My 16 yr old son and I are making some bucket list fishing trips(before he graduates...it goes by FAST!!). We went to Mille Lacs last summer and looking at Clear Lake in mid-October and Lake Okeechobee in mid-February (hopefully I'm not too late)

I figured someone on the TFF has been to either/both and could offer up some advice on the following:

1) A reputable guide for each lake for 2 days of fishing
2) A reputable resort/cabin/hotel to stay at each lake

Thanks for any help!!!

Matt Allen for Clear Lake. If it's a bucket list deal and you are headed to Clear Lake you might consider doubling up and fishing the Delta as well. It's amazing. Matt guides there as well since both are fairly close to one another. I fished with Vince Borges on the Delta back in June. Can't wait to do it again. He was one of the best guides I have been in a boat with.

Clear Lake in October can be hit or miss . Depending on how the weather set's up . The lake level is a little higher than normal for this time of year . One of the best lakes for both size and quantity .
The tourney guys tend to focus on the deeper rock piles in the south end of the lake this time of year , but you can also find fish in the docks and weeds .
If you get tired of bass fishing , the catfishing at this time of year is off the charts . 5-20 lbs and one after the other if you find the right spots . Use raw , uncooked shrimp --- and hang on .
tight lines --
Robb

I agree that Matt Allen can be an excellent Clearlake guide depending on your fishing style and expectations. But, get ready for some sticker-shock as he costs discernibly more than the other qualified guides on Clearlake. The suggestion of fishing the Delta is solid, but if you think Clearlake can be hit-and-miss in October...be warned about the Delta. Anyone who has fished the Delta knows it can be insanely challenging. If you decide to go that way you'd be best to hire a guide who is on that Delta water daily and that isn't Matt. True story regarding the catfishing on Clearlake!

I just got back from Okeechobee. We fished with Tom Mann Jr. The fishing was not very good as I suspected but it was still a fun day. Tom is an awesome guy and I will definitely fish with him again. I definitely recommend him. We stayed at Roland Martins marina and it was pretty decent in my opinion. I enjoyed the tiki bar restaurant they have. The fishing will be much better for you in February. Good luck.

Clearlake in late Oct and early Nov can be awesome. Contact Ross England.

Matt's a friend of mine and spent a lot of time in his boat. great choice for Cali.

Okeechobee is always fun if you can find them. Hopefully you don't get down here and go shiner fishing. To me that's cheap! Contact Fast Break Bait & Tackle in Okeechobee. Chase will hook you up with the right person and get you there in the right times. You can also contact Roland martin marine in Clewiston and they can set you up with a guide. As far as cabins, Roland Martin Marine has some cool RV/Trailers and also a cabin apartment building you can stay in. Clewiston would be better to stay so you can hang out at the Tiki Bar. Also a great taco stand right around the corner. If I stay in Okeechobee I typically stay at the flamingo hotel. Its the cheapest and nicest around. Hopefully Okeechobee will come around and they will stop spraying so much and killing the grass. it has made it much harder to get on them but still takes over 24 to win a big tourney down there.

Have you considered Guntersville? Feb may be to early but if you cant find what your looking for on Chobe in Feb you should check out Gville in late March/early April. That is a beautiful place to be anytime you go. the area is great, plenty of nice places to stay, the tackle shops are awesome, & it #2 in the country right now.

Enjoy the time with you boy!

Matt and Ross were in the same boat in this recent video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBm3KK7LRM

There are absolutely no bass in Guntersville. Keep moving along.

Actually what Atta said is true. I fish it all the time.

Okeechobee is an historic fishery and worth the trip for some just because of the history. However, it isn't what it once was. Water issues have really hurt the lake. We have gone several times now without much luck. To me there are much much better bass lakes than Okeechobee all throughout the country now. Almost every guide on the lake will try to talk you into shiner fishing. Just make sure that whatever guide you book to get the shiner vs artifical issue resolved when booking. I swear some of those guides must get a cut on shiner sales because they really push it hard. Not trying to talk you out of a trip you really want to make, just keep your expectations in bounds to what the lake is now. We have stayed at Roland Martin marina both times. It isn't fancy but it is clean and relatively inexpensive.

Every bit of it is true. I’ve lived here for 3 years now and it has goteen worse and worse each year. Yiu gonto Toho & the only guide I know using artificial is a Chuck Pippen. Yiu got to Chobe and I haven’t seen a guide ping anything but drowning shiners.


Now, they are supposed to do the draw down on Rodman starting in November. If you do come to Florida and Rodman is drawn down, fish it. Very good fishing during the draw down.

If you hit the timing right on Clear Lake, the fall bite can be incredible! Paul Bailey and John Pearl are top notch guides out there. 2 years ago John sacked 41lbs in late October. You’re going to love that lake. One of my all time favorites

On Okeechobee we would suggest Bryan Hornerlaw. Good guy, accomplished in events and doubles up on guiding and other efforts. Okeechobee is not short of guides whether it’s Steve Daniels, Chet Douthit and many more with pedigrees. There are so many options on the south end of Okeechobee.

The north end at Okeechobee City is also gaining a lot of guide options and the marina facilities there are good as well. Housing is lesser on the north end and access by plane puts you driving a bit further.

Staying at Clewiston puts you at Roland Martin Marina (Clewiston) and the facilities are good it’s options. We were down there last December and it’s still good for housing. You can fly into Fort Lauderdale and drive over easily. It’s just more developed for guiding and lake use.

There are long term plans to develop the north end at Okeechobee City and those may have fizzled out some it seems. Some of the properties are purchased and investment has been slowed. That end has been the choice use area for many larger tournament events the last 10 years.