with your Saturday Lake Okeechobee fishing report for November 15, 2025. We’re shaking off a post-cold front chill—the mercury was down to 39 at sunrise, with the sun cracking the horizon at 6:41 am and setting at 5:33 pm. High pressure is bringing clearing skies and a little warmth after a few rainy days earlier this week, though brisk winds have kept the water moving, especially on exposed edges. No tides here, but flows in the Rim Canal and tributaries are slightly up, giving those spots a bit more action according to the National Weather Service. Fishing started slow this morning, but like yesterday, the bite heats up as the day goes on and temps rise, especially along sunny grass flats. Local tournaments wrapping up Day 2 weighed in some healthy bags—Sam Hanggi topped the Bassmaster EQ leaderboard with 23 pounds, 15 ounces, anchored by a couple of big largemouth, including a 7-15 and a 6-pound kicker caught in the afternoon. Top five bags ranged between 23 and 15 pounds, steady numbers given the tough conditions. Most anglers averaged three fish apiece, with a few grinding out limits late into the day. If you’re chasing largemouth, it’s all about the grass beds and reed edges. The cold front has fish glued to cover early, so slow rolling is key. Black-and-blue jigs, Okeechobee craw soft plastics, and speed worms fished deep in hydrilla are the local favorites. Texas-rigged Senkos in junebug or watermelon red are putting bigger fish in the box for those targeting staging areas just outside of major spawning pockets, like where Hanggi struck gold yesterday afternoon. Spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse (double willow blades) have popped off when the wind lays, particularly on wind-blown points—look for baitfish flickering in the grass and birds working the area, a solid sign the bass are feeding. For numbers, the Rim Canal at Clewiston is steady with soft stickbaits and finesse presentations, but the big tournament-caliber bass are hanging in deeper grass on the north and west shorelines. Folks downsizing for crappie and bluegill found some slabs near Tin House and Harney Pond yesterday, with small jigs and live minnows accounting for most of the action. It’s not lights-out, but patient anglers are catching enough for a fish fry. YouTube angler Rick reported steady morning crappie just off reed points, though the bite slowed after sunrise. Best lure colors right now: black/blue, fire craw, junebug, and watermelon red. If you’re frog fishing, a popping frog with some added flash—like Jessie Mizell’s trick from last week’s Toyota Series—is drawing the right kind when the wind lays down, especially late in the day. Today’s HOT SPOTS: - Monkey Box: Classic winter hydrilla beds with big females staging deep, warms quickest after cold snaps. - Tin House Cove: Less boat pressure, thick cover, and reliable afternoon bite windows. - Rim Canal near Clewiston: The canal bite is slow but steady—great for numbers, especially with stickb