I know quite a few on here vacation to Florida, USA on occasion and questions about fishing there are not unusual. I though you might enjoy this piece and that maybe it would give you ideas for your next vacation.

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Florida's Lake Okeechobee takes anglers to the heart of nature
by Jim Robey

Herons and egrets took flight ahead of the airboat roaring through a narrow channel. Coot and gallinule paddled for cover on one side or the other. Bob Koverman of Troy, Ohio, the driver, and his four fishing friends did not speak of the abundant bird life in the marsh of Lake Okeechobee in southern Florida. Doing so would have been futile. All wore muffs to protect their ears from the roar of the engine.

Koverman slowed the airboat, passed through an opening on the right, and roared on over a surface spotted with lily pads, stands of needle grass, flags, bulrushes and other vegetation. Several small islands of dense vegetation were passed in the next 10 minutes. I was looking to the left when an alligator splashed off one of the islands. It was no surprise then when Koverman stopped the engine and said, "This is the Gator Hole." "Yes, one was back at that island," I said, pointing toward it.

Koverman has been fishing at Lake Okeechobee for 20 years by bass boat and airboat. He said alligators and snakes have never been a problem for him or any of his friends. Nonetheless, I never will forget the incident a few years ago when Bob stepped up on a small island where an alligator was sleeping. Several of us who witnessed the event still debate which animal made the most commotion getting off the island: Koverman or the alligator. Fortunately, they hit the water going opposite directions.

Snakes worry people who won't wade and fish. Lake Okeechobee does have the poisonous water moccasin. But harmless water snakes are more common. Usually, snakes don't get close to fishermen and no report comes to mind where a snake ever tried to climb into a boot that was being used.

John Schiller was the first wade fisherman to slide over the gunwale of the airboat, followed by Dwaine Roush and Ron Begg respectively. Koverman and I were departing in waders when Schiller pulled in the first bass. The angler had taken only a dozen steps before catching the plump fish just short of 13 inches. It was perfect for the stringer tied to the angler's belt. Unlike bass caught at other places and rated only fair for eating, bass at Okeechobee are delicious, especially the ones less than 13 inches.

Florida fishing laws make it illegal to keep bass at Okeechobee from 13 to 18 inches. An angler may take five bass a day less than 13, or over 18 inches. As the anglers spread out and fished different waters they all caught bass. And they all did by casting an artificial, soft-bodied, 6-inch lizard. It was Texas rigged to make it weedless. Vegetation makes it impossible to use a lure that isn't weedless.

As good as wade fishing was in March, it's no better than boat fishing at deeper portions of Okeechobee. Still, wading has unique appeal. Nothing can give a fisherman the feeling of being a part of nature more than wade fishing through a marsh. You hear the peeps and screeches of mudhens, the grunting of frogs and often see a marsh hawk gliding low over the water.

Koverman checked back to the airboat with the biggest bass, measuring 21 inches and weighing more than 5 pounds. "I caught it on a short cast not far from the airboat," Koverman said. Southern Florida anglers anticipate the good bass fishing will continue through April, and longer.

A Florida nonresident, sevenday fresh-water fishing license costs $16.50, but don't fish Okeechobee without a guide, or a friend who can show you where to go, and how to get back.

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newt i had a fantastic days sport in Orlando catching 7 bass to about 6lb on shiners .the boat ride alone was worth the cost .bit worried when he,s family phoned with a tornado warning!!.
great fishing defiantly the right thing to get a guide ,only one other fish caught by 3 boats so he really put me on the fish.
bass pro shop disappointing service (never thought i would type that).very unusual previous trips all OK.cheers big AL

Newt,

Are you anywhere near St. Cloud?

atb,

Elton

Elton - assuming you meant St. Cloud, FL rather than the one in Minnesota or the one in Wisconsin,