Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report – 07.03.2025

/ Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report / By


“`html





Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report – July 2nd, 2025 – Captain Joe


Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report – July 2nd, 2025 – With Captain Joe

Howdy folks, Captain Joe here, bringing you your daily Lake Okeechobee fishing report. Been fishin’ these waters for longer than I care to admit, and I’m here to tell you what’s bitin’ and what ain’t.

Lake Level and Weather Impact

The lake level is currently at 11.24 feet. That’s down from last year’s 13.49 feet and a good bit below the historical average. We’re about 2.20 feet below the period of record average. The lake has dropped .04 feet in the last day.

Looks like we’re in for some rain today. The forecast calls for heavy rain and winds around 18 mph with gusts up to 26 mph. The high will be around 82 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low around 73. That rain is going to muddy up some areas, especially around the Kissimmee River inflow.

How It’s Affecting the Fish

Bass Fishing

With the lake level being lower than usual, the bass are concentrated in the deeper grass lines and around any remaining submerged vegetation. The incoming rain will stir things up, potentially pushing some bass shallower as they look for an easy meal. Focus on areas with moving water and use dark-colored lures like black and blue jigs or worms. Topwater action might be good early in the morning before the heavy rain sets in. Look for lily pads and reeds that provide cover.

Key Areas: Look to fish the Kissimmee River mouth, and the outside grass lines on the South end of the lake.

Top Lures: Black and Blue Jigs, Dark Worms, Topwater Frogs (early morning)

Crappie Fishing

Crappie fishing is going to be tougher with the rain. They tend to move deeper when the water gets stirred up. Try fishing around submerged brush piles and deeper channels with minnows or small jigs. The lower lake level has concentrated them in these deeper areas, so if you find ’em, you should find a good mess of ’em.

Key Areas: Deeper Channels, Submerged Brush Piles

Top Lures: Minnows, Small Jigs

Bluegill Fishing

Bluegill might actually benefit from the rain. They love to feed on insects washed into the water. Focus on areas with vegetation close to the shoreline. Crickets and worms are always a good bet. The rain will also cool the water slightly, which can make them more active.

Key Areas: Shoreline Vegetation, Reeds, Lily Pads

Top Baits: Crickets, Worms

Official Lake Data

LOSOM24 Reg ZoneA =  16.65
LOSOM24 Reg ZoneBC =  16.25
LOSOM24 Reg ZoneD =  11.14
 
Data Ending 2400 hours   02 JUL 2025
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Okeechobee Lake Regulation      Elevation   Last Year  2YRS Ago
                                (ft-NGVD)   (ft-NGVD)  (ft-NGVD)
  *Okeechobee Lake Elevation       11.24       13.49    14.66 (Official Elv)
 
  02JUL (1965-2007) Period of Record Average    13.44
  Difference from POR Average                  -2.20
 
  Today Lake Okeechobee elevation is determined from the 4 Int & 4 Edge stations
 
  ++Navigation Depth (Based on 2007 Channel Condition Survey) Route 1   5.18'
  ++Navigation Depth (Based on 2008 Channel Condition Survey) Route 2   3.38'
  Bridge Clearance = 51.78'
______________________________________________________________________________
 
4 Interior and 4 Edge Okeechobee Lake Average (Avg-Daily values):
 
  L001   L005   L006   LZ40   S4     S352   S308   S133
  11.37  11.26  11.24  11.19  11.04  11.32   11.17 11.32
 
 
 *Combination Okeechobee  Avg-Daily Lake Average =  11.24
                                                   (*See Note)
______________________________________________________________________________
 
Okeechobee Inflows (cfs):
  S65E            414      S65EX1            0      Fisheating Cr   105
  S154              0      S191              0      S135 Pumps      202
  S84               0      S133 Pumps        0      S2 Pumps          0
  S84X              0      S127 Pumps       30      S3 Pumps          0
  S71             166      S129 Pumps       41      S4 Pumps          0
  S72               0      S131 Pumps       18      C5                0
Total Inflows:    976
 
Okeechobee Outflows (cfs):
  S135 Culverts     0      S354              0      S77              -0
  S127 Culverts     0      S351              0      S308           -NR-
  S129 Culverts     0      S352              0
  S131 Culverts     0      L8 Canal Pt     -27
Total Outflows:  No Report Due To Missing S77 or S308 Discharge Data
 
****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            0.27      S308           0.19
  Average Pan Evap x 0.75 Pan Coefficient =  0.17" =  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   7260 cfs or  14400 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:  13.44     11.49       0      0    0    0    0 -NR-  (cfs)
  S193:       ______
  S191:        19.13     11.44       0    0.0  0.0  0.0
  S135 Pumps:  13.41     11.22     202   -NR- -NR- -NR- -NR-       (cfs)
  S135 Culverts:                     0    0.0  0.0
 
North West Shore
  S65E:        20.96     11.63     414    0.3  0.1  0.0  0.0  0.5  0.2
  S65EX1:      20.96     11.63       0
  S127 Pumps:  13.29     11.32      30      0 -NR-    0    0    0  (cfs)
  S127 Culvert:                      0    0.0
 
  S129 Pumps:  12.80     13.08      41      0    0   38            (cfs)
  S129 Culvert:                      0    0.0
 
  S131 Pumps:  12.81     11.56      18      0    0                 (cfs)
  S131 Culvert:                      0
 
  Fisheating Creek
    nr Palmdale          31.49     105
    nr Lakeport         ______
  S282         11.42     11.43              0.0  0.0  0.1
 
South Shore
  S4 Pumps:    11.25     11.39       0      0    0    0            (cfs)
  S169:       ______      -NR-    -NR-   -NR- -NR- -NR-
  S310:       ______              -NR-
  S3 Pumps:    10.36     11.24       0      0    0    0            (cfs)
  S354:        11.24     10.36       0    0.0  0.0
  S2 Pumps:    10.52     11.23       0      0    0    0    0       (cfs)
  S351:        11.23     10.52       0    0.0  0.0  0.0
  S352:        11.25     10.43       0    0.0  0.1
  S271:        11.68     11.57            9.3   9.5   9.8   8.5
  L8 Canal PT            11.28     -27
 
  _________________________________________________________________________
                   S351 and S352 Temporary Pumps/S354 Spillway
 
  S351:        10.52     11.23       0  -NR--NR--NR--NR--NR--NR-
  S352:        10.43     11.25       0  -NR--NR--NR--NR-
  S354:        10.36     11.24       0  -NR--NR--NR--NR-
  _________________________________________________________________________
 
Caloosahatchee River (S77, S78, S79)
  S47B:        11.44     11.71            0.0  0.0
  S47D:        11.78     11.75     138    6.0
  S77:
    Spillway and Sector Preferred Flow:
               11.19     11.64       0  0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0
    Flow Due to Lockages+:          -0
 
  S78:
    Spillway and Sector Flow:
               11.67      3.14    1078    2.0  0.0  0.0  2.0
    Flow Due to Lockages+:           4
 
  S79:
    Spillway and Sector Flow:
                3.37      1.82    2596    0.0  1.0  2.0  2.0  3.0  2.0  1.0  0.0
    Flow Due to Lockages+:           4
    Percent of flow from S77         0%
    Chloride            (ppm)      0
 
 
St. Lucie Canal (S308, S80)
  S308:
    Spillway and Sector Preferred Flow:
               11.20     11.72    -NR-  3.0  3.0  3.0  3.0
    Flow Due to Lockages+:           0
 
  S153:        18.59     11.56     152    0.5  0.0
  S80:
    Spillway and Sector Flow:
               11.99     -0.01       0    0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0
    Flow Due to Lockages+:           8
    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:                         0.12        2.92        3.84      176    -NR-
  S78:                         -NR-        0.00        0.00     -NR-    -NR-
  S79:                         -NR-        0.00        0.00       60       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      103       7
  S80:                         -NR-        0.00        0.00     -NR-    -NR-
        Okeechobee Average     0.12        0.22        0.30
        (Sites S78, S79 and S80 not included)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
  Oke Nexrad Basin Avg         -NR-        0.00        0.00
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
______________________________________________________________________________
Okeechobee Lake Elevations  02 JUL 2025           11.24 Difference from 02JUL25
   02JUL25  -1 Day  =       01 JUL 2025           11.20            -0.04
   02JUL25  -2 Days =       30 JUN 2025           11.17            -0.07
   02JUL25  -3 Days =       29 JUN 2025           11.07            -0.17
   02JUL25  -4 Days =       28 JUN 2025           10.96            -0.28
   02JUL25  -5 Days =       27 JUN 2025           10.96            -0.28
   02JUL25  -6 Days =       26 JUN 2025           10.95            -0.29
   02JUL25  -7 Days =       25 JUN 2025           10.97            -0.27
   02JUL25 -30 Days =       02 JUN 2025           11.01            -0.23
   02JUL25  -1 Year =       02 JUL 2024           13.49             2.25
   02JUL25  -2 Year =       02 JUL 2023           14.66             3.42
______________________________________________________________________________
 
______________________________________________________________________________
                         Lake Okeechobee Net Inflow (LONIN)
                   Average Flow over the previous 14 days  |  Avg-Daily Flow
   02JUL25    Today =       02 JUL 2025      2137  THU     |      -NR-
   02JUL25  -1 Day  =       01 JUL 2025      1565  WED     |      5294
   02JUL25  -2 Days =       30 JUN 2025       849  TUE     |     17797
   02JUL25  -3 Days =       29 JUN 2025      -549  MON     |     19486
   02JUL25  -4 Days =       28 JUN 2025     -2193  SUN     |       702
   02JUL25  -5 Days =       27 JUN 2025     -2369  SAT     |      2158
   02JUL25  -6 Days =       26 JUN 2025     -2019  FRI     |     -2198
   02JUL25  -7 Days =       25 JUN 2025     -1610  THU     |       265
   02JUL25  -8 Days =       24 JUN 2025     -1755  WED     |     -4451
   02JUL25  -9 Days =       23 JUN 2025     -1563  TUE     |      2679
   02JUL25 -10 Days =       22 JUN 2025     -1754  MON     |     -4581
   02JUL25 -11 Days =       21 JUN 2025     -1552  SUN     |     -6255
   02JUL25 -12 Days =       20 JUN 2025     -1106  SAT     |     -4513
   02JUL25 -13 Days =       19 JUN 2025      -531  FRI     |      1397
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
                                 S65E
                       Average Flow over previous 14 days  |  Avg-Daily Flow
   02JUL25     Today=       02 JUL 2025       324  THU     |       482
   02JUL25  -1 Day  =       01 JUL 2025       311  WED     |       407
   02JUL25  -2 Days =       30 JUN 2025       303  TUE     |       403
   02JUL25  -3 Days =       29 JUN 2025       302  MON     |       314
   02JUL25  -4 Days =       28 JUN 2025       307  SUN     |       309
   02JUL25  -5 Days =       27 JUN 2025       311  SAT     |       297
   02JUL25  -6 Days =       26 JUN 2025       322  FRI     |       322
   02JUL25  -7 Days =       25 JUN 2025       333  THU     |       284
   02JUL25  -8 Days =       24 JUN 2025       350  WED     |       287
   02JUL25  -9 Days =       23 JUN 2025       366  TUE     |       314
   02JUL25 -10 Days =       22 JUN 2025       360  MON     |       258
   02JUL25 -11 Days =       21 JUN 2025       341  SUN     |       249
   02JUL25 -12 Days =       20 JUN 2025       324  SAT     |       305
   02JUL25 -13 Days =       19 JUN 2025       302  FRI     |       308
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
                                 S65EX1
                       Average Flow over previous 14 days  |  Avg-Daily Flow
   02JUL25     Today=       02 JUL 2025         0   THU     |         0
   02JUL25  -1 Day  =       01 JUL 2025         0   WED     |         0
   02JUL25  -2 Days =       30 JUN 2025         0   TUE     |         0
   02JUL25  -3 Days =       29 JUN 2025         0   MON     |         0
   02JUL25  -4 Days =       28 JUN 2025         0   SUN     |         0
   02JUL25  -5 Days =       27 JUN 2025         0   SAT     |         0
   02JUL25  -6 Days =       26 JUN 2025         0   FRI     |         0
   02JUL25  -7 Days =       25 JUN 2025         0   THU     |         0
   02JUL25  -8 Days =       24 JUN 2025         0   WED     |         0
   02JUL25  -9 Days =       23 JUN 2025         0   TUE     |         0
   02JUL25 -10 Days =       22 JUN 2025        21   MON     |         0
   02JUL25 -11 Days =       21 JUN 2025        53   SUN     |         0
   02JUL25 -12 Days =       20 JUN 2025        90   SAT     |         0
   02JUL25 -13 Days =       19 JUN 2025       132   FRI     |         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)
02 JUL 2025     -0         27        2159       5201
01 JUL 2025     -0         37         546       1764
30 JUN 2025      0         43         250       1431
29 JUN 2025    217        274        -NR-       1375
28 JUN 2025    785        931         132        485
27 JUN 2025      3       -113        -NR-        477
26 JUN 2025      2       -151          23        495
25 JUN 2025      1          6          93        558
24 JUN 2025      1         79         295        537
23 JUN 2025      1        -96         308        523
22 JUN 2025      1         -3         220        503
21 JUN 2025      0       -257        -NR-        708
20 JUN 2025    245        387         136        854
19 JUN 2025    942       1197         341        562
 
             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)
02 JUL 2025   -NR-          0         0           0       -NR-
01 JUL 2025   -NR-          0         0           0       -NR-
30 JUN 2025   -NR-          0         1           0       -NR-
29 JUN 2025   -NR-          0         0           0       -NR-
28 JUN 2025   -NR-          0       544           0       -NR-
27 JUN 2025   -NR-        664       285           0       -NR-
26 JUN 2025   -NR-       1283       924           0       -NR-
25 JUN 2025   -NR-          0       457           0       -NR-
24 JUN 2025   -NR-        252       746           0       -NR-
23 JUN 2025   -NR-        882       799         293       -NR-
22 JUN 2025   -NR-        452       923           0       -NR-
21 JUN 2025   -NR-        936      1016           0       -NR-
20 JUN 2025   -NR-        531       991           0       -NR-
19 JUN 2025   -NR-        484       999         315       -NR-
 
             S-308    Below S-308    S-80
           Discharge   Discharge   Discharge
           (ALL DAY)   (ALL-DAY)   (ALL-DAY)
   DATE     (AC-FT)     (AC-FT)     (AC-FT)
02 JUL 2025  -6313        -NR-          16
01 JUL 2025  -5832       -1695          22
30 JUN 2025  -4722       -1352          25
29 JUN 2025  -3075        -474          18
28 JUN 2025  -2259        -200          18
27 JUN 2025  -2535        -310          30
26 JUN 2025  -2007         -39          21
25 JUN 2025  -2076        -147          24
24 JUN 2025   -NR-        -168          33
23 JUN 2025  -2159        -316          24
22 JUN 2025  -1942        -205          24
21 JUN 2025  -2113        -247          25
20 JUN 2025  -2633        -386          18
19 JUN 2025  -2144        -280          43
 
***  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
______________________________________________________________________________

That’s all for today, folks. Stay safe out there, and tight lines!

– Captain Joe



“`

Related Posts