New to the Fort Pierce area....

.....and would greatly appreciate any recommendations on bank fishing in the area. We are retired and moved down here in January from Tennessee. I used to fish some with my dad on Okeechobee  when I was a teenager and we'd come down to Clewiston to visit and fish with a friend he had there. Does anyone fish the canal off of Okeechobee Road between Fort Pierce and Okeechobee? Told my wife that we should hit that up, but I've never seen anyone fishing it the couple of times we've been over to Okeechobee to hike on the lake levee. She's pretty apprehensive about gators too, but I've told her we'd keep a good eye out on the surroundings. Any tips on a spot(s) to try would be greatly appreciated. I also plan on using mostly weedless jerk baits, spinnerbaits, and top water.