FISHING
REPORT FOR MARCH 17, 2010
CENTRAL
Arcadia: March 16. Elevation normal. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs from
the heated dock and at 18-20 ft. over brush piles. Channel and blue catfish
good on cut shad and shad guts around rocky points and riprap. White bass
fair on white grubs near Memorial Road. Report submitted by Mark Murray,
game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Hefner: March 12. Elevation above normal, water clear. White bass good on
jigs at the dam. Crappie good on jigs at the dam. Walleye good trolling.
Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Overholser: March 16. Water murky. White bass fair on white grubs with pink
or red tails and other crappie jigs at 2-6 ft. around the crappie dock on
the west side. Striped bass hybrids good on white grubs with pink or red
tails and other crappie jigs at 2-6 ft. around the crappie dock on the west
side. Channel catfish fair on live bait, cut shad and liver along the banks.
Crappie slow to fair on white grubs with pink or red tails and other crappie
jigs at 2-6 ft. around the crappie dock on the west side. Report submitted
by Joey Rushing, game warden stationed in Canadian and Oklahoma counties.
Thunderbird: March 14. Elevation normal, water 49 and clear. Crappie fair to
good on minnows and jigs at 8-10 ft. around brush. White bass still staging,
but not running yet. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden
stationed in Cleveland County.
Wes
Watkins: March 15. Elevation slightly above normal, water 47-51 and clear to
murky. Largemouth bass being caught on worms and rattle traps at 10-15 ft.
in the creeks and old road beds. Report submitted by Mike France, game
warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
NORTHEAST
Bell
Cow: March 14. Elevation above normal, water murky. Crappie fair on minnows.
Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Carl
Blackwell: March 15. Elevation normal, water 46 and murky. Crappie fair on
jigs. Saugeye good on jigs and crankbaits shallow. Report submitted by Jon
Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
Copan:
March 14. Elevation normal. Crappie good on minnows and jigs in Cotton Creek
and in areas with submerged structure. Blue catfish good on cut shad near
Osage Plains. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in
Washington County.
Greenleaf: March 16. Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass fair on
spinnerbaits and crankbaits along shorelines and creek channels. Catfish
fair on fresh cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and yellow, green
or white jigs around the fishing dock. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game
warden stationed in Muskogee County.
Hudson: March 15. Elevation normal. White bass fair to good on small lures.
Crappie good on minnows and jigs around brush pile areas leading into mouths
of creeks. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in
Rogers and Mayes counties.
Hulah:
March 14. Elevation normal. Crappie being caught at 6-8 ft. near submerged
structure in creeks entering the lake. Blue catfish being caught on cut
shad. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington
County.
Kaw:
March 15. Elevation above normal, water 48 and stained. Blue catfish fair on
juglines with cut bait at 10-20 ft. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 4-15
ft. over structure, some are starting to move up the creeks. White bass and
striped bass hybrids slow on jigs up the river. Report submitted by Spencer
Grace, game warden stationed in Kay County.
Keystone: March 17. Elevation 1/3 ft. above normal, water clear. White bass
fair below the dam. Channel catfish good on shad below the dam. Crappie good
on minnows and tube jigs at 6-15 ft. around brush piles and along banks of
the lake. Report submitted by Woody’s Bait and Tackle II.
Skiatook: March 15. Elevation 1/4 ft. above normal, water upper 40s and
clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10-20 ft. around structure.
Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Sooner: March 16. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on sassy shad and
topwater lures in the discharge. Catfish good on cut shad in the discharge.
Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game
warden stationed in Noble County.
Tenkiller: March 15. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 44 and clear.
Crappie fair on jigs and shiners near the docks or above Hwy 82 Bridge in
brush. Catfish fair on trotlines with cut baits near Carter’s landing.
Report by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.
Webbers Falls: March 16. Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water murky.
Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along riprap and creek
channels. Catfish fair on fresh cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows
and black or purple jigs along bridges and brush structure. Report submitted
by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
NORTHWEST
Ft.
Supply: March 16. Elevation slightly below normal. White bass fair on jigs
and spinnerbaits along the dam just off the banks in the evenings. Report
submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: March 13. Elevation 1/2 ft below normal, water 46-51 and stained
up creeks. Crappie hitting minnows and jigs off docks. Bass being caught on
jigs off points; drop shot also working. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue
River: March 16. Elevation 1-2 ft. above normal, water 56 and clear to
slightly murky. Bass slow to fair on minnows and flies. Channel catfish fair
on liver and worms. Trout fair to good on roster tails, super dupers, power
bait and mealworms. Report submitted by Charles Baker, technician at the
Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken
Bow: March 14. Water high 40s to low 50s and murky in the upper end. Bass
fair on crankbaits. White bass being caught on white or chartreuse grubs and
rooster tails, they should start migration up streams and feeder creeks in
the next week or two. Walleye being caught on crawdad colored jigs and
rogues, about to start the spawning run up to the head of the lake. Report
submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: March 15. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth
and smallmouth bass good on jerk baits and plastic baits around rocky areas
on the east end. White bass good on jigs below the dam in running water.
Blue catfish good on shad drifting the shallow flats. Crappie fair at 10-15
ft. in the riprap at I-40 and docks with standing timber. Report submitted
by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo:
Elevation 1 ft. above normal and rising slowly. Crappie fair to good along
the creek channels. White bass fair to good from the cutoff up to the first
shoal above Rattan Landing. Catfish fair on cut shad. Blue catfish and
crappie good below the dam on jigs. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game
warden stationed in Choctaw County.
Konawa: March 16. Elevation normal, water 55 and clear. Largemouth bass good
on plastic worms at 2-8 ft. around cattails and points. White bass fair on
minnows and jigs at 15 ft. in the discharge canal. Report submitted by Daryl
Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
McGee
Creek: March 14. Elevation normal, water 51 and clear. Crappie fair on
minnows and jigs at 16-25 ft.; best off of creek channels around submerged
brush. Largemouth bass fair on soft plastic lures at 12-24 ft. around cover.
Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Murray: March 16. Water 50 and clear in the south end and slightly murky in
the north arms. White bass fair in the north end near Martin’s landing.
Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around structure. Report submitted by
Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.
Pine
Creek: March 14. Elevation below normal, water clear. Bass good on blue or
watermelon colored jigs around points. Crappie good on minnows. Catfish good
on chicken liver below the spillway. White bass are staging up in the river
channel. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain
County.
Robert
S. Kerr: March 16. Elevation normal, water 61 and murky. Crappie good on
minnows and around brush piles and while drift fishing the Big San Bois
Creek area. Catfish fair on fresh shad and around break off points between
the shallow and the deeper water by the river channels. Largemouth bass fair
after finding the warmer water up the creeks. Report submitted by Leland
Sockey, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: March 14. Elevation normal, water 50. Largemouth bass fair on
spinnerbaits, worms and jigs. Crappie fair on minnows at 17-18 ft. Report
submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: March 14. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water 46 and clear south and
murky north. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good from Platter Flats
to the south. Striped and white bass fair to good from Catfish Bay to the
south. Channel and blue catfish fair to good in the Washita Arm of the lake.
Crappie fair to good in Widow Moore, Kansas and upper Rock creeks.
Paddlefish fair to good below the dam. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game
warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: March 14. Elevation normal, water murky. Crappie good on minnows and
jigs at 15-25 ft. around structure. Channel catfish fair on juglines with
cut shad and liver. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed
in LeFlore County.
SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: March 14. Elevation 15 1/3 ft. below normal and rising slowly.
Trout season is open until March 15. Crappie and walleyes being caught
around the Hicks Mountain Area and off the points near the main swim beach.
Report submitted by Sue Hokanson, Quartz Mountain State Park.
Ellsworth: March 14. Elevation normal with two floodgates open. Crappie fair
on minnows and jigs. Saugeye being caught on jigs behind the dam. Report
submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Foss:
March 15. Elevation 1/2 ft. below normal with gates closed, water 40s and
clear. Crappie fair on live bait at 10-15 ft. near the fish house. Walleye
fair on live bait at 20-30 ft. close to the dam. Catfish fair on stinkbait
in channels. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.
Tom
Steed: March 15. Elevation normal, water 45 and murky. Crappie fair on
minnows and jigs around brush piles near the dam. Walleye fair on minnows
and jigs at 10-15 ft. off rocks in the channel. Report submitted by David
Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
Waurika: March 15. Water cloudy to clear. Channel and blue catfish being
caught on cut shad and stinkbait around windy shores and points. Crappie
fair on minnows and jigs around fishing docks and rocks. Report submitted by
Vince Mesis, game warden stationed in Cotton County.
New
Lake Records 2009
Lake
Thunderbird
Flathead catfish
Weight: 57 lbs.
Angler: Brad Adkisson
Date:
May 11
Bait:
Trotline
Konawa
Largemouth bass
Weight: 9.1 lbs.
Angler: Brent Dempsey
Date:
May 7
Bait:
Soft plastic
Lake
Tenkiller
Smallmouth bass
Weight: 6.4 lbs.
Angler: Monty Bollinger
Date:
April 21
Bait:
Soft plastic
Hefner Lake
Largemouth bass
Weight: 10.5 lbs.
Angler: Kevin Barnicoat
Date:
April 21
Bait:
Jig
McGee Creek
Largemouth bass
Weight: 12.2 lbs.
Angler: Ray Earley
Date:
April 18
Bait:
Jig
Canton Lake
Striped bass
Weight: 24.1 lbs.
Angler: Kevin Deal
Date:
April 15
Bait:
Natural bait
Sardis
Largemouth bass
Weight: 11.2 lbs.
Angler: Charles Carter
Date:
April 14
Bait:
Spinner
Sooner Lake
Blue
catfish
Weight: 66.9 lbs.
Angler: Paul Shakula
Date:
April 14
Bait:
Processed bait
Skiatook
Flathead catfish
Weight: 43.6 lbs.
Angler: Nathan Coyle
Date:
April 10
Bait:
Natural bait
Fort Gibson
Crappie
Weight: 2.1 lbs.
Angler: Marshall Jones
Date:
April 9
Bait:
Soft plastic
Oologah
Blue
catfish
Weight: 62 lbs.
Angler: Tom Applegate
Date:
April 7
Bait:
Natural bait
Lake Murray
Largemouth bass
Weight: 10.9 lbs.
Angler: Charles Samuel Jewell, Jr.
Date:
March 24
Bait:
Soft plastic
Grand Lake
Crappie
Weight: 2.6 lbs.
Angler: Paul J. Youngblood
Date:
March 9
Bait:
Jig
Huge striped bass hybrid takes lake
record spot at Canton
Lifelong Oklahoma angler James Wesley Jones, Jr. of Canton said
he loves fishing because it is a relaxing activity, but there was likely no
relaxing going on April 19 when he landed a 23.2-lb. (23 lbs., 3 oz.)
striped bass hybrid from Canton Lake. The huge fish qualifies as a lake
record for Canton
and falls only about an ounce shy of taking the state record spot as well,
which is held by Paul Hollister and his 23-lb., 4 oz. fish caught April 1,
1997, from Altus-Lugert
Lake.
Jones caught his fish in the evening using a 1-oz. rattletrap.
Though the hybrid fell short of the state record, it reminds anglers that if
they catch a potential state record fish, they should contact an employee of
the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for procedures on
certifying state records. Lake
record fish are weighed on scales through lake record keepers registered
with the Wildlife Department, but the weighing of state records must be done
on certified scales with a witness from the Wildlife Department present.
Jones said the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s
new Lake Record Fish Program does more than just recognize fish, but that it
also encourages the sport of fishing. Before the program was in place, his
near state record fish could have gone overlooked by anglers across the
state, but the recognition his fish received through the Lake Record Fish
Program reminds anglers of the potential that Oklahoma’s lakes hold for
producing monster-sized fish.
“It gets people motivated to fish knowing that there are larger
fish in the lake,” Jones said.
He said it is common in discussions among anglers to wonder
about the sizes of the largest fish caught in lakes across the state.
“You don’t have to wonder anymore,” he said. “You can just go on
and find out.”
Jones is referring to the Wildlife Department’s Web site,
wildlifedepartment.com, which includes an easily-operated search feature
that allows those interested to view a wealth of lake record fish
information, ranging from the size of record fish caught to what kind of
bait or rod and reel was used to catch them. And right now, lake records are
being set and broken on a regular basis, which means the wealth of
information on the Web site is updating and growing regularly as well.
Other recent lake records include a 4.8-lb. smallmouth bass
caught by Derek Thurman of
Collinsville. His fish went down as a record
smallmouth for Skiatook Lake, but that record was broken just days later, on
April 5, when angler Jim Horn of Cleveland landed a 6.6-lb. smallmouth bass
from Skiatook using a bait casting rod and reel set up with a jig.
Lakes included in the program include Arbuckle, Broken Bow,
Canton, Eufaula, Ft.
Cobb, Grand, Kaw, Keystone,
Sardis, Skiatook, Tenkiller, Texoma and Thunderbird.
Species eligible for spots in the lake records book include
blue, channel and flathead catfish and largemouth, smallmouth and spotted
bass in addition to crappie, paddlefish, striped bass, striped bass hybrids,
sunfish (combined) walleye/saugeye and white bass. Minimum weights are set
for each species are detailed on the Wildlife Department’s Web site at
wildlifedepartment.com.
Anglers who catch a potential record from a participating lake
should contact designated business locations around the lake that are
enrolled as lake record keepers. A listing of official lake record keepers
is available on wildlifedepartment.com.
Once it has been determined that an angler has landed a record
fish, the media is notified and the public will be able to view information
about the catch on the Wildlife Department’s Web site at
wildlifedepartment.com.
All past and current state record fish are registered in the
Lake Record Fish Program as records for their respective lakes.
To see the complete database of all lake record fish caught, or
to learn more about the Lake Record Fish program, log on to the Wildlife
Department’s Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
| |
 |
| Fish Species |
Crappie |
| Lake |
Keystone |
| Reel |
Shimano |
| Rod |
Shimano |
| Bait |
Jig |
| Catch Method |
Spinning rod and reel |
| Disposition |
Released |
| Weighed Condition |
Alive |
| Length (inches) |
17.00 |
| Girth (inches) |
13.00 |
| Weight (pounds) |
3.7 |
| Angler's Name |
Dave Bargas |
| Angler's City |
sandsprings |
| Angler's State |
OK |
| Date Caught |
Jun 3 2009 |
| Area Caught |
saltcreek |
| Lake Record |
Yes |
| Record Keeper |
N-D-N Hunting and Fishing Supplies
|
|
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