June 23, 2026
FDEP Issues Algae Warning for Lake Okeechobee; Apopka Restoration Passes 10,000 Acres
FDEP has issued an algae bloom warning for Lake Okeechobee, the latest bloom advisory in a season that's already seen alerts north and south
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued an algae bloom warning for Lake Okeechobee on June 23. No new local tournament results surfaced inside the past two weeks.
Worth Knowing
Lake Okeechobee algae warning FDEP posted the warning June 23. Okeechobee is the headwater of the Kissimmee River corridor that feeds the chain south of Osceola County, so anyone running the big lake should check current FDEP advisory locations before launching. This follows the alerts already on the books this season — Flagler County and Okeechobee earlier in June, the Apopka recreation pond in early May.
Avoid contact with discolored or scummy water. Keep pets and livestock away from it, and don't eat fish taken from an active bloom area.
Lake Apopka restoration passes 10,000 acres The Lake Apopka Restoration Project has now restored 10,000 acres. Apopka has spent decades climbing back from farm runoff that wrecked its water quality and fishery, and the bass fishing there has been improving alongside the cleanup work. The 10,000-acre mark is the latest milestone on the north shore.
That makes Apopka worth a look for anyone who's written it off. The recovery is slow, but the acreage is real.
On the Water
The schooling bass bite that picked up earlier this month should hold as surface temps stay up. Hydrilla edges and sand transitions on the Kissimmee Chain have been the reliable water for post-spawn fish.
Lake Kissimmee's 35,000 acres remain the panfish draw — bluegill and shellcracker around bedding areas, crappie along deeper grass edges. Drought has kept levels low across the region's chains, so verify approach depths and dock positioning before you head out, especially on the shallow Winter Haven lakes that drop fast.
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