Flippin for Crappie on Lake Okeechobee

[caloosadesign]

I was fishing the east side of Lake Okeechobee last week and had a blast. I was fishing with a few family members that have been fishing for Specks since they were little kids. The way they taught me to fish for Specks was to anchor up along the canal and get a bunch of rods out with minnows under a float. Drink coffee and wait. There were about 10 other boats doing the exact same thing. This produced very few bites for us and the other boats around us. I like fishing for Bass and cant stand sitting still for to long. I notice a boat trolling the weedline and jigging and flippin right into the thick vegetation. They were pulling out fish every few feet. I starting trolling and flippin the weedline right in the holes in the vegetation and bingo. I had caught enough fish to feed the entire family in about an hour. Everyone else in the boat kept snagging their hooks on weeds and gave up. Biggest one i caught was 14 inches long. I was using a 10 ft pole 6lb line with 1/32 oz jig head and green glitter tube. Biggest problem was getting snagged in the weeds. 6lb line was a little to light. Think i lost about 10 jigs at .75 each. I would have retreived more of them but there were Cottonmouths ever few feet warming in the sun. Must have seen 100 of them hanging on the branches. Not sure how long the Specks stay close to the shore, but i found a method of catching fish that kept me excited for hours pulling in fish.

[Crappiegirl1]

Sounds like a good fishing trip minus the snakes.

[PawPaw Gene]

caloosadesign, welcome to the forum from Louisiana and that's some good info. I have one clear water lake that I fish that fills up with hydrilla in the summer except for one certain deep spot in the lake. I do as you stated, I fish the edge pitching into the openings in the hydrilla and pull in many slabs. It's a fun way to fish as I can see the strike most times.
"gene"

[wilbur]

Good job and stay clear of them Snakes. Gators too

[crappielimits]

Carry a gun and please shoot these snakes. Great report and welcome!

[jeepguyjames]

Pm nightprowler (on the ohio threads) and get you some weedless jig heads from him......great alternative to constant re tying

[missnu]

Nice report.