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Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report: Captain Joe’s Daily Update – May 22, 2025

Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report – May 22, 2025 – Captain Joe

Howdy folks, Captain Joe here, bringing you your daily dose of what’s happening on Lake Okeechobee. Been fishin’ these waters for longer than I care to admit, and I’m here to give you the straight scoop.

Lake Level and Weather Impact

The lake level is currently at 10.95 feet. That’s down from last year’s 13.36 feet and a good bit below the historical average for this time of year. We’re about 2.41 feet lower than this time last year. The lake has dropped .07 feet in the last day.

Looks like we’re in for some rain today. The forecast calls for heavy intensity rain. Winds will be out of the Southeast at around 12.5 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. The high for today will be around 92 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low around 75 degrees.

Fishing Forecast

With the lake level continuing to drop and the rain coming in, here’s how I see it affecting the fishing:

Bass Fishing

The dropping water levels are concentrating the bass in the deeper areas and around any remaining vegetation. Focus on areas near the Kissimmee River, or around any submerged structure you can find. With the rain coming, expect the bass to be a bit more active, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. Topwater lures and swimbaits could be productive. Look for bass to be moving into the canals and cuts to get out of the main lake.

Crappie Fishing (Speckled Perch)

Crappie fishing will be best in the canals and deeper holes. Minnows and jigs are your best bet. The rain might stir things up a bit, so try fishing near areas with some current. Look for crappie to be holding tight to structure.

Catfish Fishing

Catfish will be biting with the rain coming in. Use live bait or stink bait near the bottom in the deeper parts of the lake or in the canals. The muddy water from the rain will help them find your bait by scent.

Official Lake Data

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
Lake Okeechobee and Vicinity Report
** Preliminary Data – Subject to Revision **

LOSOM24 Reg ZoneA = 16.62
LOSOM24 Reg ZoneBC = 16.15
LOSOM24 Reg ZoneD = 10.63

Data Ending 2400 hours 22 MAY 2025
_____________________________________________________________________________

Okeechobee Lake Regulation Elevation Last Year 2YRS Ago
(ft-NGVD) (ft-NGVD) (ft-NGVD)
*Okeechobee Lake Elevation 10.95 13.36 13.72 (Official Elv)

22MAY (1965-2007) Period of Record Average 13.19
Difference from POR Average -2.24

Today Lake Okeechobee elevation is determined from the 4 Int & 4 Edge stations

++Navigation Depth (Based on 2007 Channel Condition Survey) Route 1 4.89′
++Navigation Depth (Based on 2008 Channel Condition Survey) Route 2 3.09′
Bridge Clearance = 52.58′
______________________________________________________________________________

4 Interior and 4 Edge Okeechobee Lake Average (Avg-Daily values):

L001 L005 L006 LZ40 S4 S352 S308 S133
11.01 11.03 11.00 10.93 -NR- 10.99 10.90 10.90

*Combination Okeechobee Avg-Daily Lake Average = 10.95
(*See Note)
______________________________________________________________________________

Okeechobee Inflows (cfs):
S65E 243 S65EX1 0 Fisheating Cr 0
S154 0 S191 0 S135 Pumps 0
S84 1 S133 Pumps 0 S2 Pumps 0
S84X 0 S127 Pumps 0 S3 Pumps 0
S71 13 S129 Pumps 0 S4 Pumps 0
S72 0 S131 Pumps 0 C5 0
Total Inflows: 256

Okeechobee Outflows (cfs):
S135 Culverts 0 S354 854 S77 768
S127 Culverts 0 S351 896 S308 -51
S129 Culverts 0 S352 480
S131 Culverts 0 L8 Canal Pt 25
Total Outflows: 2972

****S77 structure flow is being used to compute Total Outflow.
****S308 below flow meter is being used to compute Total Outflow.

Okeechobee Pan Evaporation (inches):
S77 0.10 S308 0.28
Average Pan Evap x 0.75 Pan Coefficient = 0.14″ = 0.01′

Lake Average Precipitation using NEXRAD: = -NR-” = -NR-‘

Evaporation – Precipitation: = -NR-” = -NR-‘
Evaporation – Precipitation using Lake Area of 730 square miles
is equal to -NR-
Lake Okeechobee (Change in Storage) Flow is -11949 cfs or -23700 AC-FT
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Headwater Tailwater ———– Gate Positions ————
Elevation Elevation Disch #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8
(ft-msl) (ft-msl) (cfs) (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft)
(I) see note at bottom
North East Shore
S133 Pumps: 12.89 11.14 0 0 0 0 0 -NR- (cfs)
S193: ______
S191: 18.84 11.06 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
S135 Pumps: 12.45 10.61 0 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S135 Culverts: 0 0.0 0.0

North West Shore
S65E: 21.00 11.02 243 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.1
S65EX1: 21.00 11.02 0
S127 Pumps: 12.49 11.02 0 0 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S127 Culvert: 0 0.0

S129 Pumps: 13.04 11.85 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S129 Culvert: 0 0.0

S131 Pumps: 13.18 13.21 0 0 0 (cfs)
S131 Culvert: 0

Fisheating Creek
nr Palmdale 27.66 0
nr Lakeport ______
S282 10.99 11.06 0.0 0.0 0.1

South Shore
S4 Pumps: 10.94 14.24 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S169: ______ -NR- -NR- -NR- -NR- -NR-
S310: ______ -NR-
S3 Pumps: 10.63 11.03 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S354: 11.03 10.63 854 4.0 4.0
S2 Pumps: 10.60 10.99 0 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S351: 10.99 10.60 896 4.0 4.0 4.0
S352: 10.91 10.68 480 3.0 3.3
S271: 11.52 11.28 9.3 9.8 9.8 8.5
L8 Canal PT 11.00 25

_________________________________________________________________________
S351 and S352 Temporary Pumps/S354 Spillway

S351: 10.60 10.99 896 -NR–NR–NR–NR–NR–NR-
S352: 10.68 10.91 480 -NR–NR–NR–NR-
S354: 10.63 11.03 854 -NR–NR–NR–NR-
_________________________________________________________________________

Caloosahatchee River (S77, S78, S79)
S47B: 10.92 10.88 0.0 0.0
S47D: 10.90 10.87 120 6.0
S77:
Spillway and Sector Preferred Flow:
10.84 10.79 768 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: 0

S78:
Spillway and Sector Flow:
10.79 2.97 220 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5
Flow Due to Lockages+: 7

S79:
Spillway and Sector Flow:
3.11 1.44 408 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: 3
Percent of flow from S77 188%
Chloride (ppm) 0

St. Lucie Canal (S308, S80)
S308:
Spillway and Sector Preferred Flow:
10.87 10.92 -51 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: -0

S153: 18.96 10.77 0 0.0 0.0
S80:
Spillway and Sector Flow:
10.91 0.26 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: 15
Percent of flow from S308 NA %

Steele Point Top Salinity (mg/ml) ****
Steele Point Bottom Salinity (mg/ml) ****

Speedy Point Top Salinity (mg/ml) ****
Speedy Point Bottom Salinity (mg/ml) ****

+ Flow Due to lockages is computed utilizing average daily headwater and
tailwater along with total number of lockages for the day to calculate
a volume which is then converted to an average discharge in cfs.
++ Preferred flow is determined from either the spillway discharge or the below flow meter daily
______________________________________________________________________________
—– Wind —-
Daily Precipitation Totals 1-Day 3-Day 7-Day Direction Speed
(inches) (inches) (inches) (Deg) (mph)
S133 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S193: -NR- 0.00 0.00 -NR- -NR-
Okeechobee Field Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S135 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S127 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S129 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S131 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S77: 6.81 6.81 6.81 184 -NR-
S78: -NR- 0.00 0.00 -NR- -NR-
S79: -NR- 0.00 0.00 121 2
S4 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
Clewiston Field Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S3 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S2 Pump Station: -NR- 0.00 0.00
S308: -NR- 0.00 0.00 132 4
S80: -NR- 0.00 0.00 -NR- -NR-
Okeechobee Average 6.81 0.52 0.52
(Sites S78, S79 and S80 not included)
—————————————————————–
Oke Nexrad Basin Avg -NR- 0.00 0.00
—————————————————————–

______________________________________________________________________________
Okeechobee Lake Elevations 22 MAY 2025 10.95 Difference from 22MAY25
22MAY25 -1 Day = 21 MAY 2025 11.02 0.07
22MAY25 -2 Days = 20 MAY 2025 11.06 0.11
22MAY25 -3 Days = 19 MAY 2025 11.12 0.17
22MAY25 -4 Days = 18 MAY 2025 11.14 0.19
22MAY25 -5 Days = 17 MAY 2025 11.15 0.20
22MAY25 -6 Days = 16 MAY 2025 11.17 0.22
22MAY25 -7 Days = 15 MAY 2025 11.18 0.23
22MAY25 -30 Days = 22 APR 2025 11.68 0.73
22MAY25 -1 Year = 22 MAY 2024 13.36 2.41
22MAY25 -2 Year = 22 MAY 2023 13.72 2.77
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Lake Okeechobee Net Inflow (LONIN)
Average Flow over the previous 14 days | Avg-Daily Flow
22MAY25 Today = 22 MAY 2025 -361 FRI | -8926
22MAY25 -1 Day = 21 MAY 2025 328 THU | -4488
22MAY25 -2 Days = 20 MAY 2025 448 WED | -8465
22MAY25 -3 Days = 19 MAY 2025 1602 TUE | -1883
22MAY25 -4 Days = 18 MAY 2025 772 MON | -1110
22MAY25 -5 Days = 17 MAY 2025 1096 SUN | -3149
22MAY25 -6 Days = 16 MAY 2025 1369 SAT | -1369
22MAY25 -7 Days = 15 MAY 2025 1404 FRI | -1222
22MAY25 -8 Days = 14 MAY 2025 881 THU | 803
22MAY25 -9 Days = 13 MAY 2025 763 WED | 16108
22MAY25 -10 Days = 12 MAY 2025 -944 TUE | 16500
22MAY25 -11 Days = 11 MAY 2025 -2453 MON | 2298
22MAY25 -12 Days = 10 MAY 2025 -2852 SUN | -8876
22MAY25 -13 Days = 09 MAY 2025 -2456 SAT | -1277
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
S65E
Average Flow over previous 14 days | Avg-Daily Flow
22MAY25 Today= 22 MAY 2025 244 FRI | 297
22MAY25 -1 Day = 21 MAY 2025 231 THU | 295
22MAY25 -2 Days = 20 MAY 2025 225 WED | 297
22MAY25 -3 Days = 19 MAY 2025 214 TUE | 278
22MAY25 -4 Days = 18 MAY 2025 205 MON | 253
22MAY25 -5 Days = 17 MAY 2025 194 SUN | 294
22MAY25 -6 Days = 16 MAY 2025 181 SAT | 292
22MAY25 -7 Days = 15 MAY 2025 173 FRI | 252
22MAY25 -8 Days = 14 MAY 2025 172 THU | 208
22MAY25 -9 Days = 13 MAY 2025 177 WED | 251
22MAY25 -10 Days = 12 MAY 2025 179 TUE | 416
22MAY25 -11 Days = 11 MAY 2025 166 MON | 97
22MAY25 -12 Days = 10 MAY 2025 179 SUN | 103
22MAY25 -13 Days = 09 MAY 2025 190 SAT | 87
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
S65EX1
Average Flow over previous 14 days | Avg-Daily Flow
22MAY25 Today= 22 MAY 2025 0 FRI | 0
22MAY25 -1 Day = 21 MAY 2025 0 THU | 0
22MAY25 -2 Days = 20 MAY 2025 0 WED | 0
22MAY25 -3 Days = 19 MAY 2025 0 TUE | 0
22MAY25 -4 Days = 18 MAY 2025 0 MON | 0
22MAY25 -5 Days = 17 MAY 2025 0 SUN | 0
22MAY25 -6 Days = 16 MAY 2025 0 SAT | 0
22MAY25 -7 Days = 15 MAY 2025 0 FRI | 0
22MAY25 -8 Days = 14 MAY 2025 0 THU | 0
22MAY25 -9 Days = 13 MAY 2025 0 WED | 0
22MAY25 -10 Days = 12 MAY 2025 0 TUE | 0
22MAY25 -11 Days = 11 MAY 2025 0 MON | 0
22MAY25 -12 Days = 10 MAY 2025 0 SUN | 0
22MAY25 -13 Days = 09 MAY 2025 0 SAT | 0
______________________________________________________________________________
Lake Okeechobee Outlets Last 14 Days

S-77 Below S-77 S-78 S-79
Discharge Discharge Discharge Discharge
(ALL DAY) (ALL-DAY) (ALL DAY) (ALL DAY)
DATE (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT)
22 MAY 2025 1561 1660 460 816
21 MAY 2025 1330 1536 478 716
20 MAY 2025 1207 1514 619 391
19 MAY 2025 959 1159 361 251
18 MAY 2025 641 694 375 730
17 MAY 2025 697 928 540 1232
16 MAY 2025 787 822 948 1663
15 MAY 2025 655 581 -NR- 1317
14 MAY 2025 828 990 1443 2526
13 MAY 2025 -250 -179 1710 3413
12 MAY 2025 28 -851 603 766
11 MAY 2025 678 355 518 629
10 MAY 2025 735 739 310 655
09 MAY 2025 1118 1479 425 761

S-310 S-351 S-352 S-354 L8 Canal Pt
Discharge Discharge Discharge Discharge Discharge
(ALL DAY) (ALL DAY) (ALL DAY) (ALL DAY) (ALL DAY)
DATE (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT)
22 MAY 2025 -NR- 1776 953 1693 -NR-
21 MAY 2025 -NR- 1350 951 1470 -NR-
20 MAY 2025 -NR- 710 716 1509 -NR-
19 MAY 2025 -NR- 609 0 1607 -NR-
18 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 0 621 -NR-
17 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
16 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
15 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 0 425 -NR-
14 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 0 776 -NR-
13 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 5 444 -NR-
12 MAY 2025 -NR- 0 0 91 -NR-
11 MAY 2025 -NR- 168 250 166 -NR-
10 MAY 2025 -NR- 1295 886 850 -NR-
09 MAY 2025 -NR- 1688 919 765 -NR-

S-308 Below S-308 S-80
Discharge Discharge Discharge
(ALL DAY) (ALL-DAY) (ALL-DAY)
DATE (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT)
22 MAY 2025 -2366 -101 30
21 MAY 2025 -1589 354 28
20 MAY 2025 -1223 472 22
19 MAY 2025 -2250 86 25
18 MAY 2025 -2601 -207 22
17 MAY 2025 -2708 -260 25
16 MAY 2025 -2645 -287 41
15 MAY 2025 -2764 -343 43
14 MAY 2025 -2858 -386 41
13 MAY 2025 -2797 -419 25
12 MAY 2025 -1846 123 12
11 MAY 2025 -2479 -60 24
10 MAY 2025 -2480 147 24
09 MAY 2025 -2471 102 28

*** NOTE: Discharge (ALL DAY) is computed using Spillway, Sector Gate and
Lockages Discharges from 0015 hrs to 2400 hrs.
______________________________________________________________________________

(I) – Flows preceeded by “I” signify an instantaneous
flow computed from the single value reported for the day
______________________________________________________________________________
* On 11 May 1999, Lake Okeechobee Elevation was switched from
Instantaneous 2400 value to an average-daily lake average.
On 14 Mar 2001, due to the isolation of various gages within the standard
10 stations, the average of the interior 4 station gages was used
as the Lake Okeechobee Elevation.
On 05 November 2010, Lake Okeechobee Elevation was switched to a 9 gage
mix of interior and edge gages to obtain a more reliable representation
of the lake level.
On 09 May 2011, Lake Okeechobee Elevation was switched to a 8 gage
mix of interior and edge gages to obtain a more reliable representation
of the lake level due to isolation of S135 from low lake levels.
Today Lake Okechobee elevation is determined from the 4 Int & 4 Edge stations
++ For more information see the Jacksonville District Navigation website
at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/
$ For information regarding Lake Okeechobee Service Area water restrictions
please refer to www.sfwmd.gov
______________________________________________________________________________
Report Generated 23MAY2025 @ 08:39 ** Preliminary Data – Subject to Revision **

That’s all for today, folks. Remember to stay safe out there, watch the weather, and tight lines!

Tight lines and see you on the water!

– Captain Joe

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