Lake Okeechobee: A True Florida Bass Fishing Paradise

Okeechobee is a Seminole Indian word meaning "great water cannot see other side". True to its name, Lake Okeechobee is 748 square miles in size. It is the greatest provider of drinking water for south Florida, averaging 13-19 feet in depth.

Lake Okeechobee is renowned internationally for its fishing for bass and other species. It is located northeast of Naples, less than 2 hours away, and is heavily ringed with tackle shops, marinas, motels, restaurants, etc. You can find rental boats, gears and lodging to make your bass fishing trip more convenient and comfortable.

Lake Okeechobee also means 'big water' to the Seminole Indians, it is the second largest freshwater lake in the United States after Lake Michigan and its fishing reputation matches its size. Much of the lake's 730 square miles or 450,000 acres are hidden from view by dyke, levee, or trees which screen the shore.

Lake Okeechobee has a 150 mile circumference and its invisible opposite shore is more than 30 miles away. The best fishing and more than half of the action, takes place along the lake's western shore where Calhoun's Guide Service is based.

Lake Okeechobee comprises a 730 square-mile area in Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, and Hendry Counties its average depth is 9 feet with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Recharge comes from precipitation and southward flow of water from the Kissimmee River. Historically, hydro pattern flowed southward over millions of acres.

Lake Okeechobee offers all types of waterway structures to fish - from open water to narrow canals surrounded by hundreds of different vegetations and grasses.

Lake Okeechobee is located in central southern Florida, north of the Everglades and south of Orlando. Lake Okeechobee links the Atlantic and Gulf sides of Florida via the Port Mayaca Lock on the east side of the lake and the Moore Haven Lock on the lake