Notes from the host
Deluxe 39 Foot 5th Wheel with Dockage & Launching On a lake
Your fishing trip or country getaway will be more comfortable in our 39’ Titanium 5th wheel. Directly across from the Lakeport lock into Lake O, your can launch your boat here and tie up to our dock.
We are directly across from the lock into Lake Okeechobee. It’s about 200 yards from your dock to the lock and then you in the lake, ready to enjoy some of the best fishing in Florida.
Both fishing and hunting guides are available in the immediate area. A guide is your best choice for 10 pound plus bass.
With over 150 feet of dockage we can accommodate almost any size boat.
Water and electric are available on the dock.
We have a community area with fire pit, deck and pergola swing. There’s even a sandbox for little kids to play in.
The fifth wheel has both central air and heat.
A Queen sized memory foam mattress in the master bedroom is amazingly comfortable. No sleepless nights here. The rear living area also has a pull out futon that can sleep a couple of children or another adult.
In addition to the futon there are two swivel chairs with Ottomans so there’s plenty of room for TV viewing or just chatting.
The kitchen has a double sink, a three burner stove top, air fryer/toaster oven, microwave and 10 CF refrigerator.
A 43 inch flatscreen smart TV is included along with Dish network, apps such as Netflix and prime and a Bluetooth surroundsound system.
The 10 x 15 patio has seating for four and a fire pit. You could also barbecue on your Magma gas grill.
Friday evenings we have a sunset cruise aboard our 23 foot deck boat, weather permitting. No more than 7 participants and children must wear life vests at all times. There’s no charge for the cruise, but please bring your own beverages and snacks. Gasoline donations are welcome.
During the season(s), Lakeport is a Mecca for duck hunters. Going out the lock rather than launching your boat at a public ramp will save you time and put you right into the heart of the hunting areas quickly.
Free Wi-Fi, free dockage and free boat ramp!
LAKEPORT
Founded in 1913, Lakeport was originally known as the Lakeport Colony and is located in northern Glades County along the northwestern shore of Lake Okeechobee.
The “fish capital” of Florida in the early days when catfish, gar, shad, blue gills, and crappie—or Speckled Perch as they are known here—and bass could be shipped north when the railroad reached the city of Okeechobee, large-scale seine netting in the early years left bass the predominant species making Lake Okeechobee the Bass Capital of the world.
Lakeport is home to more trailheads along the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, the 110-mile trail along the 35-foot Herbert Hoover Dike, than any other community around the Big O. Its height allows for excellent vistas, wonderful wildlife viewing and in some areas primitive tent camping is allowed. The Lake marsh between Harney Pond Canal and Buckhead Ridge Canal, some 21,210 acres, were designated wildlife sanctuaries by the government and cabinet in 1938 & the Audubon Society has been protecting them ever since (hunting and fishing are allowed).
Harney Pond Canal Recreation Park, at the intersection of SR 78 E at CR 721, Lakeport, features a picnic area, restrooms, bike path and boat ramps.
Vance Whidden Park, on SR 78 E, between Nicodemus Slough and Fisheating Creek, Lakeport, also known as Curry Island, features a paved hiking/ biking and jogging trail, primitive tent sites, canoe, and kayak access, airboat launch and hunting venue. The park area, 12 miles north of Moore Haven, FL is historic in nature, as it once featured a dock from which Lykes Bros. Inc. used to ship cattle destined for Cuba.
Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area, East, 3010 Banana Grove Rd., Moore Haven, 33471, just across SR 78 from Curry Island is home to the Fort Center Trail, a 1½ mile long trail open daily to hikers and bikers. Observation decks for bird viewing, parking and restrooms are available. Interpretative kiosks depicting the Creek’s Native American archaeological history, the Creek’s role as headquarters for Union troops at Ft. Center during the Seminole Wars and its rich natural flora and fauna dot the trail. For more information, phone (863) 946-1194 or visit www.myfwc.com/recreation/fisheating_creek
Old Sportsman’s Village, SR 78 E, south of Lakeport, features a boat ramp, bank fishing, and picnic tables and is a preferred launching site for air boaters accessing the Rim Canal and Lake Okeechobee.
Celebrated by duck hunters and fishermen, every year Lakeport hosts the annual Sour Orange Festival, which is known for its famous Sour Orange Pie, a longtime favorite. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to enter the dessert contest, using the wild sour oranges which give the festival its name. The festival is set for the third Saturday in January.
Visitors to Lakeport can choose from a variety of accommodations and eateries.
If access to bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee is what you’re looking for, the Aruba Campground, 1073 Old Lakeport Rd NW, Moore Haven, FL 33471, offers 138 full service lots with hook ups, internet access, cable TV and more with 26 vacant sites for transient RVers. Aruba is home to 19 permanent residents while the remainder average a six month stay. Bookings are available in the off season, based largely on which fish are biting on the western side of the Big O at the time. For more information phone (863) 946-9111
The Aruba Campground is also home to Aruba’s Bar and Grill, 1073 Old Lakeport Rd, Moore Haven, FL 33471. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., their motto is “when life throws you a burrito, it’s a wrap". Eat it! For more information, phone (863) 946-1324
A little further north, off SR 78, the Lakeport Lodge, 1077 Lakeport Plaza, Okeechobee, FL 34974, on Lake Okeechobee’s rim canal has 26 rooms which play host to fishing guides and fisherman from all over the country. For more information, phone (863) 946-2020. A full-service bar and restaurant, The Duck Pub, 1031 Lakeport Plz, Okeechobee, FL has been serving local residents and visitors since 1997 with daily lunch specials and live local entertainment on Friday nights. For more information, phone (863) 946-2337.
Lakeport
Located in northern Glades County along the northwestern shore of Lake Okeechobee, Lakeport was founded in 1913 and originally known as the Lakeport Colony. A dock was constructed on Lake Okeechobee at Lakeport and freight and mail was received while produce, fish, fur, and skins were shipped out. When the railroad reached the City of Okeechobee in the early 1900s, thereby allowing shipping of items to northern states, Lakeport came to be named the “fish capital” of Florida.
The fish in the lake in the early days consisted of catfish, gar, shad, blue gills and crappie or speckled perch (speck), as they are known here, and bass. Due to large scale seine netting in the early years of pioneer settlement around the lake, bass is the predominant species left. Because of this, Lake Okeechobee the “Bass Capital” of the world and is celebrated by fishermen. Duck hunters also flock to the lake to take advantage of the fine hunting available on the water.
In Lakeport, the lake is accessible from Harney Pond park, which boasts boat ramps, picnic tables,restrooms and a boardwalk that offers a breathtaking view of Lake Okeechobee. A lock across from the Duck Stop RV Park allows easy access to the Big Water, which is how Okeechobee is translated.
Lakeport usually hosts the annual Sour Orange Festival the first Saturday in February each year. This year it is on January 18, 2020. This festival features the celebrated “Sour Orange Dessert Contest,” in which residents and visitors alike are encouraged to enter desserts using the wild oranges which give the festival its name.
