History of the Big “O”
Lake Okeechobee, located in South Florida, is affectionately known by locals as “The Lake” or “The Big O.” Just three hours from Walt Disney World and Central Florida, it’s a favorite destination for fishing, boating, and exploring the great outdoors.
As the second-largest freshwater lake entirely within the continental United States—second only to Lake Michigan—Lake Okeechobee holds the title of the largest freshwater lake in the southern U.S. Spanning 730 square miles, it’s just slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island. Despite its size, the lake is relatively shallow, with an average depth of only 9 feet.
Formed approximately 6,000 years ago as ocean waters receded, Lake Okeechobee now holds up to 1 trillion gallons of water at capacity and serves as the headwaters of the Everglades. Its name comes from the Seminole Indian words “oki” (water) and “chubi” (big), literally translating to “Big Water.”
Reserve your trip to go bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee today!
The floor of Lake Okeechobee is a limestone basin, and the lake varies in depth from 1 to 13 feet depending on the weather and time of year. Lake Okeechobee water is somewhat murky from nutrient-enriched runoff from surrounding farmlands. The surface is above sea level, and the lake is enclosed by a 20-foot high dike built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after a hurricane in 1928 breached the old dike, flooding surrounding communities and claiming thousands of lives. The 100 foot wide dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee is a part of the Florida Trail, a 1,400 mile long trail that is a National Scenic Trail. There is a well-maintained paved pathway along the entire perimeter used by hikers and bicyclists and wide enough to accommodate authorized vehicles.
There are several rivers that flow into Lake Okeechobee, including Taylor Creek and the Kissimmee River, and several small rivers flowing out, such as the Miami River, the New River on the east, and the Caloosahatchee River (via the Caloosahatchee Canal and Lake Hicpochee) on the southwest.
The one thing that has made Lake Okeechobee famous all over the world is Bass Fishing. Lake Okeechobee is World Famous for Florida largemouth bass. With the weather being near perfect year around, and the incredible spawning periods of the Florida Largemouth Bass, bass fishing is second to none on this amazing wildlife area.
Along with some great bass fishing, there is also other species to be caught here in Lake Okeechobee such as Catfish, Blue Gill, Crappie and pickerel. Some non sport fish in this lake can be Bowfin, Alligator Gar and Florida Long Nose Gar. There is always something to catch on this huge body of water.
There are also many different species of endangered and protected wildlife such as the Florida Alligator, Bald Eagle, Snail Kite, Whooping Crane just to mention a few. So if your looking for a piece of Florida History and wildlife, with some exciting fishing adventures and maybe even a Trophy Largemouth Bass, come down to Lake Okeechobee and have yourself a REEL Florida Adventure.
Come stay at Roland Martin Marina and Resort and have everything you need right here in one place and see it all, catch it all and go home with an amazing tale to share with your friends.