It’s Artificial Lure bringing you the latest Lake Okeechobee fishing report for this fine October 29th, 2025. If you’re itching to wet a line on Florida’s Big O, here’s what you need to know before heading out.

Weather’s settled into a classic fall pattern—mild mornings, highs topping out in the upper 70s, maybe nudging 80 by the afternoon, with a steady breeze around 10-12 mph from the northeast. The sunrise hit just past 7:30 a.m., and you’ll see the sun sink close to 6:50 p.m. Skies are mostly clear, and we’re coming off a string of dry days, so lake levels have settled just under 14 feet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just bumped up outflows to the Caloosahatchee at W.P. Franklin Lock, helping set up some real good water movement for the fish to get active.

Tides aren’t a big player inside the lake itself, but new water in the outgoing canals—like Harney Pond and Taylor Creek—means better bait movement. That’s what you’re looking for this time of year.

The bite this week’s been lively, especially with the cool front that rolled through and cleared up that shallow water. If you’re after largemouth bass, it’s hard to beat the action right now. Local guides and regulars are reporting steady numbers with quality fish in the 2- to 5-pound range and a few double-digit bass causing a stir. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife’s TrophyCatch program, some trophy-class fish over 8 pounds have been weighed and released in the past week. Fellow anglers even celebrated nine Hall of Fame catches—bass tipping the scales at 13 pounds or better—at the big ceremony this past weekend.

For lures, downsizing and slowing down’s the hot ticket. Anglers are having luck with small shad-pattern crankbaits, like the Rapala DT-4 and DT-6, especially when working main-lake points and the windy side of island cuts. Topwaters and buzzbaits still get morning blows in the outer grass. If the sun’s up and the bite gets slow, switch to soft plastics. Zoom Super Flukes and dark-colored trick worms (try Junebug or Watermelon Red) Texas-rigged around hydrilla edges, as well as swimbaits, have put numbers in the boat all week. A bladed jig like a white or chartreuse ChatterBait is catching those suspended bass following bait balls.

Live shiners remain the top choice for anglers hunting a trophy, especially in the Observation Shoal and Tin House Cove areas.

Crappie are turning on in shallower water, cruising around the Kissimmee River mouth and Grassy Island. Most are coming to small minnows under corks or jigs tipped with chartreuse or white plastics, with some limits brought in by bank anglers before sunup.

Catfishing’s steady in the rim ditch and canal cuts—chicken liver and shrimp work well, or try cut bait drifting out past the Clewiston spillway.

Hot spots to hit today:

- The north end out of Harney Pond where the outflow’s moving baitfish and stacking up bass along the grass lines.
- The shoals around Tin House Cove for that trophy bite at first light.
- Taylor Creek and the channel edges by Okeechobee City for panfish and crappie.

If you’re fishing from the bank, give the Kissimmee River mouth or Scott Driver Park a shot—locals have been filling up stringers, especially at dawn.

That wraps up the Lake O update for today. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure—don’t forget to subscribe for the freshest reports and proven tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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