FISHING REPORT MARCH 29, 2006

CENTRAL

Draper: Elevation normal and clear. Bass good in shallow cover with spinner baits. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.

Thunderbird: Elevation 5 ft. below normal and clear. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 8-10 ft. around structure. Bass fair on spinnerbaits in shallow cover. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.

NORTHEAST

Birch: Elevation 6 ft. below normal. Striped bass hybrids good around rocky points on plastic shad and curly tail jigs. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush piles. Largemouth bass fair around the rocks as well as crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Ben Bickerstaff, game warden stationed in Osage County.

Eucha: Elevation 11 ft. below normal, water 49 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush and structure on the lower end of the lake. Largemouth fair on jerk baits off rocky points. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.

Grand: Elevation below normal and clear. White bass good in streams. Channel catfish fair to good in lake tributaries. Crappie good around brush piles and docks. Report submitted by Jim Littlefield, game warden stationed in Delaware County.

Greenleaf: Elevation 1 ft. below normal and clear. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits along shoreline and riprap. Catfish fair on cut bait on bottom. Crappie good on jigs and minnows around fishing docks and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

Hudson: Elevation 3 3/4 ft. below normal and clear. Crappie good around heated docks on black jigs at 10-12 ft. Crappie and white bass fair to good below the dam on small lures. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits. Blue catfish good on cut bait in the shallow flats. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Mayes County.

Kaw: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 49 and clear. White bass good below dam on 1/8th ounce jigs, small spoons, and minnows and in the Arkansas River on jigs and spoons. Blue catfish good at 5-10 ft. on live and cut shad and fair below dam on cut shad, shad guts, and stink bait. Report submitted by Marshall Reigh, game warden stationed in Kay and Grant counties. Most all of the reports now say the sandbass are running strong on the Arkansas River at the Newkirk bridge on Roadrunners. Good numbers reported on crappie on jigs and minnows in brush 8 feet and at both marinas. Bass fishing slow in the creeks, water to cold for pre-spawn activity.

Keystone: Elevation 4 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear to murky. Largemouth bass fair on jig and chunk and crankbaits at 6-10 ft. off rock banks. Smallmouth bass fair on jerk baits suspended at 6-10 ft. in coves with secondary points. Spotted bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits at 6-10 ft. in main lake coves. White bass good on small spinners and minnows at 4-8 ft. in river and creek channels. Striped bass good on sassy shad and jerk baits at 4-6 ft. below dam. Channel catfish fair on worms and shrimp at 5-10 ft. in creeks. Blue catfish good on shad at 8-15 ft. in the flats off the river channel. Flathead catfish fair on shad at 10-15 ft. off steep banks. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 5-12 ft. around brush piles, in coves and creek channels. Walleye slow on minnow-tipped jigs at 4-8 ft. below the dam. Paddlefish snagging good on large treble hooks at 10-20 ft. in Arkansas River arm. Report submitted by Larry Sellers, Woody's Bait and Tackle.

Lower Illinois River: Trout fair. Stripers are becoming active in lower portion of the stream. White bass are excellent from mouth of the Illinois River all the way to Lock & Dam 16. Report submitted by Ryan Callison, Gore.

Oologah: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 50 and clear. White bass fair in Verdigris River above the lake. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush piles at 10-15 ft. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.

Skiatook: Elevation 6 3/4 ft. below normal, water 51 and clear at lower end. Water stained in creeks at upper end. Striped bass hybrids fair off points. Watch for the shad to be working. Catfish good on trotlines with perch and very large minnows. Smallmouth and largemouth bass fair to good on crankbaits and some plastics, in creeks and off points above deeper structure. Crappie good on small and medium minnows at 15-25 ft. around Highway 20 bridge and other structure, and in the creeks. Look for steep drop-offs in creeks. Report submitted by Greenwood Fishing Center.

Spavinaw: Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 43 and clear. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around dam area. Largemouth fair on spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.

Tenkiller: Elevation 10 1/2 ft. below normal, water 53 and clear. Smallmouth bass and spotted bas fair off points at 15 ft. on rogues or bass jigs. Crappie slow with some action around brush in upper end on jigs. White bass fair mid to upper-end on points on spinners or spoons and fair trolling deep running lures mid-lake. Report submitted by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.

Webbers Falls: Elevation 1 ft. below normal and murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits in creek channels and riprap. Channel catfish fair on cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure and bridges. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

SOUTHEAST

Blue River: Elevation normal, water 55 and muddy to murky. Largemouth bass fair on minnows and flies. Catfish fair on liver and worms. Trout fair to good on super dupers, rooster tails and power baits. Report submitted by Charles Baker, technician at Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.

Eufaula: Elevation 5 1/2 ft. below normal and clear. Largemouth bass good on jerk baits and plastic baits at 3-10 ft. around rocky areas. White bass slow. Blue catfish good on shad at 3-10 ft. on the flats. Crappie fair on minnows at 4-10 ft. along riprap and around brush piles. Report submitted Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.

Hugo: Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water 56 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and soft plastic lures. Crappie good on live minnows. White bass good on grubs, jigs and small spinners. Report submitted by Wendell Smalling, game warden stationed in Choctaw County.

Konawa: Elevation normal, water 60 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic worms around weed beds and off points at 5-10 ft. White bass and striped bass hybrids good in the discharge channel on minnows and jigs at 15 ft. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.

McGee Creek: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal, water 56 and clear. Largemouth bass fair to good on soft plastic lures at 6-12 ft. off creek channels. White bass fair on sassy shad in open water. Crappie fair on minnows around cedar brush off main creek channels. Channel catfish fair on live bait on jug lines around structure. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.

Lower Mountain Fork River: Trout very active on tan/light brown mayfly imitations, soft hackled flies/emerges and wooly buggers. Report submitted by Sid and Peggy, Beavers Bend Fly Shop.

Pine Creek: Elevation above normal, water clear. Bass good on rocky points with red shad colored worms at 8-14 ft. Crappie good on minnows in creek channels. Catfish fair on chicken liver in lower end of the lake. White bass good on white roadrunners up in the river shoals. Report Submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Robert S. Kerr: Elevation normal, water 58 and clear. Largemouth bass fair at 5-6 ft. using plastic baits or spinner baits fishing the weed, rock or woody structure; crappie good at 3-5 ft. using minnows and jigs fishing the spawning areas around the lake. White bass good at 6-8 ft. using shad imitation lures fishing up the major creeks or below Webbers Falls or Kerr dams. Blue catfish fair at 8-10 ft. using fresh cut bait fishing the old river channel and bank fishing the windy points. Flathead catfish fair at 20-25 ft. using live bait on jug lines and trotlines. Report submitted by Rick Olzawski, game warden stationed in Haskell County.

Texoma: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 56 and clear to the south and murky to the north. Largemouth bass fair on jigs at 10-15 ft. in creek channels. White bass and striped bass fair to good on sassy shad and slabs at 15-25 ft. south of the highway bridge. Catfish fair to good on cut bait at 15-20 ft. in the Washita River Arm. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. around structure. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.

Wister: Elevation 3/4 ft above normal and falling, water 58 and muddy. The gates are open and lake is falling about 1/2 a ft. per day. Crappie below dam good on minnows 3-6 ft. Crappie on the lake fair on minnows 6-10 ft. Largemouth bass fair around the points on large spinnerbaits white or green. All other fishing slow Report submitted by D.G. Belcher, game warden stationed in Latimer County.

SOUTHWEST

Altus-Lugert: Elevation 15 ft. below normal and murky. Lake level is rising slightly. North shore boat ramp is high and dry. Fishing is poor. Crappie are starting to bite. Trout Season has ended. Trout licenses are not needed to fish in the river. There is no fishing from the bridge on SH44A as you enter the park. Report compiled by Quartz Mountain Grocery.

Ellsworth: Elevation 10 ft. below normal, water 50 and murky. Crappie good at Ralph's Resort at 6-10 ft. on minnows and jigs. Catfish fair on cut shad off rocky points. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.

Ft. Cobb: Elevation 3/4 ft above normal. Crappie slow to fair around structure using jigs. White bass slow to fair. Striped bass hybrids slow to fair off windy points. Catfish fair using cut baits. Saugeye slow. Report submitted by James L. Edwards, Jr., game warden station in Caddo County.

Tom Steed: Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 49 and murky. Crappie slow to fair on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. around rocks. White bass fair on small spinners at the old highway. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.

New Possible State Record:

Dru Kinslow, of Oklahoma City, caught a state record fish Monday, March 27, but he doesn't know quite where his name will go in the record book - under smallmouth bass or black bass hybrid. Either way it will be a new state record.

Kinslow caught an 8-pound, 5.6-ounce bass from Veteran's Lake near Sulphur. When he took the fish to fisheries biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, they immediately recognized it was bigger than either the current smallmouth or the black bass hybrid records. However, the brute had characteristics of both a smallmouth bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass.

"I don't really care whether it is a smallmouth or a hybrid, I am just happy to catch a fish that big. Never in my life did I think I would catch a state record," Kinslow said.

Fisheries biologists sent a small fin sample to a DNA lab. The lab report will reveal if the fish is a smallmouth or a black bass hybrid. Black bass hybrids occur rarely in nature when the spawning areas of black bass species overlap.

"It's certainly unusual. I am very curious to see the lab results," said Kim Erickson, fisheries chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Unfortunately, this isn't an episode of 'CSI' and it will likely take several weeks for the technicians to perform the DNA analysis."

DNA results from the lab will be posted on wildlifedepartment.com as soon as they are available.

Kinslow was using a jig and salt craw combo when he hooked the big fish in the clear waters of 67-acre Veteran's Lake.

"I was just trying out different lures to see what might be biting when I hooked the fish," Kinslow said. "It fought pretty hard and went all the way under the boat. I didn't realize how big it was until I got it in the boat."

The fish measured 22.75-inches long and was 16.5 inches in girth.

Steve McLarty holds the current record smallmouth bass with an 8-pound, 3-ounce fish he caught just weeks ago at Lake Eufaula in eastcentral Oklahoma.

The state record black bass hybrid was just established this February when Sean McAllister pulled a 6-pound, 14-ounce fish from Lake Texoma.

For a complete list of record fish and the procedures regarding certifying state record fish, consult the "2006 Oklahoma Fishing Guide." If you think you may have hooked a record fish it is important that you weigh the fish on an Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture certified scale and a Wildlife Department employee verifies the weight.