Anglers for Lake Okeechobee

Home
United States
Clewiston, FL
Anglers for Lake Okeechobee

Directions Website Contact the organization

We are a community fishing group dedicated to protecting Lake Okeechobee, the liquid heart of Florida.

11/04/2026

This is definitely a major situation!! South Florida has received incredible rainfall, and our thoughts are with the families dealing with serious flooding.

Preliminary totals include 22 inches near Palm Bay, 14.59 inches near Okeechobee, 12.34 inches near Avon Park and 11.49 inches in Sebring.

Lake Okeechobee reached 13.64 feet, rising more than 10 inches from October 31 through November 3 roughly 132 BILLION gallons of additional water. With runoff still coming, we’re concerned it could rise another foot.

The fishing can be incredibly good right now. Bass can school up around pumps and flowing water, while rising water lets bigger fish move into the marsh and take advantage of new habitat.

Believe it or not, this is a great lake level. Our concern is how much higher it goes. Deep, muddy water can block sunlight and hurt our recovering SAV, while runoff carries fertilizer, oil, sediment and other pollutants into the lake.

Protecting people comes first. Storage and treatment north of the lake are critical to slowing and cleaning that runoff while protecting what’s grown.

Healthy habitat means a healthy Lake Okeechobee.

10/28/2026

Water Level Wednesday October 28, 2026
Lake Okeechobee is at 12.58 feet, up just 0.08 feet this week, and the fishing is getting GOOD! Anglers for Lake Okeechobee

Believe it or not, with the lake slightly above 12½ feet, the bass are already pushing back into the shallows and getting ready for the spawning season.

The wind has been strong and steady from the same direction over the last 10 days. Some areas are muddy, but there’s still plenty of cleaner water to find, especially where the wind is blowing out of the marsh toward the open lake.

Reports from last weekend’s tournament had many bags over 20 pounds, with a couple pushing 30! That tells you what this lake is capable of. We’re excited about this fishing season, so make plans to get down here and fish!

We have to protect our new SAV, submerged aquatic vegetation. Keep the spray boats accountable. Do not spray chemicals in or over these areas of new growth!

Protect. Restore. Preserve.

10/21/2026

Water Level Wednesday October 21
Lake Okeechobee is at 12.50 feet, up 0.12 feet this week. That’s about half the quarter-foot weekly rises we’ve been seeing lately.

The weather is starting to change, and the steady wind can help exchange that stagnant summer “swamp water” in the marsh with fresh lake water. That should help move bait and bass into the shallows. We’re already getting some great fishing reports!

We’re excited about the fishing this year, and it’s shaping up to be a strong season. Don’t miss out! Make plans to get down here and fish!

We have to protect our new SAV, submerged aquatic vegetation. Keep the spray boats accountable. Do not spray chemicals in or over these areas of new growth!

Protect. Restore. Preserve.

10/14/2026

Water Level Wednesday!
Lake Okeechobee is looking GOOD! Water levels are now at 12.38 ft, up 0.28 ft from last week. Things are definitely moving in the right direction, but we have to stay focused on protecting the progress we’ve made!

One thing that absolutely needs to happen is STOP THE SPRAYING! We have worked too hard to get this valuable SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation) growing again. It is truly unacceptable to have spray boats putting chemicals in or around areas where this new vegetation is growing. We HAVE to find better ways to manage unwanted vegetation without destroying the very habitat we’re trying to restore. This needs to be addressed immediately!

Now for some really GOOD NEWS! Water temperatures are starting to level out and cool down a little with the lower air temperatures and humidity. The bass are moving into the shallows BIG TIME, and the fishing is getting better every day!

I expect the fishing to really take off over the next 30 days, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see our first wave of spawning fish showing up soon!

I’m extremely encouraged by what I’m seeing on Lake Okeechobee right now. We have a great opportunity ahead of us, and I’m excited about this upcoming season!

Protect the SAV. Stop the spraying. Let this lake continue to recover!

10/13/2026

This isn’t ACCEPTABLE anymore! Dumping chemicals in our areas where we have been praying, fighting and sacrificing to rebound our SAV for the last two years is not right! Please send us videos!

10/07/2026

Water Level Wednesday
Lake Okeechobee is now at 12.10 ft and we have officially crossed the 12 foot mark.

There is a LOT of rain around Florida right now, with more expected throughout the week. We’re also keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Isaias in the Gulf and what additional rainfall these weather patterns could bring.

This is exactly why managing the rate of rise is so important. We have gained back some very important SAV over the last two years and we CANNOT afford to lose that progress.

STOP THE SPRAYING. Protect the SAV. Let this habitat continue to expand.

The positive side is I’m really encouraged by what we’re seeing on the lake. The habitat is improving, the fishing is showing some great signs, and if we can protect what has come back and Mother Nature cooperates, I’m extremely excited about this upcoming season.

We have an opportunity to make this lake GREAT again. Let’s not waste it.

09/30/2026

Water Level Wednesday
Lake Okeechobee continues to rise and is now at 11.85 ft, up from 11.64 ft on our last update.

Here’s something else worth watching. September rainfall is already above the monthly average, and we’re still in hurricane season. While there is no immediate tropical threat forecast for Florida right now, this time of year things can change quickly and tropical moisture or future systems could bring heavier rainfall into South Florida.

That’s why a slow and controlled rise is so important. We’re getting very close to 12 ft, and the SAV that is coming back needs time and sunlight to continue spreading and getting stronger.

We have a real opportunity right now. Protect the SAV, stop unnecessary spraying and make the ecology of Lake Okeechobee a priority as we move through the rest of hurricane season.

11.85 and climbing. Let’s keep it slow and steady.

I really like what we’re seeing right now!

09/23/2026

Water Level Wednesday
We’re continuing to move in the right direction. Lake Okeechobee is at 11.64 ft, up 0.27 ft from last week.

That rise is something we need to keep a close eye on. The goal isn’t just more water. It’s getting the water at the right pace so the SAV that’s coming back has time to establish, spread and get stronger.

We have a real opportunity right now to help this lake make a major comeback. Protect the SAV, stop unnecessary spraying, and manage the rise carefully.

We’re getting closer to that 12 foot mark. Let’s hope Mother Nature cooperates and we can keep building on the progress we’re seeing.

Healthy habitat = Healthy Lake Okeechobee = Healthy SFLA

Star brite Inc
Roland Martin Marina
Yamaha Rightwaters

09/16/2026

Water Level Wednesday — Lake Okeechobee
Things are looking very positive right now. The lake is slowly rising, and that’s exactly what we need to give our SAV and habitat the best opportunity to fully recover.

We need to STOP the spraying, protect the vegetation that’s coming back, and let this lake heal.

A HUGE thank you to the farmers, cities, municipalities, businesses and the public for the sacrifices that have helped get us here. Also thank you to SFWMD, Governor DeSantis and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their efforts to help Lake Okeechobee rebound.

We ask everyone involved in managing the lake to continue making its ecology and long-term health a top priority when making water-level decisions.

If we can keep this slow, steady rise and avoid a major hurricane or storm, I have a feeling this next year could be AMAZING for Lake Okeechobee.

Slow and steady. Protect the habitat. Let the lake heal.

08/23/2026

The Droughts That Changed Lake Okeechobee
Over the last 50 years, Lake Okeechobee has gone through several major droughts and low-water periods.

1980–82: Lake dropped to 9.79 ft
2000–01: Lake dropped to 8.97 ft
2006–08: Lake reached a historic low during the 2007 drought.

These droughts weren’t easy on the communities around the lake, but they also showed us just how resilient Lake Okeechobee can be.

After the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 and years of high water, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) had dropped to around 3,000 acres. After the 2007–08 drought, it rebounded to more than 46,000 acres by 2009.

That’s a huge recovery.

Lower water allowed sunlight to reach the bottom, exposed areas to dry out and vegetation like eelgrass, peppergrass and bulrush to come back.

And something else happened after these low-water events: the fishing got really good. As the vegetation recovered and new habitat spread around the lake, good fishing wasn’t limited to just a few areas. Productive habitat and great fishing could be found all around Lake Okeechobee.

We’re seeing another opportunity for the lake today, and everyone has a part in it. Farmers, cities, water managers, businesses and the public are all making adjustments and sacrifices to give the lake a chance to rebound.

We’ve seen what Lake Okeechobee can do when it’s given a chance to recover. Hopefully, we’re watching the beginning of another comeback.

Address

920 E. Del Monte Avenue
Clewiston, FL
33440

Website

http://www.anglersforlakeo.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Anglers for Lake Okeechobee posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.