Rising at 4 AM guarantees a good spot in the western marshes of Lake Okeechobee for a productive morning of fishing. Photo by Captain Mark King.

On the southwest side of Lake Okeechobee, access to open water beyond the vast marshes is via the Moore Haven Lock and the Moore Haven Canal, which was first created in 1915.

On the northwest shore of Lake Okeechobee in Lakeport, anglers and airboaters have easy access to the lake, Fisheating Creek, and Harney Pond Canal from Harney Pond Canal Recreation Park.

The shallow marshes of Lake Okeechobee make for excellent days of fishing. Photo by Captain Mark King.

During the annual Chalo Nitka Festival in Moore Haven, tournament participants show off their catches at Alvin Ward Park.

The vast marshes along the western shore of Lake Okeechobee in Glades County provide excellent opportunities for birding. Here, a limpkin picks its way across the marsh grasses at Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area.