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This year Okeechobee had one of the worst Algae blooms in its history. Many fish killed, and the estuaries that they feed east and west were also effected. It was in most of the newspapers in the area. Its fertilizer and waste caused from Dairy and Sugar around the lake.

Finding clear water. If your fishing our shallow bowl lakes in Florida, and you want clear water, check the weather patterns a week before your going to fish. If the wind is blowing out of the west, the clearer water will usually be on the west side. If its blowing from the north, the north side should be cleaner. Wind will muddy our waters quickly because many lakes have a muck bottom. Once the muck is stirred up, it will travel with wind blown current in the direction of the current. Another possibility, look for sheltered areas like openings in the thick grass, or sand base bottom areas. Sometimes thick vegetation or sheltered streams and inlets will provide clear water on a muddy lake. The thick vegetation filters out the muddy water. Wind and wind blown current is the biggest cause especially on places like Okeechobee or Istapoga, big shallow bodies of water, with big muck bottom areas.. Another thing is, it takes days of calm weather before the water starts to clear once stirred up. Again check your weather patterns closely. It is one of the most important fishing preps you can do in planning a trip. If your fishing from the bank, pick a side according to the weather pattern. This is similar to planning for a boat trip. Don't fight the weather, use it as your friend.

Believe it or not, try a square bill crank bait that hits the depth you like. The square bill will bounce right off those rocks. If it does get hung stop with slack, and it should float right up, just for extra insurance keep a knocker handy.

Always PB&J sandwich or Peanut butter and cheese crackers. It tastes sooooooooo good out on the water!

Stopped using baits with treble hooks. Now fish almost all plastics.

Over the years I have buried treble hooks at least 5 times. Two in the finger which my friend pushed all the way through and we cut off the barb. Two in the belly that were buried deep and would not come out. Two emergency room trips. People were laughing when I walked in with a Bill Dance deep diver hanging from my belly. I have a bad habit of muscling them out when stuck in weeds. They shoot back like bullets. Finally a repala stickbait in my back from my cousins son. Went home had a few drinks and my cousin had to cut it out. Emergency room got too expensive.

Loading and unloading advice. Do all your prep at home, or in a clear area, and not right at the ramp. When pulling out, clear the ramp as soon as possible. Once clear, then pack everything up. Nothing worse then a guy taking 20 minutes to clear the ramp. As for the plug, don't forget it. If you own a boat long enough, we have all done it at least once. Good luck, you'll have a great time, I hope to meet you out there at one of the Broward spots.

Good luck with your new friend. Now get out and use it. Nothing worse for a boat then sitting and not being used. I would use only recreational fuel, its ethanol free. Go on-line you may find a station close with ethanol free gas. In Broward there are a bunch, and a Florida web site listing them.

I've been fishing a long time and never caught a frog. Use him as bait!!!!!!!

Thanks guys, any shade of watermelon is my first choice of color, then junebug, okeechobee, and morning dawn. We had to fish slow and let it drop off the ledges. Absolutely no sign of beds out there.

Northwest side of a lake will warm first in winter. Look for rip rap since the rock will hold warmth longer. Use light weight and fish slow, plastic baits will slowly fall through the water column and give sluggish fish a better look and time to react. Florida bass are really effected by these sudden cold fronts, much more then their northern cousins. Good luck!

Saturday 1/21/17, 6:30-noon, Temp 70's, wind SSW 20, water temp 69*, pumps off no current, water clear. Went out this morning with friend Dave. There was heavy fog until 7:30, too thick to run the boat. We fished the lake by the ramp until it lifted. Duck hunters were out in full force and shots sounded as soon as the fog lifted. Started with the frog with little action, moved to the senko and picked up a decent bass that came off at the boat. Unlike other sections of the everglades the exotics were not present. All fish caught were bass. The bite was slow but consistent. We moved down to the east canal and the bite was the same. Most were caught on senkos and trick worms, and caught at the first major drop off. The biggest bass were caught at the ramp or close to it. We finished with 18 caught, and we both had a few that came off at the boat. The morning was beautiful with light wind but by 11:00 the wind made boat control and fishing a challenge. It was a nice day, with good company.

Sorry, just habit!

Went out Saturday to the Alley west of the Miami River. Tons of Oscar action in the pads and on the flat. Bass caught were small and deep in the canal.

I have personally seen a baby duck taken by a big bass in a neighborhood lake. The mother had 6 baby ducks when I first saw her. Two weeks later she only had two left. I'm sure some big bass find an easy meal with a baby duck.

How many carry while out in the boat? Do you stow the weapon on water proof box, or actually carry while out there?

Scott is a salesman and a personality. KVD is just the best fisherman on the planet from Northern to Southern, East to West. The man in in a class by himself, and a fishing machine.

Florida bass usually take a few days of warm weather before they adjust. Unlike there northern cousins that adjust quicker.

My biggest strength would be concentration, knowing what the bait is doing when I change cadence. Like the previous post, I believe I keep my bait wet more often, and longer, then most that fish with me. You can't get bit, unless your bait is wet! I don't run and gun, and I don't keep changing baits. I throw what I have confidence in, and keep working it!

I agree with you on the mono. Big Game is my choice of mono and has been for some time.

I am fishing South Florida, south of the Palm Beaches most of the time. Our Florida Strain Bass are very sensitive to cold front. In the summer, and winter, I like the evening bite for different reasons. 1). In winter, especially around a cold front the heating of the day allows the water, and fish to warm up and I feel it makes them more active. Afternoons usually provide your highest water temps of the day. Florida bass can lock jaw quick with a good cold spell. 2). In summer it is so hot and humid down here that the afternoon evening bite is better for me. It is cooler while packing everything up, and putting the boat back on the trailer. It has nothing to do with the fish, but rather the fisherman. The morning bite is good, but packing up is brutal with the mid day sun.

I have always liked his shows because he is not over the top pushing his products like Roland, and a heck of a fisherman. If you want reality all the time, go to Major League Fishing and watch what their throwing while they try to survive the cuts. Best reality fishing show on the tube!

The plastic grocery bags tied to the antenna do a good job. I also put a reflective window shade in the front window. They have not touched the truck since. Just don't park close to the trees close to the ramps. I try to find a spot out away from the ramps. Before taking precautions, they tore up my wiper blades, and crapped over every inch of the truck. It was quite a mess. These guys are also at the Stick Marsh in Sabastion, and Everglades National Park. They are seasonal visitors from southern Illinois, Black Vultures! Lots of information on them on-line.

I fish the Lox road ramp on the south end quite often. The real threat to your vehicle is the vultures this time of year. They love to destroy the molding, wiper blades, and rubber gaskets on your truck. You can tie plastic shopping bags to your antenna for movement to keep them away from your vehicle. Don't park by any trees close to the ramps. They seem to hit those vehicles more often. I have never heard of a break in, in over thirty years of fishing Lox. There is often wildlife officers in the area. The flats all hold bass and all you need is the right baits. Swimbaits, frogs, trick worms, senkos and creature baits will put you on the fish. If your a flipping guy there are endless opportunities. You don't need to run far to find fish in the flats.

Punch up a search for Okeechobee on this site. There is a lot of information present and past. The O keeps changing so nothing stays the same for long.