Expert insights on bass behavior, proven tournament baits, and the best fishing spots for bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee at Clewiston, Florida.
As anglers begin heading to the second event of the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series, it feels appropriate to take a look at what's happening on legendary Lake Okeechobee at Okeechobee, Florida for February of 2025.
February, headed into March typically means the spawn is on for largemouth bass in southern Florida. All of the bass will be relatively shallow. But, you can still find some fish pre-spawn, and some already in post-spawn and recovering, but a majority of the tournament anglers’ fishing strategies will be focused on beds.
To maximize your catch, an angler will have to have a good understanding of bass in all three phases, so they can make adjustments as weather changes.
Understanding Florida Bass Spawning Cycles
As winter gives way to spring and water temperature push past that magic 60-degree mark, largemouth bass know it’s time for spawning. But they don’t all rush the prime, shallow, spawning areas at once.
Instead, they move in waves, following a natural, biological fail safe that ensures survival. This way, if a cold snap or freak storm rolls through, it won’t wipe out an entire generation of bass in one unfortunate stroke.
Down south, in places like Florida, the spawn can stretch for months. Up north, in states like Wisconsin and Minnesota, the timing is quite a bit more compressed, usually only lasting a handful of weeks.
How to Find Bass During the Spawn
Shallow water, hard bottom and scattered, hard cover are the perfect combination when looking for spawning bass. / B.A.S.S.
During the spawn, most bass can be found in shallow water, usually less than three feet deep, where the sun warms the water quickest. The best waters provide shelter, a break from the north winds and surprise spring cold fronts.
North shorelines are the first places to check, especially when they’ve got the right mix of depth and bottom composition. Focus on areas with hard bottom composition like sand flats. And a mixture of hard cover like submerged logs, lily pad roots, and docks can make an area even more appealing to spawning bass.
What Were The Best Baits Used During Previous Bass Tournaments?
The last time the Bassmaster Elite Series visited Lake Okeechobee was almost exactly two years ago in mid-February of 2023. Catchable bass were available in all three phases of the spawning cycle. Most people assumed the expansive weedy flats of the big lake were the highest percentage areas likely to produce the winning bag of fish.
Winner, Tyler Rivet found fish the rest of the field had missed. / B.A.S.S.
Nobody, including eventual winner, Tyler Rivet, expected him to stumble upon an unlikely pattern catching pre-spawn bass from hard-bottom spots off the bank in the Kissimmee River.
“That Tuesday before the tournament, I went sac-a-lait (crappie) fishing for dinner in the Kissimmee River, and I caught a couple of bass on small jerkbaits,” said Rivet, who typically cooks for his roommates. “The first one I caught was a 5 1/2- to 6-pounder. Two minutes later, I caught another big one.”
Rivet recognized this as similar to the canals he fishes back home. Calculating the current scenario, he decided to go all-in for the tournament.
“It’s hard to find something that’s un-pressured like that in Okeechobee, so I was lucky to find that one pattern,” he added. “I would never have thought to catch them like that. That was just a prespawn deal and they were sitting up on a little ledge and eating whatever came by.”
"That was just a prespawn deal and they were sitting up on a little ledge and eating whatever came by.”
- Tyler Rivet
1. Bladed Jig
Brandon Cobb and three other Top 10 finishers utilized a bladed jig. / B.A.S.S.
The number one and two baits are a tie. Four of the top 10 finishers credited a bladed jig for their above average catches.
2. Hollow-Bodied Frog
Steve Kennedy says he caught all of his keeper fish on a frog. / B.A.S.S.
As mentioned, the frog tied with the bladed jig for most used lures among the top 10. Interestingly, fifth place finisher, Steve Kennedy said he caught all of his keepers all week on a SPRO Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog 65—one of only two anglers to name just one bait.
3. Soft Plastic Stick Bait
A wacky-rigged soft plastic stick bait is always a good choice in Florida. / B.A.S.S.
Three competitors included soft plastic stick baits in their plan—two wacky-rigged weightless and one Texas-rigged. This is the other lure that was an exclusive for one of the anglers. Brandon Card said a weightless Yamamoto Senko was his key bait, alternating between Watermelon Red and Bama Bug colors.
4. Punch Rig
Three competitors credited a punch rig. Not a big surprise, all three were punching some form of compact craw/creature-shaped bait with a 3/4 to 1-1/2 ounce tungsten bullet weight.
5. Swimjig
Two anglers, Drew Cook and Carl Jocumsen, said they caught some of their keepers on swimjigs. Cook used a Big Bite Baits Ram Trail trailer while Jocumsen opted for an X-Zone Swammer.
6. Bonus Baits
Tyler Rivet was the only angler in the Top 10 to mention a jerkbait and a Carolina-Rigged creature bait. / B.A.S.S.
Tournament winner, Tyler Rivet, credited a couple baits that none of the other Top 10 used—a Berkley Stunna Jerkbait and a Carolina-Rigged Xcite Baits Hawgalicious. When you think about how different his spot and pattern were compared to the rest of the field, these baits make perfect sense.
Final Tips for a Successful Lake Okeechobee Bass Trip
As we look ahead to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Event on Lake Okeechobee, understanding the seasonal patterns, recognizing how the current conditions affect the bass, and utilizing proven bait choices can give anglers a competitive edge. Focusing on shallow water in well-known, historically proven areas like South Bay, the Shoal, Monkey Box, Harney Pond and the North Shore, is going to be a popular plan.
But 2023’s Elite results have likely inspired more adventurous anglers to look for those less obvious, overlooked patterns that could really pay off.
Anglers should make sure their tackle includes lots of options, so they can make successful changes on the fly. But I don’t suppose most anglers need much encouraging to have more tackle with them than they need. But do make sure you’re prepared to throw bladed jigs, hollow-bodied frogs, soft plastic stick baits, and a push-rig creature or craw.
Competitors and recreational anglers alike can capitalize on this prime fishing season with proper preparation and an understanding of Lake Okeechobee. Whether casting from a boat or the bank, understanding how fish react to current conditions, while utilizing proven baits and tactics will give you the best chance at a big Florida largemouth bass.
Keep checking back in to Fishing On SI for updates as the tournament progresses.
Published Feb 22, 2025|Modified Mar 4, 2025
KURT MAZUREK
Kurt Mazurek writes about all things fishing and the fishing lifestyle for Sports Illustrated. He has had a successful career in the fishing industry, developing marketing and creative content for many of the sport’s most recognizable brands. He is an enthusiastic bass tournament competitor, YouTuber, photographer, and is the author of the novel "Personal Best: fishing and life”