First Trip to Lake O

John Haggerty

I've never been to Lake O.  My wife and I are considering staying for two nights during the middle of the week at Roland Martin's place.  We will bring our 17ft. deep-v aluminum boat.  What can we expect?  I'm assuming the best action will be early morning for the first couple of hours.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
John  

GRIZZL

If it were me
1) Get on Google Earth and locate where you are launching. Scan the surface of the lake looking for matted vegetation with sighs of open water in between mats. Should be easy to see mats small islands with rippled water showing deeper water
2) Look at the prevailing wind direction and fish wind blown edges
 https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/merritt_island_titusville?utm_source=www.windfinder.com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect
3) Choose spots where open water meets wind blown mats
4) Rig a creature bait (KVD salt baits are GREAT) with pegged 1 1/2 oz tungsten weight on a 5/0 Trokar Flipping hook on a VERY Stout rod
5) Flip the edges and especially hit areas where 2 different vegetation collide. Like reeds and **** tail. Look for little openings to flip.
6) If the wind is blowing good and you have good cloud cover..rig up a Zoom Fluke or paddle tail and work the deeper open water especially at day break.
7) Drift and avoid using trolling motor as much as you can..float right against the mats and pick em apart..push back out and use trolling motor a bit to get some steam and then drift again.

On hookups..get the head UP FAST and out..if it gets its head down your screwed. A Fast bait caster 65# braid will catch you some hogs

https://www.facebook.com/Grizzl/videos/10215367031148718/?t=21

https://www.facebook.com/Grizzl/videos/10214834121866319/?t=10

GRIZZL

Google Maps doesn't show well. Go get the FISHidy App for your phone. Sign in and put on Lake O. LOTS of GREAT Info and details of catches. Good contour and details.

GRIZZL

Just looked via fishidy and there is allot of activity just outside the boat channel (deep water to mats) The channel is marked going out of Roland's place. Not far to travel for a 17ft boat. Don't want to take that thing too far into O. The wind can make it dangerous Have fun

humbler

Grizzl has given you a great tutorial, all I can add is clean water is a big factor there. A lot of guides go out of Rolands, see what they can tell you about where the best water is.  And, be safe out there, it can get nasty quick when the wind picks up.

saltysenior

eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches , and save your money for LIVE WILD GOLDEN SHINERS 

duckmanJR

Don't go in the heat of summer.... 

John Haggerty

duckmanJR said:

Don't go in the heat of summer.... 

That's my first thought but we're probably going the first week of September.   My wife has not been feeling well.  Fishing seems to be helping her health.  She took it on her own to tie a clouser and caught a largemouth on that.  Since then she got the fishing bug.  She's caught 30 plus bass this summer and wants to get out in the bigger boat.  Fishing seems to be helping her health.  I like the idea of Roland's because they have food and drink.  This is her the other morning at a local pond.  



 

duckmanJR

Well, the nice thing about Rolands is you can fish early...head in during the heat of the day and jump in the pool...then go out again in the late afternoon.

I would also caution you about the lake...it has periods of strong blue-green algae blooms...That may not be good for someone with health issues. 

Reel Mullarkey

I think you will love Roland's Fish camp. There are endless places to fish really close or you can go out exploring. The dynamite hole and the rim canal are easy fishing areas. There are a lot of big fish and big gators. You should have a great time during the week. It can be a little crowded on the weekends, especially if they are having a fishing tournament. 

Glenn

The fish tacos aren’t bad there at the Tiki Bar and the “locals” can be quite entertaining in the evenings. Go ahead and ask Scott Martin for some fishing tips if you see him....😂

MRichardson

I've always heard the Martins (Roland/Scott) are some of the most humble, generous folk on the lake.

Glenn

MRichardson said:

I've always heard the Martins (Roland/Scott) are some of the most humble, generous folk on the lake.

Well there are plenty of stories out there that contradict those “generous” reports.

I did a photo shoot down there with Scott. He was nice enough to us during the shoot, but I certainly would not call him generous.