Went for a Saturday hiking event, Dustin, Makayla, and April, which were very knowledgeable and…read moreinformative for the tour group. The weather was fair during the tour. Thanks again, guys, for making Earth Day a treat from nature.

We went here during a field trip and it felt so weird being in Florida and it being a dessert. It…read morewas a gorgeous day and the staff were super friendly. I will have to go back when I am not with 65 students

Bishop Park is a beach park along the shores of Lake June in Lake Placid. It's complete with a…read moreplayground and a really nice boat launch that was super busy when I passed through here on Sunday morning. The fishing pier looked good and had a small crowd looking for dinner. There are a few comfortable places to sit out of the sun and watch the jetskis. It was very nice to be by the water for a bit. [Review 453 of 2025 - 2096 in Florida - 24015 overall]

HL Bishop Park is located on the north side of Lake June in Winter in Lake Placid, Fl. The park has…read morea public boat dock, a fishing pier where you can catch large mouth bass and bluegill, a playground, basketball court, boardwalk, and a beach. The park also contains a clubhouse that can be rented for private events. The swimming area is open between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This is the second lake beach I have found in the Sebring area. I have always heard that if you swim in lakes in Florida you can get the brain eating Naegleria fowleri amoeba. When water gets up your nose it travels to your brain which is almost always fatal. There have been 37 reported cases in Florida since 1962. Peak times to get it are July through September. I am not sure if they test the water here or if you are supposed to know about it and only wade. Also it seems like a possibility that there are alligators in this lake. The water looked inviting but I think I would stick to the boardwalk.

People who visit Lake Okeechobee for the first time might be surprised to find that you can't…read morereally see it from the road. The Hurricane of 1928 caused the lake's dike to fail, resulting in catastrophic flooding and the loss of life. There are several mass burial sites of hurricane victims in the area. To protect the people who live around the lake, in the 1930's the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began constructing the Herbert Hoover Dike to prevent future flooding disasters. The dike was completed in the 1960s and serves to protect the surrounding communities from lake overflow. Consequently you need to find access roads that take you up to the lake in order to see it. One such favorite scenic spot to see the largest fresh water lake in Florida is in Lake Okeechobee Park. Through the years this park has been known as Jaycee Park, Lock 7, Lakefront Park, and Parrott Avenue Wayside. The park has been officially renamed Clif J. Betts Jr. Lakeside Recreation Area for a county commissioner who helped guide planning for county parks before his death in 2011. The highlight of this park is a 400 foot fishing pier which I enjoyed for the views of the lake and the birds but which is loved by anglers who fish for large mouth bass and speckled perch. Other park amenities include paved parking, picnic tables, and restrooms with potable water. Hikers and cyclists can access to the Florida Trail/Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail on the dike up above the recreation area. To reach it use the entrance road or the paved path behind the restrooms. If you head east you can travel three miles to Taylor Creek and if you head west you can travel four miles to Okee-Tantie.

This is a great place for a walk. It was upsetting to see all the power plants omitting toxins and…read morepoisoning the people of Okeechobee in the background.

A stormwater treatment area is a man made wetland created to clean the nutrients that are created…read moreby the surrounding farmland before the runoff containing phosphorus is able to reach the Everglades. Too much phosphorus can affect the coverage of sawgrass and open water slough which provide habitats for the many unique animals and plants that live in the Everglades. Around the wetlands you may see man made structures that collect scientific data and which control water flow. Water quality is monitored by sampling equipment at the pump stations. Nutrients are removed and stored in the plant growth. Dead plants are then converted into a layer of peat and soil which contains the phosphorus which is trapped in the soil. Levees and canals ring the treatment areas which are divided into cells. Some of the cells have underwater vegetation such as hydrilla, southern niaiad, and chara.. Others have dense cattail, pickerel weed, and bulrush growth depending on the kind of water treatment needed. Another important way nutrients are removed from the water are by a class of organisms called periphton which includes algae and bacteria. First the water is moved through the first cell with emergent vegetation and then into one with submerged vegetation. Every time the water moves it gets cleaner. There are currently five stormwater treatment areas south of Lake Okeechobee while two stormwater treatment areas north of Lake Okeechobee are in the planning stages. In 2013 the Audubon Society of Martin County took over this water conservation project, the 2,600 acre Lakeside Ranch Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) managed by the South Florida Water Management District. This area utilizes natural wetlands to clean the water flowing south from the Kissimmee River into Lake Okeechobee forming a vital step in restoring the quality of water flowing out from Lake Okeechobee during the rainy season. Approximately 2,700 acres of Lakeside Ranch Storm Treatment Area is open to the public for hiking, bicycling, wildlife viewing, and photography. The main parking area is located on Highway 441 2.5 miles south of County Road 15B / SE 126th Blvd and there is a second parking area west of State Road 710 in southern Okeechobee County. The parking area has a restroom, informational kiosk, and a shelter. The Audubon Society of Martin County often has guided hikes of STA. The next one is for photography on November 2nd from 3:30 to 6:30 PM. You have to sign a waiver and after hiking here I think I know why. As I was walking to get closer to a bird to take a picture an alligator I didn't see leaped right off the bank next to me into the water. I don't know who was more startled me or him. This is a place you want to pay attention. In addition to the jumpy alligator I saw blue herons, osprey, and black vultures. You could hike miles here and not see another person, The next time I come back I think it will be with the Audubon Society.

Had a blast artificial fishing with Justin Morgan on a 3 day trip. Caught my personal best bass on…read moremy birthday too.

Me and my family have lived in buckhead and have been fishing Lake Okeechobee for 30+ years. I Was…read morehoping it wouldn't come to this but after allowing several attempts to make this right and still nothing has been done I feel it only necessary to warn others before they feel taken advantage of as well. First and foremost Id like to say I have always been a diehard Fastbreak customer. I am there weekly, i fish weekly and have lived in Okeechobee all my life. I have purchased many jigs, rods, bait and their gas is all I put in my boat and truck, their ice is all I put on my fish. So this is not an attack on Fastbreak but rather a call for action and responsibility of a knowingly faulty product they promote. Everything I have said on this review has been said to the store in person as well as Glenn Harris and nothing has been done. I first purchased Unique crappie jigs by Glenn from Garrard's tackle shop as I was there for propane. I then found out Fastbreak carried them. I didn't have many issues with this jig at first...paint cracking and chipping and NOT just after multiple fish being caught but I liked the body and kept hearing good things so figured I would just buy more and as the paint came off I'd swap them out. At the end of November I had multiple hooks break or straighten to the point when bent back they would break which for me is understandable that you bend something enough it will break. Me and three of my neighbor went out in December and two of them were also using Glenn's crappie jigs and said they too had the same issue one with the paint and second with the hook not being of good quality and several that have broke. That same day one of my neighbors had one of the bodies partially unravel to where the tail came completely off the jig and into the water. We went in to Fastbreak that afternoon and told this to 2 employees at the counter and showed them the pictures of the unraveled jig. They both agreed that they have had some complaints about the quality of the hook and they had told Glenn about it as well. It just so happens the following day Glenn was at Fastbreak delivering jigs while I was getting gas and I spoke to him in the parking lot. Super nice guy, said he was aware of the problem,  that he had ordered new hooks and should have them that next week. I thought great, problem solved. Beginning of January I asked an employee at Fastbreak if they had gotten any of Glenn's jigs in with the new hooks yet and he said he didn't know what I was talking about but again said that they have made Glenn aware of the hook issue. I checked the few jigs that were there and surprise surprise they were all the same old cheap hooks. I really wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because all I keep reading is the success of these jigs and I really did like some of the color combos. That day I bought a couple more new colors at the advice of a fishing guide that was in there that same day. He said he guides out of Fastbreak and because that's their biggest selling jig he promotes it to help them out. I mentioned to him the issues I had had and he agreed he had a couple like that as well but said "5 times out of 10 he doesn't have any issues". My exact words to him were 9 times out of 10? thinking I didn't hear correctly and he laughed and said 5 times out of 10. Seriously? With this my radar really went up and I started to question how and why this store would be promoting these jigs. A store that I and my fellow buckhead community use almost daily. People come here from all over to crappie fish this lake and this is the best we can do, this is the quality these guides and the 2 most prevalent tackles shops in this town are selling and pushing on people? So at this point I have brought my concerns/ complaints several times to the store and from what the Fastbreak employees have said multiple other customers have done the same as well. I've brought my concerns to Glenn himself who said he was aware and changing the hook and then as of yesterday they're still the same and yet the store is still promoting them not only themselves but through the people that frequent the store and guide out of the store just to not lose money? This is where I take issue. I've always been a Fastbreak fan but until they can recognize the garbage they're selling and not be so worried about the money they're making and Until Glenn can make good on his promise of making a better quality product I will voice my opinion to anyone that will listen about the quality of this jig and how Fastbreak knowingly promotes such an inferior product. I really am disappointed that this store would allow this to continue as I've always thought more of them and the owners but even more so that Glenn would say he's changing the hooks BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINTS  and has yet to even do so makes us all that have voiced our opinions look stupid. I know this was a long review and I apologize but if I can keep one person from being ripped off like m

Fellsmere Reservoir Captain Paul…read more What an amazing trip! Captain Paul had gold mines! Every spot he took us to we caught at and ended up with a few under 50 quality largemouth bass. Almost every bass was hefty with a great fight. Captain Paul was extremely knowledgeable of the body of water and got us to each spot quickly. What a great trip. I've never been to a lake like this and I live in Florida!

Mark was awesome. We took two trips in 1 week. The first was out in the Gulf and the second was on…read moreLake O. The gulf trip was a tough weather day but he found us the big fish and made it a great day. The second was on Lake O. and it was also an awesome day. Mark put us on the fish. He taught us and answered questions all day. Each of us caught our personal best fish and had plenty of them. I have been on many guided trips and Mark is one of the best. I will certainly be looking him up again in the future!!

Every course could use a little TLC and the owners are doing a phenomenal job with it here. This…read morecourse was previously in shambles and they are putting it back together as a great course. I highly recommend giving them another shot.

Started out a family golf trip with a rude and aggressive starter. We were asked twice to remove…read moreour ball from the tee box and step aside for persons coming off the back 9. I understand the etiquette, but if your going to take money from a customer, you should get them in the rotation. If you can't, don't let them out. It would have been better to say we can't get you out today, please make a tee time for your next trip, not that we can get you out and then make you stop play two times with a rude display by starter.

The name Lake Okeechobee was first documented by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. Okeechobee…read moremeans "big water" in the Hitchiti Seminole Indian language. With a surface area of 730 square miles, it is the largest lake in the southeastern United States but relatively shallow at only 10 to 12 feet deep. The primary source of water for the lake is the Kissimmee River located just to the north of the lake. Before European settlers arrived, the lake was home to Native Americans including the Calusa and Seminole tribes. The late 19th century saw the arrival of European settlers who farmed and raised cattle which became an important industry in the region. The fertile land around Lake Okeechobee attracted many farmers for its agricultural potential. The Hurricane of 1928 caused the lake's dike to fail, resulting in catastrophic flooding and the loss of as many as 3,000 people who were in the area to pick crops. There are several mass burial sites of hurricane victims in the area. In the 1930's the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed the Herbert Hoover Dike to prevent future flooding disasters. The dike was completed in the 1960's and serves to protect the surrounding communities from lake overflow. The Okeechobee Waterway, a canal system connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, was completed in the mid-20th century. This waterway included the Caloosahatchee River and the St. Lucie Canal, providing a navigable route across the state of Florida. While the canal system facilitated the transportation of goods and contributed to the agricultural development of the region, it negatively impacted the health of Lake Okeechobee with agriculture runoff. Current efforts are focused on restoring the water quality and health of the lake while still meeting the agriculture needs of the surrounding farms. Lake Okeechobee is one of those Florida landmarks you have to experience at least once. Surrounding the lake is the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, a mostly paved 109 mile trail that sits on top of the Herbert Hoover Dike. Along the trail are parks with amenities like picnic areas and restrooms. The trail is ideal for bikers, bird watchers, and anyone who wants a scenic views of the lake. Some of my favorite stops around the lake are the John Stretch Memorial Park, Lakeside Ranch Stormwater Treatment Area, and the Lake Okeechobee North Pier. The lake is known for bass, crappie also known as speckled perch, and bluegill fishing and there are number of fishing camps and places that offer fishing and boating excursions on the lake. Charming small towns like Clewiston, Belle Glade, and Okeechobee also surround the lake and are places where you can see buildings and places of historical interest and grab a meal. One of my favorite Okeechobee festivals is the Speckled Perch festival which celebrates the fishing heritage of the area and where you can see an authentic cattle drive. Lake Okeechobee is a a great place to explore and experience the more natural side of Florida.

Great day for the family to experience some Florida wildlife! Airboat rides and bass fishing!read more