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FISHING REPORT FOR MARCH 18, 2009
 
CENTRAL
 
Arcadia: Largemouth bass fair on black power bait worms at 10-12 ft. Blue catfish good on shad and punchbaits around the dam at night. Crappie fair to good at the heated dock and at 10-12 ft. near the river channel in standing timber. Report submitted by Mark Murray, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
 
Hefner: Elevation above normal, water 58. White bass good all across the lake. Channel and blue catfish being caught on cut shad at the dam. Crappie being caught at the dam. Walleye good trolling crankbaits. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game stationed in Oklahoma County.
 
Overholser: Elevation normal, water 58 and clear. Channel and flathead catfish fair to good on stinkbaits, minnows and cut baits from the bank. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs below the dam and around the crappie dock. Report submitted by Ron Comer, game warden stationed in Canadian County.
 
Thunderbird: Elevation normal and clear. Crappie good on small minnows and jigs at 4-8 ft. on structure. Largemouth bass fair on tandem spinners in shallow coves on structure. Channel catfish fair on cut bait and stink bait off points. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
 
Wes Watkins: Water 52-57 and murky. Largemouth bass being caught on rattletraps, assorted soft plastics and spinnerbaits. White bass being caught trolling along the north shoreline by the dam. Catfish good on bait shrimp, chicken liver and worms. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in timbered areas, some spawning taking place. Report submitted by M. Fowler.
 
NROTHEAST
 
Birch: Water 53 and clear. Largemouth bass excellent on jerk baits and spinnerbaits at 6-8 ft. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on sassy shad and jigs up creek channels. Channel catfish good on worms below the dam. Report submitted by Spencer Grace, game warden stationed in Osage County.
 
Carl Blackwell: Elevation 2 ft. below normal and murky. Crappie fair at 14-16 ft. Saugeye fair on crankbaits near rock structure. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
 
Chandler: Elevation below normal, water clear. Channel catfish good on shrimp. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
 
Copan: Elevation normal and murky. Crappie good on minnow and jigs near submerged structure at 10-15 ft. Crappie are best near Osage Point on green tube jigs at 2 ft. Blue catfish good on cut shad. Channel catfish good on worms. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
 
Eucha: Elevation slightly below normal, water 50 and murky. Crappie good on jigs and minnows around brush and structure at 10-14 ft. Largemouth bass good on suspended jerk baits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.
 
Ft. Gibson: Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 46 and stained. Catfish good on cut shad and night crawlers in the main channel. Crappie fair along the rocky banks at 10-15 ft. of water on jigs and minnows. White bass and paddlefish are starting up river but still no good concentrations yet.  Report Submitted by Rick Stafford with 3riverguideservice.com.
 
Grand: Upper end: Elevation below normal, water 45-60 in the rivers and clear. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits, bass jigs and crappie jigs. White bass good on white grubs, green and chartreuse grubs, rooster tails and bobber and jigs. Channel, blue and flathead catfish good on shad, brooders and nightcrawlers at 20-40 ft and on secret seven dip bait in the rivers around log jams. Crappie good on Grandpa's jigs in chartreuse, pink and yellow, shiners, rosy reds and Bobby Garland's at 15-18 ft. Paddlefish excellent from Sailboat Bridge all the way up the rivers. Report submitted by Grand Lake Sport's Center.
 
Greenleaf: Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and beavertail worms along riprap and creek channels. Catfish fair on fresh cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around fishing docks and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
 
Hudson: Elevation normal. Largemouth bass good on plastic lures and crankbaits. White bass fair to good on small lures. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs around brushy areas. Paddlefish fair. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.
 
Hulah: Elevation normal and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs near submerged structure at 10-15 ft. Blue catfish good on cut shad.  Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.

Kaw: Blue catfish good in Coon Creek area on juglines, trotlines, and rod and reel fishing with cut shad at 6-15 ft. Channel catfish good in upper end of lake in Bear Creek and Arkansas River on stink bait and shad. White bass fair in Arkansas River on 1/16th and 1/8th ounce white or chartreuse roadrunners. White bass also fair in tailwaters during times of water release. Crappie good in Otter and Beaver Creek at 4-8 ft. on black and chartreuse jigs and minnows fished around brush piles. Paddlefish are just starting to move up below the dam; fishing is still slow with only a few being caught so far. Report submitted by Marshall Reigh, game warden stationed in Grant and Kay counties.
 
Keystone: Elevation 1 1/3 ft. above normal, water clear to murky. Largemouth bass good on jig and chunkbaits and single Colorado spinnerbaits at 3-8 ft. in creeks and backs of coves. Smallmouth bass fair on jerk baits and jig and chunkbaits at 5-10 ft. around secondary points with scattered rocks. Spotted bass good on crankbaits and jig and chunkbaits at 5-10 ft. in sunny calm waters in steep bank coves. White bass good on minnows and jigs at 4-8 ft. in creeks and below the dam. Striped bass fair on large jerk baits and bucktails at 3-6 ft. below the dam. Channel catfish fair on worms and liver at 5-10 ft. in creeks. Blue catfish fair on cut shad and garlic hotdog chunks at 8-12 ft. in half way back in coves. Flathead catfish fair on sunfish and large shiners at 8-12 ft. in mouths of deep coves. Crappie good on minnows and chartreuse/white jigs at 4-12 ft. in riprap areas in backs of coves. Report submitted by Woody's Bait and Tackle.
 
Lower Illinois: March 16. Elevation normal, water 55 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and sink baits at 1-2 ft. in weed beds, coves and creek channels. Striped bass fair on jigs at 1-3 ft. from mouth of the river to Gore Landing. Channel catfish good on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie slow on jigs at 1-3 ft. from Gore Landing to the mouth of the river. Trout excellent on flies at the surface, rooster tails at 1-2 ft. and power bait on bottom at the dam, Watt's, river access and Gore Landing. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.
 
Oologah: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water in the lower 50s and murky. White bass have started to run up the Verdigris River above the lake and are fair on jigs. Crappie fair in the river and in creeks around the lake on minnows and jigs around brush at 10-15 ft. White bass, crappie and striped bass hybrids fair below the dam on jigs. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.
 
Pawhuska Lake: Elevation 3 ft. below normal, water 49. Trout excellent on power bait, marshmallows, and corn with 12-16 inch leaders and fair on in-line spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Spencer Grace, game warden stationed in Osage County.
 
Skiatook: Elevation 1/2 ft. below normal, water lower 50s and clear. Largemouth bass fair on jigs and spinnerbaits. White bass good on spinnerbaits in Hominy Creek and fair on rattletraps in the lake. Striped bass hybrids fair on rattletraps in the lake. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-10 ft. in creek channels. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
 
Sooner: Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
 
Spavinaw: Elevation slightly above normal, water 54 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around the dam area.  Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.
 
Webbers Falls: Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along riprap and creek channels. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around bridges and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
 
 
NORTHWEST
 
Canton: Elevation normal. Walleye good along the dam after sundown on jigs and crankbaits. White bass fair in river above lake on jigs and roadrunners. Striped bass hybrids good along Thunder Road on crawdad tails and worms. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
 
Ft. Supply: Elevation normal, water clear. White bass fair on jigs and spinnerbaits along the dam at the jetties. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
 
SOUTHEAST
 
Arbuckle: Elevation 4 1/2 ft. below normal, water 55-58 and murky. Bass fair using crankbaits, small swim baits and spinnerbaits run slow. Crappie good using minnows and chartreuse jigs. White bass are on the move under gulls, 1/4 oz rattletrap in chrome/blue best. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
 
Blue River: Elevation normal, water 55 and clear. Bass slow on minnows and flies. Catfish fair on liver and worms. Trout good on power baits, super dupers, rooster tails and mealworms. Report submitted by Charles Baker, technician at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
 
Broken Bow: Elevation rising, water murky. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair on crawdad colored crankbaits at 10-12 ft. around structure. White bass have shut down due to cold weather but should pick up by the middle of the week. Walleye good on jigs and rogues in the upper end of the lake. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
 
Eufaula: Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water clear. Largemouth bass being caught on jerk baits and plastic lures around shallow rocky areas. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 6-12 ft. along riprap at I-40 and boat docks. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
 
Hugo: Elevation slightly above normal, water 53. Crappie fair to good on minnows along the river channels. White bass fair on trolled crankbaits from Rattan landing upstream to the shoals. Catfish and crappie picking up below the dam during water releases. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
 
Konawa: Elevation normal, water 61 and clear. Largemouth bass excellent on plastic worms at 5-7 ft. outside of the cattails. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on slabs and jigs at 15 ft. in the discharge canal.  Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
 
McGee Creek: Elevation 13 1/2 inches below normal, water 53 and clear. Largemouth bass fair to good on spinnerbaits fished in standing timber at 6-8 ft. deep in upper end of lake. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
 
Murray: Elevation 4 ft. below normal. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and rattletraps. White bass fair minnows, crankbaits and trolling. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs. Walleye fair on minnows and jigs, best right before dark around the dam. Report submitted by Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.
 
Pine Creek: Elevation below normal, water murky.  Bass good on red shad colored crankbaits. Crappie good on minnows.  Catfish fair on cut bait. White bass good on white roadrunners north in the river channel and better north of Pine Knot Crossing. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
 
Sardis Lake: Bass good in grass beds. Crappie excellent off of Jack Fork bridge with minnows and off of tower on live minnows, and on brush piles using pink grubs or green and black. Flathead catfish slow on live bait on jugs or trotlines. Blue and channel catfish fair on jugs and trotlines on cut bait or shrimp. White bass starting to stage in creeks good on grubs. Walleye fair up creek channels using white grubs. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
 
Texoma: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 52 and clear. Striped and white bass fair to good in the south half of the lake. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good around the deep points and creek channels. Channel and blue catfish fair to good from Platter Flats north. Crappie fair to good around the fishing docks with brush. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
 
Wister: Largemouth bass good on dark plastics baits at points and drop-offs. White bass good on white road runners and rattletraps, upper Poteau River below dam area. Crappie fair to good with small spinners and pink jigs around brush piles, good on minnows and pink jigs below dam area. Channel catfish good on cut shad and liver with jugs baited with red worms. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
 
 
SOUTHWEST
 
Altus-Lugert: Elevation 8 ft. below normal and rising very slowly. Crappie fair. Striped hybrid bass fair to good. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson, Quartz Mountain State Park.
 
Ellsworth: Elevation 3 ft. below normal. Crappie good around boat house at Ralph's Resort. Catfish fair off rocky points.  Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
 
Foss: Elevation normal, water 50 and clear. Gates closed. Walleye slow but should be going to rocks on dam. Crappie fair. Catfish fair. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.
 
Ft. Cobb: Elevation 1/3 ft. above normal. Crappie slow to fair around marina. Saugeye slow to fair along east end of dam. Catfish slow to fair on cut baits. Report submitted by James L. Edwards Jr., game warden stationed in Caddo County.
 
Lawtonka: Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal. Crappie good on jigs at the dam. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
 
Tom Steed: Crappie and saugeye fair on minnows and jigs at 10-20 ft. off rocks. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
 

 

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.