Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report: Ideal Early-December Conditions, Largemouth and Crappie Biting Strong

The Big O is in a classic early‑December pattern right now, with light south winds, stable water, and a comfortable warm‑up by midmorning. Lows are starting cool but not cold, warming into the upper 70s with just a slight chop on the open lake, so you can run around safely in a bass boat or pontoon. Skies have been partly cloudy, giving just enough cover to keep that bite going longer into the day.

Sunrise is lining up around the 7 o’clock hour with sunset just after 5:30 local, and that low‑light window is absolutely prime. The first hour after sunup and the last hour of daylight are when the bigger largemouth have been chewing best, especially on wind‑blown grass edges and rock in the canals. Midday slows some in the clear water, but you can still grind them out by slowing down and getting tight to cover.

Bass activity has been strong along the outside reed and buggy‑whip lines, with fish pushing shad and bluegill in shallow pockets off the main lake. Anglers have been putting solid numbers of 2‑ to 4‑pounders in the boat with a handful of 6‑ to 8‑pound class fish showing up, especially in the cleaner canals and hard‑bottom stretches. Crappie (specks) are starting to stack in the deeper cuts and channel edges, with limits coming to folks long‑lining jigs or slow‑trolling minnows just off the bottom.

On the bass side, vibrating jigs in shad or bluegill colors, soft stickbaits, and swim jigs have been the workhorses, especially when slow‑rolled along rock and sparse grass. A weightless stick worm pitched to any isolated pad clump, cattail point, or hard‑bottom stretch has been a consistent producer when the wind lays down. Topwater walking baits and buzz toads are still getting explosive strikes early and late, particularly over scattered hydrilla and in the backs of protected bays.

For live bait, wild shiners are still king on Okeechobee, and they’ve been boating some of the heaviest fish this week. Hook those shiners just ahead of the dorsal and free‑line them around reed points, outside grass walls, and any little drain or cut where current’s moving. For specs, small tube jigs, hair jigs, or plain minnows on light line are doing the damage, especially when you keep your speed slow and steady.

As for hot spots, the North Shore from Kings Bar down through Tin House is fishing well, with cleaner water and a good mix of grass and hard bottom. The Rim Canal and select feeder canals on the southwest side have also been sneaky strong, especially where rock meets deeper water and boat traffic is lighter. Look for any stretch with a mix of rock, shell, and a little current, and work it thoroughly before you leave.

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