| I consider Florida to be the Mecca of Largemouth | | | | choice in this lake is the wild Florida Shiner. They are |
| Bass fishing in the United States. There are many | | | | available at most marinas/bait shops in the area. If you |
| places to fish in Florida. In this article I will describe one | | | | are going to target huge Largemouth Bass you will |
| place that is well known and one little known place that | | | | need to use large bait. An eight to ten inch long shiner |
| offers great fishing opportunities as well. I want to | | | | allowed to swim freely under a float, or free lined, is an |
| stress that there are many different lakes to fish in | | | | awesome presentation. Understand that with large bait |
| Florida. When I talk about Lake Okeechobee for | | | | you need to use a very large hook. Make sure your |
| instance understand that there are hundreds of lakes | | | | hook is well sharpened as it must penetrate the tough |
| that fit the same description throughout South Florida. | | | | mouth of a very large fish. You need to use a stout |
| Lake Okeechobee is perhaps the most famous | | | | heavy action rod that has enough backbone to set |
| Largemouth Bass lake in the United States; It has | | | | that hook deep inside the mouth of your quarry. |
| earned that reputation by continuously producing large | | | | If you prefer the more sporting method of using |
| numbers of very large bass. It is a very large lake, | | | | artificial baits then you need to gear your arsenal to |
| over 50,000 square miles! It is also a very shallow | | | | fishing in heavy weeds. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and |
| Lake. A large portion of this lake is less than 6 feet | | | | other topwater offering are much more important to |
| deep. These in fact are the areas that often hold the | | | | have in your box than crankbaits and spoons. You |
| largest bass. I would venture to guess than over half | | | | need to be able to retrieve your lure through the |
| of the ten pound or larger bass I have caught have | | | | heavy cover where the bass lie. Again make sure |
| come from water that was 306 foot deep. | | | | your hooks are sharp. Vary your retrieve until you find |
| Fishing Lake Okeechobee can be a challenge but very | | | | the proper presentations. You will find some days |
| rewarding. You will of course want to find the shallow | | | | where a fast retrieve is required to catch very active |
| weedy areas of the lake. If your only concern is | | | | fish. On other days you need a much slower |
| boating a huge Largemouth Bass then you might want | | | | presentation. |
| to consider fishing with livebait. The specific livebait of | | | | |