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Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report: July 31, 2025 – Captain Joe’s Insights

Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report: July 31, 2025 – Captain Joe’s Insights

Howdy folks, Captain Joe here, bringing you your daily fishing report for Lake Okeechobee. Been fishin’ these waters for longer than I care to admit, and I’ve seen it all. Let’s get right to it.

Lake Level and Weather Conditions

The lake level is sitting at 12.09 feet NGVD. That’s down from last year (13.56 feet) and two years ago (15.13 feet). We’re also below the period of record average. The inflows are at 2458 cfs and outflows are at 316 cfs.

The weather forecast for today is calling for light rain with about 2.07mm of rain expected. Wind will be coming from the south (178 degrees) at around 12 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. The high for today is around 91°F (32.99°C), with a low around 81°F (27.46°C).

How It’s Impacting the Fishing

With the lake level being lower than usual and the rain coming in, here’s how I reckon it’ll affect the fishin’:

Bass Fishing

The lower water levels concentrate the bass, but also make them a bit more skittish. Focus on areas with good cover like grass lines and submerged vegetation. With the rain, topwater lures early in the morning could be productive. As the day warms up, switch to flipping jigs and worms around heavy cover. Look for areas where the wind is pushing baitfish.

Key Areas: Look for bass around the Kissimmee River mouth and in the Harney Pond area.

Crappie Fishing

Crappie will be holding tighter to structure in the lower water. Minnows and jigs around bridge pilings and submerged trees are your best bet. The rain might stir up the water a bit, so use brighter colored jigs to help them see it.

Key Areas: Try your luck around the Okeechobee bridge and any deeper canals.

Catfish Fishing

Catfish love a good rain, and with the lake level where it is, they’ll be cruising the flats looking for an easy meal. Use stink baits, cut bait, or live bait on the bottom. Focus on areas near creek mouths and canals where the rain runoff is flowing in.

Key Areas: The south end of the lake near Clewiston is always a good bet for catfish.

Official Lake Data

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

LOSOM24 Reg ZoneA = 16.79
LOSOM24 Reg ZoneBC = 16.39
LOSOM24 Reg ZoneD = 11.74

Data Ending 2400 hours 31 JUL 2025
_____________________________________________________________________________

Okeechobee Lake Regulation Elevation Last Year 2YRS Ago
(ft-NGVD) (ft-NGVD) (ft-NGVD)
*Okeechobee Lake Elevation 12.09 13.56 15.13 (Official Elv)

31JUL (1965-2007) Period of Record Average 13.76
Difference from POR Average -1.67

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

++Navigation Depth (Based on 2007 Channel Condition Survey) Route 1 6.03′
++Navigation Depth (Based on 2008 Channel Condition Survey) Route 2 4.23′
Bridge Clearance = 49.77′
______________________________________________________________________________

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

L001 L005 L006 LZ40 S4 S352 S308 S133
12.16 12.10 12.09 12.02 -NR- 12.12 11.97 12.10

*Combination Okeechobee Avg-Daily Lake Average = 12.09
(*See Note)
______________________________________________________________________________

Okeechobee Inflows (cfs):
S65E 1128 S65EX1 0 Fisheating Cr 1071
S154 0 S191 0 S135 Pumps 0
S84 181 S133 Pumps 0 S2 Pumps 0
S84X 78 S127 Pumps 0 S3 Pumps 0
S71 0 S129 Pumps 0 S4 Pumps 0
S72 0 S131 Pumps 0 C5 0
Total Inflows: 2458

Okeechobee Outflows (cfs):
S135 Culverts 0 S354 0 S77 1
S127 Culverts 0 S351 0 S308 -3
S129 Culverts 0 S352 263
S131 Culverts 0 L8 Canal Pt 55
Total Outflows: 316

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

Okeechobee Pan Evaporation (inches):
S77 0.35 S308 0.22
Average Pan Evap x 0.75 Pan Coefficient = 0.21″ = 0.02′

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 1966 cfs or 3900 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: 13.41 11.93 0 0 0 0 0 -NR- (cfs)
S193: ______
S191: 18.80 11.94 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
S135 Pumps: 13.67 11.98 0 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S135 Culverts: 0 0.0 0.0

North West Shore
S65E: 21.06 11.46 1128 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.5
S65EX1: 21.06 11.46 0
S127 Pumps: 13.31 11.93 0 0 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S127 Culvert: 0 0.0

S129 Pumps: 12.99 12.44 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S129 Culvert: 0 0.0

S131 Pumps: 13.26 13.67 0 0 0 (cfs)
S131 Culvert: 0

Fisheating Creek
nr Palmdale 32.90 1071
nr Lakeport ______
S282 11.92 12.08 0.0 0.0 0.1

South Shore
S4 Pumps: 10.63 12.20 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S169: ______ -NR- -NR- -NR- -NR- -NR-
S310: ______ -NR-
S3 Pumps: 9.81 12.09 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S354: 12.09 9.81 0 0.0 0.0
S2 Pumps: 9.50 12.09 0 0 0 0 0 (cfs)
S351: 12.09 9.50 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
S352: 12.11 9.60 263 2.0 0.0
S271: 12.80 12.28 9.2 9.6 9.8 8.5
L8 Canal PT 12.04 55

_________________________________________________________________________
S351 and S352 Temporary Pumps/S354 Spillway

S351: 9.50 12.09 0 -NR–NR–NR–NR–NR–NR-
S352: 9.60 12.11 263 -NR–NR–NR–NR-
S354: 9.81 12.09 0 -NR–NR–NR–NR-
_________________________________________________________________________

Caloosahatchee River (S77, S78, S79)
S47B: 11.82 10.11 0.0 0.0
S47D: 10.21 10.18 112 6.0
S77:
Spillway and Sector Preferred Flow:
11.91 10.11 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: 1

S78:
Spillway and Sector Flow:
10.04 3.15 48 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: 4

S79:
Spillway and Sector Flow:
3.26 1.54 845 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: 1
Percent of flow from S77 0%
Chloride (ppm) 0

St. Lucie Canal (S308, S80)
S308:
Spillway and Sector Preferred Flow:
12.00 13.73 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Flow Due to Lockages+: -3

S153: 18.80 13.58 33 0.0 0.0
S80:
Spillway and Sector Flow:
13.76 -0.02 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: 10.28 10.28 10.28 168 -NR-
S78: -NR- 0.00 0.00 3 -NR-
S79: -NR- 0.00 0.00 139 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 0.00 140 4
S80: -NR- 0.00 0.00 -NR- -NR-
Okeechobee Average 10.28 0.79 0.79
(Sites S78, S79 and S80 not included)
—————————————————————–
Oke Nexrad Basin Avg -NR- 0.00 0.00
—————————————————————–

______________________________________________________________________________
Okeechobee Lake Elevations 31 JUL 2025 12.09 Difference from 31JUL25
31JUL25 -1 Day = 30 JUL 2025 12.08 -0.01
31JUL25 -2 Days = 29 JUL 2025 12.08 -0.01
31JUL25 -3 Days = 28 JUL 2025 12.07 -0.02
31JUL25 -4 Days = 27 JUL 2025 12.07 -0.02
31JUL25 -5 Days = 26 JUL 2025 12.06 -0.03
31JUL25 -6 Days = 25 JUL 2025 12.06 -0.03
31JUL25 -7 Days = 24 JUL 2025 12.03 -0.06
31JUL25 -30 Days = 01 JUL 2025 11.22 -0.87
31JUL25 -1 Year = 31 JUL 2024 13.56 1.47
31JUL25 -2 Year = 31 JUL 2023 15.13 3.04
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Lake Okeechobee Net Inflow (LONIN)
Average Flow over the previous 14 days | Avg-Daily Flow
31JUL25 Today = 31 JUL 2025 3244 FRI | 2285
31JUL25 -1 Day = 30 JUL 2025 3585 THU | 53
31JUL25 -2 Days = 29 JUL 2025 4226 WED | 2006
31JUL25 -3 Days = 28 JUL 2025 5239 TUE | 36
31JUL25 -4 Days = 27 JUL 2025 7026 MON | 2000
31JUL25 -5 Days = 26 JUL 2025 7146 SUN | 34
31JUL25 -6 Days = 25 JUL 2025 7693 SAT | 5913
31JUL25 -7 Days = 24 JUL 2025 7841 FRI | 7714
31JUL25 -8 Days = 23 JUL 2025 7350 THU | 3653
31JUL25 -9 Days = 22 JUL 2025 7500 WED | 5498
31JUL25 -10 Days = 21 JUL 2025 6893 TUE | 1886
31JUL25 -11 Days = 20 JUL 2025 6586 MON | 46
31JUL25 -12 Days = 19 JUL 2025 6885 SUN | 5460
31JUL25 -13 Days = 18 JUL 2025 7182 SAT | 8834
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
S65E
Average Flow over previous 14 days | Avg-Daily Flow
31JUL25 Today= 31 JUL 2025 1329 FRI | 1306
31JUL25 -1 Day = 30 JUL 2025 1325 THU | 1291
31JUL25 -2 Days = 29 JUL 2025 1320 WED | 1278
31JUL25 -3 Days = 28 JUL 2025 1323 TUE | 1266
31JUL25 -4 Days = 27 JUL 2025 1318 MON | 1321
31JUL25 -5 Days = 26 JUL 2025 1309 SUN | 1318
31JUL25 -6 Days = 25 JUL 2025 1289 SAT | 1370
31JUL25 -7 Days = 24 JUL 2025 1273 FRI | 1416
31JUL25 -8 Days = 23 JUL 2025 1238 THU | 1536
31JUL25 -9 Days = 22 JUL 2025 1192 WED | 1373
31JUL25 -10 Days = 21 JUL 2025 1153 TUE | 1380
31JUL25 -11 Days = 20 JUL 2025 1110 MON | 1235
31JUL25 -12 Days = 19 JUL 2025 1071 SUN | 1252
31JUL25 -13 Days = 18 JUL 2025 1024 SAT | 1262
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
S65EX1
Average Flow over previous 14 days | Avg-Daily Flow
31JUL25 Today= 31 JUL 2025 0 FRI | 0
31JUL25 -1 Day = 30 JUL 2025 0 THU | 0
31JUL25 -2 Days = 29 JUL 2025 0 WED | 0
31JUL25 -3 Days = 28 JUL 2025 0 TUE | 0
31JUL25 -4 Days = 27 JUL 2025 0 MON | 0
31JUL25 -5 Days = 26 JUL 2025 0 SUN | 0
31JUL25 -6 Days = 25 JUL 2025 0 SAT | 0
31JUL25 -7 Days = 24 JUL 2025 0 FRI | 0
31JUL25 -8 Days = 23 JUL 2025 0 THU | 0
31JUL25 -9 Days = 22 JUL 2025 0 WED | 0
31JUL25 -10 Days = 21 JUL 2025 0 TUE | 0
31JUL25 -11 Days = 20 JUL 2025 0 MON | 0
31JUL25 -12 Days = 19 JUL 2025 0 SUN | 0
31JUL25 -13 Days = 18 JUL 2025 0 SAT | 0
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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)
31 JUL 2025 1 199 101 1674
30 JUL 2025 0 69 299 1901
29 JUL 2025 1 147 313 2071
28 JUL 2025 0 35 301 3146
27 JUL 2025 1 286 192 3376
26 JUL 2025 2 409 200 2739
25 JUL 2025 2 305 667 3104
24 JUL 2025 1 644 642 4670
23 JUL 2025 1 606 809 2915
22 JUL 2025 1 500 1279 2944
21 JUL 2025 0 456 1294 4298
20 JUL 2025 1 518 1558 4872
19 JUL 2025 1 526 1554 4251
18 JUL 2025 2 74 2368 6532

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)
31 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 521 0 -NR-
30 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
29 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
28 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 3 0 -NR-
27 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
26 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
25 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
24 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
23 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
22 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
21 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
20 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
19 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-
18 JUL 2025 -NR- 0 0 0 -NR-

S-308 Below S-308 S-80
Discharge Discharge Discharge
(ALL DAY) (ALL-DAY) (ALL-DAY)
DATE (AC-FT) (AC-FT) (AC-FT)
31 JUL 2025 -6 28 15
30 JUL 2025 -3 -61 23
29 JUL 2025 -2 -80 8
28 JUL 2025 -4 61 31
27 JUL 2025 -5 68 27
26 JUL 2025 -1562 -269 27
25 JUL 2025 -7 234 27
24 JUL 2025 -894 -72 19
23 JUL 2025 -1338 -522 31
22 JUL 2025 -4 -66 52
21 JUL 2025 -1035 -332 16
20 JUL 2025 -855 -206 -NR-
19 JUL 2025 -1106 -295 12
18 JUL 2025 -2991 -549 16

*** 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 01AUG2025 @ 09:06 ** Preliminary Data – Subject to Revision **

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

Tight lines and good fishin’,

Captain Joe

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