Low water, low wave action, and the re-growth of vegetation are good news for Okeechobee. The bad news is that extreme low-water levels make navigating the lake an endeavor best exercised by the prudent.

“We tell them not to churn and burn like they always did,” Wells said. “But some folks can’t resist cranking up that throttle. It’s been a good year for outboard motor repairmen around here.”

For those who tread lightly and don’t contact hard bottom in an aggressive manner, the fishing has been exceptional. Bass have weighed in the 11-pound range, which is an unusually high weight for a Big O fish. There have also been a gratifying number of 8- to 9-pound bass reported. Those in the 4- to 6-pound range -- for which the Big O is famous -- have been plentiful.

The bassin’ situation doesn’t look to change too much this month.

“We anticipate an excellent summer,” Wells offered. “But we can’t predict the water levels. The (Army) Corps (of Engineers) is trying to hold as much water in as they can, but usage requirements have to let some out. If our rainy season kicks in during June, like normal, we should see levels come up a bit by July. That will let anglers run well to the better fishing areas. And with the grass coming up, there should be plenty of good fish holding cover for them to target.”

If water levels increase a foot or so, anglers will be able to quickly get into such productive areas as the Monkey Box, Moonshine Bay, Pelican Bay and Bay Bottom. Once they’re there, finding bass should not be a problem.

“Look for new grass in 4 to 5 feet of water that will hold midsummer bass,” Wells advises. “During the morning and evening hours, topwater baits -- whether hard plugs or soft-plastics -- are traditionally effective. If the peppergrass keeps increasing like it is, we’ll also see weedless spoons and spinnerbaits becoming really effective once again.”

As the sun climbs, Big O anglers are able to revert to another pattern that has been traditionally effective.

“Look for the ‘heads’,” Wells advised. “These are heavy vegetation patches in the same depth range. Bass burrow under them in the middle of the day, and flipping or pitching weedless soft-plastics into them has been one of the best ways to take big bass this time of year.”

While the water level may be down on the Big O, the prognosis is up. And the same can be said for other nearby waters.

Low water is always good in the long term. And in the short term, it confines the existing bass population in a small area, where they are more easily found. That’s as true on the massive Big O as it is on smaller lakes.

LAKE ISTOKPOGA
Like the Big O, Istokpoga is undergoing low water. The spring of 2007 saw maximum lake depths of little more than 7 feet. Still, that’s not a concern for summer anglers, despite few fish spending the hotter months in this lake’s shallows.

Istokpoga bass are notorious for spending their summers in the offshore hydrilla beds. This year, however, there may be less hydrilla for them to hide in.

“We lost a lot of hydrilla during the hurricane years,” explained veteran guide Reno Alley. “The north end of the lake took the biggest hit, while the south end came through pretty well. That hydrilla is coming back, and with the low water, we will see a lot of good fish concentrated around what they can find.”

Alley advised anglers to start looking for hydrilla in the deepest mid-lake waters they can find, which points to the southern area. While any hydrilla is good, Alley finds some layouts to be much better than others.

“I want to find hydrilla in the 6- to 7-foot range, which is about as deep as this lake was in the spring,” he said. “But even if we get some rainfall in the early summer that brings the water up, I’d stay in that depth range.

“The best situation to find,” the guide continued, “is large patches that are broken up into checkerboard sections, with some topped-out green, healthy hydrilla forming a surface mat and other areas still a couple of feet below the surface.

“This is a perfect habitat for summer bass on this lake because it gives them a roof effect they can slide under during midday, adjacent to more open areas where they can corral shad and other baitfish. If you find a patch that also forms points, pockets and cuts, you will find bass.