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FISHING REPORT FOR APRIL 22, 2009
 
CENTRAL
 
Arcadia: Crappie can be caught on minnows and jigs at 2-6 ft.; they have started spawning. Largemouth bass good on pumpkin seed worms and crank baits at 4-10 ft. White bass good in the Deep Fork South of the turnpike on white two inch grubs and rooster tails. Channel catfish and blue catfish fair off rocky points with shad and punch baits. Report submitted by Mark Murray, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
 
Arcadia: Elevation slightly above normal, water 53 and semi clear. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs at 5 ft. on the south side around the crappie dock. White bass fair to good on north bank at 6-7 ft. on light colored plastic worms. Reported by Linnie Mason, gate attendant.
 
Draper: Elevation normal and murky. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs off fishing docks and structure. Largemouth bass fair to good on tandem spinnerbaits in coves with structure. White bass good on sassy shad at water inlet. Report submitted by Chad Strang, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
 
Hefner: Elevation above normal, water 57 and murky. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits. White bass good on two inch white grubs. Channel catfish good on cut shad and worms. Crappie good on minnows and jigs along the dam. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
 
Overholser: Elevation normal, water clear. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on minnows and jigs along windy shorelines and below the dam in the tailwaters. Crappie good on minnows and jigs, stacking up along shorelines in riprap and concrete slabs. Fishing activity is picking up. Report submitted by Ron Comer, game warden stationed in Canadian County.
 
Thunderbird: Elevation normal and muddy. Crappie good on small minnows and jigs at 3-6 ft. around structure. Crappie are beginning to move up into shallower water in evenings. Largemouth bass fair on tandem spinnerbaits in shallow coves on structure. Channel catfish fair on cut bait and stinkbait off points. Saugeye fair off windy points on crankbaits and jigs. White Bass good on road runners and grubs in Little River. Report submitted by Chad Strang, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
 
NORTHEAST
 
Bell Cow: Elevation below normal, water clear. Bass fair on plastic lures. Channel catfish fair on doughbaits. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
 
Carl Blackwell: Elevation 1 ft. below normal and muddy. Crappie good shallow at 2-6 ft. on minnows and jigs. Bass good spinnerbaits. Striped bass hybrids slow trolling crankbaits and live bait. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
 
Chandler: Elevation below normal, water clear. Bass fair on plastic lures. Channel catfish fair on doughbaits. Crappie good on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
 
Copan: Elevation above normal and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-14 ft. Channel catfish fair below the dam on stinkbait and cut shad. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
 
Eucha: Elevation 1/4 ft. above normal, water 58 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush and structure at 10-12 ft. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Catfish fair on limb lines using cut shad. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.
 
Ft. Gibson: Elevation 3 1/2 ft. above normal and stained. Catfish are excellent on night crawlers, cut shad, whole shad and garlic hot dog wieners in the creeks where they are running into the lake. White bass excellent in the creeks and river on the north end of the lake. Excellent stringers are reported in Flat Rock Creek under Hwy 69 using white grubs and jigs. Crappie good in brush piles at 5-15 ft. on minnows and jigs. Largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits and spinnerbaits working the shallows, also pre spawn. Report submitted by Rick Stafford with 3riverguideservice.com
 
Greenleaf: Water clear. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms along shoreline and rocky points. Catfish good on cut bait on bottom. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 1-8 ft. around fishing docks. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
 
Hulah: Elevation above normal and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-14 ft. White bass good on jigs and minnow jigs in flowing water. Channel catfish fair below the dam on cut shad. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.

Kaw: Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 53 and muddy. Blue catfish good on cut shad in the Coon Creek and on juglines with cut shad Washunga Bay area. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in Bear, Wolf, and Beaver creeks at 3-12 ft. Paddlefish snagging remains slow below the dam. Significant rain and water releases should improve the fishing dramatically. Report submitted by Tracy Daniel, game warden stationed in Kay County.
 
Keystone: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on tube baits and swim-n-jig at 3-6 ft. along creeks and back of coves. Smallmouth bass fair on crankbaits and jig and chunk baits at 5-10 ft. along rocky banks and coves. Spotted bass good on shaky head worm rigs and crankbaits at 5-10 ft. around secondary points with broken rock. White bass good on minnows, jigs and grubs at 3-8 ft. in creeks on the upper end of the lake. Striped bass good on live shad and bucktails at 3-5 ft. below the dam. Channel catfish good on worms and liver at 5-10 ft. in creeks and coves up river. Blue catfish good on cut shad and punchbait at 6-12 ft. midway back in coves. Flathead catfish fair on goldfish and live shad at 8-15 ft. around bluffs and riprap. Crappie good on minnows and pink or chartreuse jigs at 3-12 ft. in riprap and sloping gravel banks, will be moving to spawning banks soon. Report submitted by Woody's Bait and Tackle.
 
Lower Illinois: Elevation normal, water 54 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on jerk baits at 1-3 ft. all along the river. White bass fair on jigs at 1-3 ft. below Gore Landing. Striped bass slow on jigs at 1-4 ft. below Gore Landing. Channel and blue catfish good on cut baits on bottom all along the river. Crappie fair on jigs at 1-2 ft. below Gore Landing. Trout excellent on fly-fishing on the surface all along the river, on rooster tails at 1-3 ft. all along the river and on power baits on bottom all along the river. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.
 
Oologah: Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water in lower 50's and muddy. Crappie fair on jigs at 10 ft. in creek channels around standing timber and around brush piles. White bass fair on jigs in creeks running into the lake. Crappie, white bass and striped bass hybrids fair on jigs below the dam. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.
 
Sooner: White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on slabs and live shad in the lake. Channel catfish good on cut baits and live baits in the channels. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in deep water. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
 
Spavinaw: Elevation 1/3 ft. above normal, water 56 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.
 
Tenkiller: Elevation 4 1/2 ft. above normal, water 57 and stained in the upper end and clear in the lower end. Largemouth bass fair on wide variety of lures at 2-15 ft. Catfish fair on juglines with cut baits or minnows at 40-60 ft. White bass fair in Horseshoe Bend area. Report by Monte Brooks Cookson Village Resort.
 
Webbers Falls: Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits along riprap and creek channels. Channel catfish good on cut baits on bottom. Crappie good on minnows and purple jigs at 2-10 ft. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
 
NOTHWEST
 
Canton: Elevation 1/2 ft above normal. Striped bass hybrids good along Sandy Cove to Longdale Landing on night crawlers and sunfish. White bass good in river above lake and in upper end of lake on jigs and crankbaits. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs near brush piles at 5-8 ft. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
 
Ft. Supply: Elevation normal, water clear. White bass fair to good on jigs and spinnerbaits, still making the run up river. Crappie fair on jigs and spinnerbaits along jetties. Walleye fair on minnows along riprap. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
 
SOUTHEAST
 
Arbuckle: Elevation 5-6 ft. below normal, water 58-60 and stained from winds and algae bloom. Crappie good in shallows using jig under cork. White bass being caught on rattletrap or wiggle-tail roadrunners on the flats. Bass are hitting crankbaits, swim baits and lizard Carolina rigs. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
 
Broken Bow: Elevation rising, water high 50s. Largemouth bass are still schooling. White bass run is slowing down. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
 
Eufaula: Elevation normal, water stained. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along shallow rocky areas. White bass good on jigs below the dam when running water. Blue catfish fair on shad along shallow flats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 1-4 ft. along banks and brush. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
 
Hugo: Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 58. Crappie good on minnows and jigs in shallow water around submerged brush. Largemouth bass good at 2-4 ft. along the shore. Catfish good on cut bait in open water at 8-10 ft. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
 
Konawa: Elevation normal, water 57 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic worms at 3-5 ft. along the cattails. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows and shad at 15 ft. in the discharge canal. Channel catfish good on chicken liver at 15 ft. in the discharge canal. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
 
Lower Mountain Fork River: The fishing has been rating about a 6 on a scale of 1-10. Pretty good, but it is sometimes better. There are lots of fish in the stream, and lots of big fish but they are not extremely easy to catch. Good flies have been Parachute Adams, elk hair caddis, pheasant tail nymphs, beavers bend specials, zebra midges, and several others. Zone 3 has been good, when the powerhouse is not releasing water. Zone 2 has been a bit difficult, and zone 1 has been the star of the show. Lots of stocked trout and relatively easy to catch. Report submitted by Beavers Bend Fly Shop.
 
McGee Creek: Elevation 1/2 ft. below normal, water 59 and clear. Largemouth bass fair to good on black and blue jigs and avocado colored soft plastic baits fished at 3-6 ft. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
 
Murray: Elevation below normal, water clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on various baits. White bass good trolling minnows and jigs and at night around structure. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.
 
Pine Creek: Elevation above normal and murky. Bass fair on soft plastics when fished slowly around timber. Crappie fair on minnows around flooded timber and the old bridge. Catfish good on liver and cut shad. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
 
Robert S. Kerr: Elevation normal, water 63 and murky. Crappie good on minnows and small jigs shallow. Blue catfish good on fresh shad and fresh cut bait at 5-10 ft. along old creek channels. White bass has slowed since run up creeks. Largemouth bass improving on soft baits and crankbaits at 3-5 ft. Report submitted by Leland Sockey, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
 
Sardis Lake: Elevation above normal. Bass good on chatter bait, spinnerbaits, plugs and watermelon lizards at 1-5 ft. in grass beds or shallows. Crappie excellent on minnows off of Jack Fork Bridge and half bridge, on live minnows off of tower and on pink grubs or green and black around brush piles. Flathead catfish fair on shad on juglines or trotlines. Blue and channel catfish fair on juglines and trotlines with cut bait, shrimp or shad. White bass good on grubs starting run when flows increase from rains in creeks. Walleye fair trolling around islands on rattletraps. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
 
Texoma: Elevation normal, water 59 and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good in the creek channels. Striped and white bass fair to good from Platter Flats south. Channel and blue catfish fair to good in the Washita River arm of the lake. Crappie fair to good around the fishing docks and rocky shorelines. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
 
Wister: Elevation 6 1/2 ft. above normal and murky. Largemouth bass good on watermelon lizards, dark plastics and spinnerbaits around points and drop offs. White bass good on white roadrunners and rattletraps in upper Poteau below dam area. Crappie good with small spinnerbaits and pink jigs around brush piles on minnows, pink jigs and grubs below dam area. Channel catfish good on cut shad and liver with juglines best on red worms below dam area. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.   
 
SOUTHWEST
 
Altus-Lugert: Elevation 6 1/2 ft. below normal and rising very slowly. Crappie, striped bass hybrids and walleye good. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson, Quartz Mountain State Park.
 
Ellsworth: Elevation 4 ft. below normal. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish fair on cut bait. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
 
Foss: Elevation above normal, water in the mid 50's and clear, gates closed. Striped bass hybrids good around dam. Walleye fair. White bass good. Crappie good. Catfish fair. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.
 
Ft. Cobb: Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal. Catfish slow to fair on cut baits. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs around docks in shallow water. Striped bass hybrids slow to fair. Report submitted by James L. Edwards Jr., game warden stationed in Caddo County.
 
Lawtonka: Elevation 3 ft. below normal. Catfish fair to good on cut bait. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
 
Tom Steed: White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows off the bottom around points. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
 
Waurika: Elevation slightly below normal. Blue catfish fair on cut baits. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at the Chisholm boat ramp, Wichita Ridge, Walker Creek, Coral Ridge and the marina. Report submitted by Phillip Cottrill, game warden stationed in Cotton 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.