It's only mid-June and we have already had one of the best summer's in recent memory on Lake Okeechobee. The best thing though has been it has been terrific for all fisheries. Bass fishing has been incredible. The lake has risen a foot and the fish have been on a tear!

I fished with two inexpereinced anglers from Ohio today and we caught over 75 Bass in about 6 hours. All of our fish were caught on artificial baits. We used top water baits, flukes plastic worms, Senkos and spinner baits. It was one of those days that I will remember forever. It was even a little better than it has been, even though we have been catching 35 to 50 fish per trip on artificials.

Pan fishing for blue gill and shell cracker has been the best maybe ever in the 30 plus years I have fished the lake. There are literally spawning blue gills and shell cracker in every corner of the lake. The water is so clear in some areas that you can see the fish swimming in 18 to 24 inches of water and literally get on top of where they are spawning. Fly rod afficionados are having a hey day catching great big blue gill on topwater popping bugs and spiders.

I still love to catch them on an old school bream buster rod with 8 pound test a cork and cricket for bait. The only thing stopping us from catching more fish daily is we are tired of cleaning them. The shell cracker from the Big "O" are second to none in the frying pan.

You can contact Captain Michael Shellenby calling 863-357-0892 or check out his website at http://www.okeechobeebassfishing.com.

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