Okeechobee Fishing Trip

Date: Friday, March 26 – Sunday, March 28
Location: J&S Fish Camp, 9500 SW Conners Hwy, Okeechobee, FL 34974
Contact: Rebekah Susa, text: 305-363-8286
Lodging: Check your email for the Jan. 6 email from WWOW account for cabin 🏠 information.
Overview: Three days, two nights of fun and bonding! Bass fishing 🎣 and off-the-dock fishing at J&S Fish Camp, option for professional fishing guide on Lake Okeechobee, and other nearby activities include: airboating, Arnold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Butterfly 🦋 Haven, scenic trail for hiking 🥾 and biking 🚴🏿‍♀️ atop the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding the lake, Okeechobee County Museums, and Wagon Wheel Horse 🐎 Farm. 

WWOW ATTENDEES
Same color names are lodging together.
Rebekah Susa and guest/coordinator Jim
Pat Rosendale
Judy OV
Anne Baxter
Peggy Moon
Susie Tempkin
Patrice Messina
Angelica Littekin
Bobbi Freeland and Hank – (staying in motor home between cabins)
Karen Mittendorf (staying with a friend nearby or willing to share a cabin)
Gail Feddern – staying in a hotel off-site
Dottie Moses – staying in a hotel off-site
Wendy Diaz and guest Kim Martin will be staying offsite but joining us.
= 16 people

Food and Drink 🍷 🥘 🥪 🍭 🍹
J&S Fish Camp is about 20 minutes from restaurants. There is a food truck onsite. It’s recommended that you read 👀 the food schedule below and bring lunch and snacks accordingly. There is also a bar. Drinks can go anywhere on the property. People can buy a drink at the bar and take it out to the picnic tables, to their RV or cabin, etc. If you are going to buy a draft beer jut let the bartenders know you need it in a to-go cup. The bar has an ice machine, and you can ask for ice.

Food and Activity Schedule
FRIDAY
Check-in: 3 p.m.
Friday Activities: If you plan to fish 🎣 off the dock, make a stop for live shiners 🐟 (bait) before you arrive. (Bait shop is about 20 min. north.) Settling in, fishing off the dock, maybe a surrounding activity.
Friday lunch – bring/make your own.
Friday dinner – potluck – bring/make a dish 🥗 to share at the picnic tables OR if you don’t feel comfortable with that bring/make your own food.
SATURDAY
Saturday Activities: Jim & Rebekah, Wendy & Kim, Susie & Peggy are fishing 🎣 with a professional guide on Lake Okeechobee. The rest of the ladies will be deciding on which activities they want to do in the surrounding areas. Saturday afternoon: lesson on how to filet a fish 🔪 by Ms. Rebekah Susa (professional teacher 👩‍🏫).
Saturday breakfast – Pat and Judy OV will be making breakfast 🍳 for the people who are not leaving early in the morning to fish with a guide. Those fishing with a professional guide should bring/make their own breakfast.
Saturday lunch – Those who are not fishing with a guide might go do one of the surrounding activities then go to lunch. (I recommend eating or picking up lunch from at Lightsey’s Seafood Restaurant or Lunkers about 20 minutes north… it’s delicious!). Those returning from fishing on Lake Okeechobee can meet for lunch or pick up lunch and take it back to the fish camp.
Saturday dinner – Jim and Rebekah will be filleting and frying up the bass 🐟 caught today!
SUNDAY
Sunday activities – Bobbi & Hank will be fishing with a professional guide on Lake Okeechobee. The other ladies can fish off the dock with Jim and Rebekah, or they can go participate in an activity in the area.
Sunday breakfast – Pat and Judy OV will be making breakfast 🍳 for the people who are not leaving early in the morning to fish with a guide. Those fishing with a professional guide should bring/make their own breakfast.
Sunday lunch – Ladies can make leftover fish sandwiches 🥪 , or they can meet somewhere on the way home, or can leave early.
Checkout: 11 a.m., but we could stay and fish 🎣 and eat at the picnic tables if we want.

What to bring (check this again when you are packing):
– Cooler for your food you want to bring, including something for the potluck 👩‍🍳 Friday night if you choose, and for fish you might be taking home.
– A fishing pole 🎣 if you plan to fish off the dock at J&S Fish Camp. Let me know if you don’t have one and I’ll bring extras.
– A bait bucket 🐟 with a bubbler to keep shiners alive and batteries for your bubbler if you plan to fish off the dock 🎣 . These are available in the nearby bait shops for around $25, I think. If you have one, though, bring it. Bait shops are about 20 minutes north of J&S Fish camp.
– Stop at a bait shop 🐟 . Besides shiner bait and bait bucket with bubbler (mentioned above), you’ll need bobbers and hooks. Ask bait shop about recommended hooks for bass fishing 🎣 .
– Masks 😷
-Camping chair for sitting around together.
-Optional: small grill, camping stove, etc. Most cabins are equipped with kitchens, but we could make fish together on camping stoves or with fryers.
– Filet knife 🔪 if you have one for Saturday filet lesson with Ms. Susa 👩‍🏫 . If not, that’s fine.
– Fishing glove 🧤 (or gardening or dish glove) to handle fish if you want to.

Safety Precautions
During our trip, we will be adhering to all CDC guidelines for social distancing and mask-wearing. I know it’s a hassle, but your safety is our priority!!!

Video
I hope I’m stealing Jim’s thunder, as he is our presenter for February, but watch this video we put together after our trip last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgtzpORedOQ