Bass fishing in Oklahoma

[yankee]

Anyone know of some good spots in the state? I'm in Florida right now enjoying the fishing scene, was curious to see where you guys fish?

[Aldebaran]

What does the fishing scene look like? Are there any hotties?

[Breadburner]

Always had great fishing at Grand Lake....

[yankee]

Always had great fishing at Grand Lake....

One of my roommates has a house 5 minutes from Grand, he says he's taking me spoonbill? fishing sometime this semester. Looking forward to it.

[SGA]

When I lived there, I was a huge fan of Sardis. There are some really nice fish in that lake. I also really like Broken Bow, but that is one hard lake to fish.

Can't beat Tenkiller, either.

[CowboyMRW]

I grew up on Broken Bow so it's not that hard :D

Pine Creek used to be good but it's too low right now. Give that lake another 5 years and it'll be back to really good.

Konawa is a lake I've done well at. It's heated year round.

Fort Cobb and Lugert are also pretty good lakes for fishing.

Also, Texhoma has some good fish in it. That lake is big and fun and there is no telling what you'll catch at any given moment.

[CowboyMRW]

When I lived there, I was a huge fan of Sardis. There are some really nice fish in that lake. I also really like Broken Bow, but that is one hard lake to fish.

Can't beat Tenkiller, either.

My grandparents love juglining on Sardis. Never been bass fishing there though.

[BudSooner]

Can't beat Tenkiller, either.
You also can't beat living 15 minutes from the lake, Cherokee Landing/Petite Bay/Elk Creek in midsummer is pretty off the bluffs/Horseshoe Bend in the weed beds by the boat ramp is pretty fun, try using top water lures like a buzzbait/Diving Minnow by Rapala or for heart stopping action try a Zara Spook.

[SoCaliSooner]

At our lake here the bite is picking up. Caught 3 on Saturday and 2 Sunday....

[CowboyMRW]

You also can't beat living 15 minutes from the lake, Cherokee Landing/Petite Bay/Elk Creek in midsummer is pretty off the bluffs/Horseshoe Bend in the weed beds by the boat ramp is pretty fun, try using top water lures like a buzzbait/Diving Minnow by Rapala or for heart stopping action try a Zara Spook.

There is nothing like seeing a Spook getting hit. You know it's going to be big too

[soonerboomer93]

I grew up on Broken Bow so it's not that hard :D

Pine Creek used to be good but it's too low right now. Give that lake another 5 years and it'll be back to really good.

Konawa is a lake I've done well at. It's heated year round.

Fort Cobb and Lugert are also pretty good lakes for fishing.

Also, Texhoma has some good fish in it. That lake is big and fun and there is no telling what you'll catch at any given moment.

Is Konawa the one that has the electrical plant on it?

[Mississippi Sooner]

I haven't lived in Oklahoma for 15 years, but when I did there were two small lakes that were outstanding for bass. One was Fuqua, near Duncan, and the other was Mountain Lake, north of Ardmore in the Arbuckles. Both were part of a program where they were stocked with Florida hybrids and then closed to all fishing for four or five years. When they reopened them, both produced state record bass (at the time).

[SoonerNate]

Anyone know of some good spots in the state? I'm in Florida right now enjoying the fishing scene, was curious to see where you guys fish?

If I remember right you have to find lakes up there. Most of the farmers / ranchers are too selfish to allow anyone to fish their ponds.

[GDC]

You also can't beat living 15 minutes from the lake, Cherokee Landing/Petite Bay/Elk Creek in midsummer is pretty off the bluffs/Horseshoe Bend in the weed beds by the boat ramp is pretty fun, try using top water lures like a buzzbait/Diving Minnow by Rapala or for heart stopping action try a Zara Spook.

Tenkiller is convenient for me but it really does have some good fishing. Sometimes I go over to Ft. Gibson Lake and I used to run trotlines on Kerr Lake down by Sallisaw.

[SoonerNate]

If I can't get into the striped bass up there or the smallmouths in NE OK, the most underrated fishing in say central OK is sandbass fishing. If I'm up in the summertime we hit the lakes and troll for them. They are very fun to catch.

You can hit the points of Lake Hefner on windy days and surf fish for them with spoons. Very fun.

[pphilfran]

Most of my bassin is a fly rod from a belly boat in the Wichita's...

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii187/pphilfran/009-2.jpg

[C&CDean]

If you live in the Norman/OKC area there's no need to drive great distances for good bass fishing. According to bass tournament numbers (not the electro-shock deal) the best bass fishing lakes in OK are:

1. Hudson
2. Wes Watkins
3. Sooner/Eucha tied
4. Lawtonka
5. Grand
6. Sardis
7. Murray
8. Thunderbird
9. Arbuckle
10. Broken Bow

Personally, I've caught more fish in Thunderbird than anywhere else, but I've also done good at Murray (nice smallmouths there) and Arbuckle. They're all relatively close to Norman/OKC.

Nowadays the only place I fish is my ponds. My kids have caught several in the 4-6 lb range, and I've dumped lots of crappie from Thunderbird in there and they catch them a lot too.

[C&CDean]

If I remember right you have to find lakes up there. Most of the farmers / ranchers are too selfish to allow anyone to fish their ponds.

Too selfish? It has nothing to do with selfishness. It has to do with *******s coming in and ****ing your place up. You know, people like you.

[Aldebaran]

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii187/pphilfran/009-2.jpg

The way you hold that fish.. with the mouth open... by your junk.... There a tenderness there that would make Troy McClure proud.

[pphilfran]

The way you hold that fish.. with the mouth open... by your junk.... There a tenderness there that would make Troy McClure proud.

I still sleep with that fish...

[cantwait48]

there used to be some huge bass in t-bird in the 90s, may still be I don't know. When there was a tackle show or something ODWC would electrofish thunderbird for big bass to put in their holding tank for the shows. I also saw some monster limits come out of there in tournaments.

Konawa is a power plant lake. I have not fished any of these lakes in years but Konawa you used to be able to catch 100 a day or more if you hit it right.

One lake I always wanted to try that was supposed to be good was Wetumpka Lake, according to ODWC it had some big ones in it but I never got to fish it.

[CowboyMRW]

Is Konawa the one that has the electrical plant on it?

Yea Konawa has the power plant on it


I haven't lived in Oklahoma for 15 years, but when I did there were two small lakes that were outstanding for bass. One was Fuqua, near Duncan, and the other was Mountain Lake, north of Ardmore in the Arbuckles. Both were part of a program where they were stocked with Florida hybrids and then closed to all fishing for four or five years. When they reopened them, both produced state record bass (at the time).

Fuqua has some big bass on it but are very hard to catch.

Another good one is the one out by Rush Springs (name escapes me at the moment). It's a catch and release only lake

[pphilfran]

Yea Konawa has the power plant on it



Fuqua has some big bass on it but are very hard to catch.

Another good one is the one out by Rush Springs (name escapes me at the moment). It's a catch and release only lake


Taylor?

[C&CDean]

there used to be some huge bass in t-bird in the 90s, may still be I don't know. When there was a tackle show or something ODWC would electrofish thunderbird for big bass to put in their holding tank for the shows. I also saw some monster limits come out of there in tournaments.

Konawa is a power plant lake. I have not fished any of these lakes in years but Konawa you used to be able to catch 100 a day or more if you hit it right.

One lake I always wanted to try that was supposed to be good was Wetumpka Lake, according to ODWC it had some big ones in it but I never got to fish it.

In about 92' or 93' T-bird flooded pretty bad. I was fishing up in some coves and we were just knocking them dead. Tons of 3+ pounders cast after cast. About that time my boat bumps something, I look down and see one of the concrete picnic tables and a grill underwater. We were fishing in one of the picnic areas. The bass were using tables and grills for cover. It was the allsome.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I live in SE oklahoma...bass fishing is everywhere around here

[SoonerNate]

Too selfish? It has nothing to do with selfishness. It has to do with *******s coming in and ****ing your place up. You know, people like you.

Unfair

We often would ask the landowners and they would refuse only to turn around and grant the rights as part of a hunting / fishing lease. It's hard to tell a kid you can't take them fishing because the owner is leasing a stupid farm pond out to some lawyer as part of his hunting lease.

[C&CDean]

Unfair

We often would ask the landowners and they would refuse only to turn around and grant the rights as part of a hunting / fishing lease. It's hard to tell a kid you can't take them fishing because the owner is leasing a stupid farm pond out to some lawyer as part of his hunting lease.

Then buy some property if taking the little kid out fishing in a private pond is so all-fire important to you. Don't denegrate the property owner. That's like me being mad at you because I want to borrow your car to teach my kid how to drive and you won't let me. Of course if some big-time lawyer wants to rent your car and cover the insurance and all you'd be happy to lease it to him.

[SoonerNate]

My nephew came here several years back and caught this in our backyard neighborhood pond

Bass get huge down here
10.25

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/FAUALUM29/camden.jpg

[pphilfran]

Unfair

We often would ask the landowners and they would refuse only to turn around and grant the rights as part of a hunting / fishing lease. It's hard to tell a kid you can't take them fishing because the owner is leasing a stupid farm pond out to some lawyer as part of his hunting lease.

It is their land...they can do with it what they choose...

May I have a picnic or weekend camping trip in your back yard?

[SoonerNate]

Kids from other neighborhoods fish here all the time. I guess I'm just not such an *** that I'd run them off. They're just kids.

[SoonerNate]

In about 92' or 93' T-bird flooded pretty bad. I was fishing up in some coves and we were just knocking them dead. Tons of 3+ pounders cast after cast. About that time my boat bumps something, I look down and see one of the concrete picnic tables and a grill underwater. We were fishing in one of the picnic areas. The bass were using tables and grills for cover. It was the allsome.

You mean '92 not 92' ; )

I was thinking 92 feet of flooding

Also if you were catching tons of 3 pounders that's like 8,000 pounds of fish!

[C&CDean]

Kids from other neighborhoods fish here all the time. I guess I'm just not such an *** that I'd run them off. They're just kids.

Do you own the pond yourself? If not, apples/bananas.

I'll tell you why I don't let people fish or hunt my place. They come out once, and they think they own the damn place. They start bringing their buddies/cousins/brothers out, leave trash, leave gates open, and I've even had a guy shooting at turtles in my pond while cows were down there watering.

Don't blame us for being a little wary of letting folks come in to fish or hunt. I do let a couple co-workers and friends come in, but it's very clearly understood it's just for them. If they're going to bring a kid it's just for the kid. I had one guy bring his 16-year old son out a couple times and then about a month or two later I notice a weird light out the back window. I get on the 4-wheeler and head back there and there's about 10 cars and a bunch of kids partying it up by my pond. A half-dozen shotgun blasts into the air with the pellets landing dead on their party got them to motor out of there pretty quick.

[SoonerNate]

Do you own the pond yourself? If not, apples/bananas.

I'll tell you why I don't let people fish or hunt my place. They come out once, and they think they own the damn place. They start bringing their buddies/cousins/brothers out, leave trash, leave gates open, and I've even had a guy shooting at turtles in my pond while cows were down there watering.

Don't blame us for being a little wary of letting folks come in to fish or hunt. I do let a couple co-workers and friends come in, but it's very clearly understood it's just for them. If they're going to bring a kid it's just for the kid. I had one guy bring his 16-year old son out a couple times and then about a month or two later I notice a weird light out the back window. I get on the 4-wheeler and head back there and there's about 10 cars and a bunch of kids partying it up by my pond. A half-dozen shotgun blasts into the air with the pellets landing dead on their party got them to motor out of there pretty quick.

I totally get that and no we all share the pond in the neighborhood. I think there is a gray area between letting a bunch of punks trash your place vs politely knocking on the door and asking for permission for you and your little boy to fish.

I'm off to the Heat / Thunder game.

Later

[GDC]

I wonder if anyone on here calls them tanks instead of ponds?

[Tulsa_Fireman]

In about 92' or 93' T-bird flooded pretty bad. I was fishing up in some coves and we were just knocking them dead. Tons of 3+ pounders cast after cast. About that time my boat bumps something, I look down and see one of the concrete picnic tables and a grill underwater. We were fishing in one of the picnic areas. The bass were using tables and grills for cover. It was the allsome.

Did that a few years back on Oologah when everything was so high up here.

Never thought I'd root for a flood before. Either way, exact same thing, all the big hogs pegged that shallow cover and shade. Did well that day and watched the skies ever since.

[Breadburner]

The Sand Bass won't heat up in Grand until summer.....

[olevetonahill]

At our lake here the bite is picking up. Caught 3 on Saturday and 2 Sunday....

You OWN a lake to? you are Bruce.

[StoopTroup]

LAke SMakE I'd rather have a hill anyday

[SoCaliSooner]

You OWN a lake to? you are Bruce.
Private lake in our town. No, I don't own the town.

What exactly is a Bruce?

[StoopTroup]

:D FISH ON VET ! ! ! WAKE THE **** UP! ! !

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c333/stooptroup/fishing.jpg

[SoCaliSooner]

I guess I don't get pusse humor...

[StoopTroup]

Sumbuck takes a two week vacation and I all the sudden have to start reeling in his snags.....

Mother ****er!

:D ;)

[SGA]

LAke SMakE I'd rather have a hill anyday

a mountain?

[olevetonahill]

Sumbuck takes a two week vacation and I all the sudden have to start reeling in his snags.....

Mother ****er!

:D ;)

Aint you heard? I have to have Yall do every thing for me cause I a old lonely sad bastage :rolleyes:

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Too selfish? It has nothing to do with selfishness. It has to do with *******s coming in and ****ing your place up. You know, people like you.The selfishness comment was from the guy who gave us this:
"I'd like to emulate the Chinese by putting all our Nobel Peace Prize winners in jail."- Rush Limbaugh. By using that quote, he must have accidentally failed to mention that Limbaugh was talking about Algore, Jimmy Carter and Obama, and apparently intended to convey that Limbaugh is anti-peace.

Yes, I am a fisherman. The last few yrs. I've mostly fished saltwater down in the upper Gulf of California, but love any kind of fishing. I grew up bass fishing in OK. Would someone pls expound on the smallmouth fishing in Lake Murray?

[olevetonahill]

LAke SMakE I'd rather have a hill anyday

My Hill right here by the Lake it gots fish an everything ;)

[StoopTroup]

Aint you heard? I have to have Yall do every thing for me cause I a old lonely sad bastage :rolleyes:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c333/stooptroup/fishing.jpg

[C&CDean]

Smallmouth fishing in Lake Murray:

I usually take the boat over to the dam where that old steel tower is. My kids climb the tower and jump off while I fish kind of deep around the tower. I've caught ~40-50 smallmouths in that exact spot. Several of them well over 3 lbs, and a couple well over 4. Nothing is as much fun as a smallmouth. A 4 lb smallmouth feels like a 7lb largemouth.

[BudSooner]

There is nothing like seeing a Spook getting hit. You know it's going to be big tooHell yeah! Dad and I were at the edge of Burnt Cabin casting towards a stump that you could barely see peeking out of the water, now i've thrown a spinnerbait about 4-5 times and something just short strikes it....I throw the "Spook" and "walk the dog" and DYNOMITE! A big 'ol 7lb'er launches out of the water after it...I had the biggest grin when I reeled it in, it was the first time i've caught anything with that lure.


Tenkiller is convenient for me but it really does have some good fishing. Sometimes I go over to Ft. Gibson Lake and I used to run trotlines on Kerr Lake down by Sallisaw.Gibson is great for Crappie at Snug Harbor, great for sandies in the summer between Taylor Ferry&Sequoyah State park under the bridge at night...get ya about 4 dozen minnows and a light under the boat....I swear you will NOT waste A minnow!


If you live in the Norman/OKC area there's no need to drive great distances for good bass fishing. According to bass tournament numbers (not the electro-shock deal) the best bass fishing lakes in OK are:

1. Hudson
2. Wes Watkins
3. Sooner/Eucha tied
4. Lawtonka
5. Grand
6. Sardis
7. Murray
8. Thunderbird
9. Arbuckle
10. Broken Bow

Personally, I've caught more fish in Thunderbird than anywhere else, but I've also done good at Murray (nice smallmouths there) and Arbuckle. They're all relatively close to Norman/OKC.

Nowadays the only place I fish is my ponds. My kids have caught several in the 4-6 lb range, and I've dumped lots of crappie from Thunderbird in there and they catch them a lot too.
****, i've never caught a bass out of Hudson the whole time we lived in Locust and fished that bastard everytime I could get on the water, but Dad has had his best tournament days on that lake.
I guess he just knows it better than I did, the Pumpback(Lone Chimney?)is an ideal place if you have a small electric motor boat...the don't allow gas engines on that place. It does have huge numbers of Kentucky Spotted Bass....they are fun to catch, lord they never quit hitting anything you throw at 'em.

I wonder if anyone on here calls them tanks instead of ponds?They do if you are a :texan:


Did that a few years back on Oologah when everything was so high up here.

Never thought I'd root for a flood before. Either way, exact same thing, all the big hogs pegged that shallow cover and shade. Did well that day and watched the skies ever since.
Oolagah is great for Channel cats below the dam, a trick I learned from an old timer was when the current was high just get about a 1/2 egg sinker and a rubber band for a stopper about 1' above it, rig it slipped above a True Turn(or Gamakatsu..great for live bait since the hook rotates 90degrees when set)and rig it with a Catalpa worm but make sure you have a big *** honkin bobber.
When that bobber takes off set the hook, it makes it easier to fish heavy current if you have a hard time detecting bites in the swift stuff.

It.
Never.
Fails.

[OUthunder]

Too selfish? It has nothing to do with selfishness. It has to do with *******s coming in and ****ing your place up. You know, people like you.

BINGO! If you ask the owner nicely, look like a decent person, they'll usually give you the OK. If someone tore my property up, I'd be pizzed too.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Smallmouth fishing in Lake Murray:

I usually take the boat over to the dam where that old steel tower is. My kids climb the tower and jump off while I fish kind of deep around the tower. I've caught ~40-50 smallmouths in that exact spot. Several of them well over 3 lbs, and a couple well over 4. Nothing is as much fun as a smallmouth. A 4 lb smallmouth feels like a 7lb largemouth.Poud for pound, a consistently better fighter than a largemouth, IMHO. In the early 80's I was living in Tulsa, and I was part of several trips that a bunch of us made in late May to southern Ontario, to fish lakes and rivers in Quetico Park for about 10 days.

We were targeting smallies on their spawning beds, and it was fabulous. We would throw Rapalas right on top of the beds.(You could see their circular beds) just let it sit, and then twitch it a time or two, and they would clobber it. We prolly averaged 30-40 bass per person, each day. We let almost all of them go, since we had no way to keep them fresh.

Quetico Park is a designated Wilderness. So, you can't bring in cans or bottles, there are no roads in. You portage in or paddle your canoe in. Motors aren't allowed on boats. There's no electricity, or cabins, so it's camping out. It was a helluva lot of work, but worth it for the killer fishing.

[CowboyMRW]

Yall should go smallmouth fishing on Little River. It's a blast.

But Murray is one of the hardest lakes for me to fish. I consider Broken Bow to be very clear and Murray was just ridiculous. I was reading CocaCola ingredients in 30 feet of water

[CowboyMRW]

Taylor?

That's the one. Thanks

[BudSooner]

Yall should go smallmouth fishing on Little River. It's a blast.

But Murray is one of the hardest lakes for me to fish. I consider Broken Bow to be very clear and Murray was just ridiculous. I was reading CocaCola ingredients in 30 feet of water
Isn't the Little River where the state record smallmouth came from?

[SGA]

I'll also throw out there that my buddy and I have caught some really nice fish in Lake Bixhoma.

We typically drift back and forth along the submerged trees that are along the "bend" in the lake.

It's not a terribly troubling lake to fish.

[yankee]

Thanks for the tips and info guys, appreciate it. I think I'll give thunderbird a try since its close to Norman.