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June 3-4
Marks Oklahoma Free Fishing Days!
In case you needed an excuse to take your family fishing, here is a
good one - the first weekend in June (June 3-4) is Free Fishing Days in
Oklahoma.
"Free fishing days are a great opportunity to introduce family and friends
to fishing," said David Warren, information and education chief for the
Wildlife Department.
Oklahoma was the first state in the nation to offer free fishing days 24
years ago and has since been followed by dozens of other states that have
established similar free fishing days.
Resident and non-resident fishing licenses (including trout licenses and
fishing and hunting legacy permits) are not required on the free fishing
days, although anglers should note that local or municipal permits might be
required on those days.
Texoma Lake anglers should be aware that the Texas free fishing day is
Saturday, June 3 only. Unless exempt due to age, anglers fishing on the
Texas portion of Lake Texoma on Sunday, June 4 must either possess the
special Lake Texoma license or a fishing license issued by the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department. Anglers must also follow all other fishing
regulations.
Take A KID FISHING!
  
Why Take A kid Fishing?
Just look at those faces!
OkieFish's DAD'S Wisdom
"If you wish to be happy for an
hour, get intoxicated. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married.
If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it.
But.......If you wish to be happy forever,
learn to fish."
OkieFish's Dad
And I Did, and I'am Happy I
did!
OkieFish
Biologists examine blue catfish
populations:
During a recent research project, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation fisheries biologists collected a 24-year-old blue catfish. More
surprising than the fish's impressive age was its diminutive weight. The
catfish weighed only two pounds.
"That fish was not normal but, in short, we found that it takes a long time
for a blue cat to grow very large. Generally speaking, it takes 13-16 years
for a blue catfish to reach 10 pounds. They have a long lifespan compared to
most Oklahoma fish, but they grow slowly," said Jeff Boxrucker, senior
fisheries research biologist for the Wildlife Department. "We still have a
lot to learn about blue catfish, but this research will help us better
understand these great fish."
Biologists spent months gathering samples and analyzing data from blue
catfish populations on seven Oklahoma lakes. However, all is not equal in
the realm of blue cats. That 24-year-old, two-pound fish was caught in Lake
Ellsworth in southwest Oklahoma, but this spring, biologists aged a 78-pound
fish caught by an anglerfrom Texoma that was 19 years old.
"Some fish, particularly blue catfish in certain lakes, just grow slower
than others," Boxrucker said. "In our study we found that blue catfish grow
faster in Texoma, Waurika, Grand and Keystone lakes. On the flip side, they
grow relatively slower in Hugo, Ellsworth and Eufaula lakes."
Boxrucker and his fellow biologists will continue to study these unique fish
in order to give fisheries managers the knowledge they need to make informed
management decisions. In the meantime Boxrucker has one suggestion for
anglers.
"Keep all the small blue cats that you can eat and the law allows. But
consider releasing the really big fish. These trophy blues are a great
resource for all anglers and because of their age they can be hard to
replace," Boxrucker said.
Fishing
Reports For May 18th, 2006
CENTRAL
Arcadia: Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 70. Largemouth bass good off
northeast banks around trees mid-day to evening at 2-5 ft. on artificial
lures. Channel catfish being caught off the north banks in the morning on
worms and raw bacon just off bottom. Crappie good in coves and around rocks
and docks on minnows, worms, roadrunners at 3-8 ft. Report submitted by
Linnie Mason, gate attendant.
Draper: Elevation 2 ft. above normal and clear. Largemouth bass good in
coves with structure on plastic worms and tandem spinners. Report submitted
by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Hefner: Elevation 3 ft. below normal, water 72. Walleye good on worms and
bottom bouncing sinkers. Crappie being caught on the east side of the lake
and the south end off cement and riprap break on medium size minnows at
12-13 ft. Catfish being caught on the northwest bend of the dam slip corking
punch bait, stinkbait and minnows at 2-8 ft. Report submitted by Bob Martin,
OKC Fisheries.
Thunderbird: Elevation 4 1/2 ft. below normal and clear. Crappie good at 3-6
ft. on minnows and jigs around structure. White bass good on jigs, spinners
and medium diving crankbaits off points. Largemouth bass good on plastic
worms and tandem spinners in coves on structure. Saugeye fair to good on
medium diving crankbaits and jigs at 4-8 ft. off points and old road beds.
Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland
County.
NORTHEAST
Birch: Elevation normal and clear. Crappie good off of the birch cove dock
using minnows. Largemouth bass fair and can be found around rocky points
using crankbaits, plastic baits and spinnerbaits. Striped bass hybrids good
while trolling with live shad and crankbaits. Catfish fair on cut fish in
the creek channel. Report submitted by Ben Bickerstaff, game warden
stationed in Osage County.
Carl Blackwell: Water 68 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs in 10-12 ft. of
water. Saugeye and striped bass hybrids fair trolling with crankbaits.
Channel catfish good on cut bait and punch bait around rocks. Report
submitted by Tyler Gann, lake ranger.
Eucha: Elevation 7 ft. below normal, water 64 and clear. Crappie good on
jigs and minnows around brush and structure. Largemouth bass good on jerk
baits and Carolina rigged plastic baits off rocky points. Catfish fair on
night crawlers. Bluegill being caught crickets and worms. Report submitted
by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.
Grand: Elevation normal and murky. White bass good on spinnerbaits and jigs
in the tributaries. Channel catfish good on worms and shad guts in the mud
flats and the tributaries. Crappie fair on minnows at 15 ft. around brush
piles. Report submitted by Jim Littlefield, game warden stationed in
Delaware County.
Greenleaf: Elevation normal and clear. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits
and crankbaits. Catfish good on cut bait on bottom. Crappie good on minnows
and jigs. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee
County.
Hudson: Elevation 4 ft. above normal and murky. White bass fair to good on
small gizzard shad and lures in the upper end of the lake and around rocky
gravel pits, Channel catfish good on cut shad in the river channel and rocky
points. Crappie fair to good on minnows at 3-6 ft. Report submitted by Steve
Loveland, game warden stationed in Mayes County.
Hulah: Elevation 13 ft. above normal and murky. Fishing in the lake is slow.
Flathead catfish are being caught below the dam cut fish and live shad.
Report submitted by Ben Bickerstaff, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Kaw: Elevation 7 ft. above normal and rising with stained water. Blue and
channel catfish fair on stinkbait and cut shad in upper end of lake and
Arkansas River. Blue catfish fair in tail waters on whole and cut shad.
White bass fair in tail waters on minnows. Report submitted by Marshall
Reigh, game warden stationed in Kay and Grant counties.
Keystone: Elevation 5 ft. above normal, water 60 and murky. Largemouth bass
fair on plastics and spinnerbaits at 3-8 ft. in flooded brush. Smallmouth
bass fair on crankbaits and jig and chunk at 5-10 ft. off secondary points
and in rocky coves. White bass fair on minnows and rooster tails at 4-8 ft.
below dam and in creeks. Striped bass good on buck tails at 3-6 ft. below
the dam. Channel catfish good on worms and minnows at 4-8 ft. off rocky
banks. Blue catfish good on cut shad and large minnows at 5-10 ft. in the
flats and coves. Flathead catfish fair on minnows and jigs at 3-8 ft. in
calm coves. Report submitted by Larry Sellers, Woody's Bait and Tackle.
Oologah: Elevation 6 ft. above normal, water 60 and muddy in the upper half
and murky in the lower half of the lake. Channel catfish good on dough bait
and worms upper areas of the lake around flooded vegetation. Crappie fair on
minnows and jigs around submerged structure at 4-8 ft. Largemouth bass fair
on spinnerbaits and soft plastics around flooded brush. Channel and blue
catfish also fair below the dam on shad. Report submitted by Brek Henry,
game warden stationed in Rogers County.
Sooner: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 64 and clear. Striped bass and
striped bass hybrids good on live shad on mid-lake humps at 27-40 ft.
Crappie fair using minnows along highways. White bass good trolling crank
baits and using jigs or slabs. Report submitted by Paul Tennies, Pete's
Place.
Great Salt Plains: Bass good in weed beds on Carolina Rigs and lipless
crankbaits. Striped bass hybrids good in the upper end of the lake on shad
and fair on slabs. Crappie fair on the rip-rap with minnows in 5-10 ft.
Report submitted by Marshall Reigh, game warden stationed in Kay and Grant
counties.
Spavinaw: Elevation 4 ft. below normal, water 64 and clear. Crappie good on
jigs and minnows around dam area. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits.
Catfish good on chicken livers. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of
Tulsa Fisheries.
Tenkiller: Elevation normal, water 72 and stained. Crappie fair trolling the
main channel with deep runners and around docks or brush at 8-10 ft. on
minnows or jigs. Catfish fair with some action on minnows and worms in
coves. Report submitted by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.
Webbers Falls: Elevation normal and murky. Largemouth bass good on
spinnerbaits along shoreline and riprap. Catfish good on cut bait on bottom.
Crappie good on minnows around brush structure. Report submitted by Lark
Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
NORTHWEST
Canton: Elevation slightly above normal. White bass and striped bass hybrids
and walleye good along drifting slabs and trolling crankbaits. Crappie fair
in the upper end of the lake on minnows and jigs. Channel catfish fair in
the upper end of the lake on cut shad and crawfish. May 18-21 is the annual
Canton Lake Walleye Rodeo. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden
stationed in Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: Elevation normal and clear. Channel catfish good shallow on
stinkbait. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in
Harper County.
Great Salt Plains: Channel catfish fair to good on trotlines baited with
shad, slow to fair around the spillway on shad and stinkbait. Report
submitted by R.C Nickols, Great Plains State Park.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: Fishing can be good. Bass fair on jigs and plastic worms. Report
submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue River: Elevation slightly below normal, water 65 and muddy. Largemouth
bass fair on minnows and flies. Catfish fair on liver and worms. Report
submitted by Charles Baker, technician at Blue River Public Fishing and
Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: Elevation normal, water 71 and clear. Largemouth bass good off
rocky points on dark soft plastics. Crappie good in south Holly Creek on
minnows and jigs around standing timber. Walleye fair in Egypt Creek south
towards main body of lake off rocky points after dark on deep running
crankbaits. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain
County.
Eufaula: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal and clear. Largemouth bass good on
soft plastic baits at 2-8 ft. around brush. White bass good on jigs at 6-10
ft. around bridges. Blue catfish good on worms at 2-6 ft. along the rocks.
Crappie fair on jigs at 3-8 ft. around brush. Report submitted Ed Rodebush,
game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water 64 and murky. Largemouth bass good
on spinnerbaits. Crappie good on live minnows. Channel catfish fair on cut
bait. Report submitted by Wendell Smalling, game warden stationed in Choctaw
County.
Konawa: Elevation normal, water 75 and clear. Largemouth bass good on
crankbaits at 5-10 ft. along the points and road bed. Report submitted by
Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
McGee Creek: Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water 68 and clear. Largemouth
bass fair to good on soft plastic lures at 2-6 ft. in standing timber.
Channel catfish good on juglines with sunfish and good on red worms with rod
and reel off rip rap. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed
in Atoka County.
Pine Creek: Elevation above normal and murky. Bass fair on spinnerbaits
around points and creek channels. Crappie fair on pink, red, and yellow jigs
around timber. Catfish good on liver in upper end of lake. Report Submitted
by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: Elevation normal, water 72 and stained. Largemouth bass good
at 2-4 ft. using plastic baits and spinnerbaits fishing the rock, weed and
woody shorelines. Crappie good at 8-10 ft. using minnows fishing the edge of
the old creek channels. White bass good at 8-10 ft. using jigs fishing below
Webbers Falls and Kerr dams. Blue catfish good at 3-10 ft. using fresh cut
bait and goldfish fishing the edges of the current in the upper part of the
lake. Flathead catfish good at 10-20 ft. using live bait on trotlines and
juglines. Report submitted by Rick Olzawski, game warden stationed in
Haskell County.
Sardis Lake: Elevation 1 ft. above normal and murky. Catfish good on cut
bait. Bass fair on weed beds. Crappie good around bridges and brush piles.
Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal, water 68 and clear to the south
and murky to the north. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits at 5-10 ft.
around shoreline and structure. White bass and striped bass fair to good on
live bait and sassy shad at 15-25 ft. around the islands. Catfish fair to
good on live bait and cut shad at 5-15 ft. in Little Glasses Creek. Crappie
fair on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. around structure. Report submitted by
Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: Elevation 3 1/4 ft. above normal, water 68 degrees and muddy.
Channel and blue catfish good on the rip rap areas with shad at 3-8 ft.
Flathead catfish good on trotlines baited with live sunfish 1at 0-15 ft.
Crappie good on the banks with minnows at 3-6 ft. Largemouth bass fair
around the points on dark crankbaits. Report submitted by D.G. Belcher, game
warden stationed in Latimer County.
SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: Elevation 14 ft. below normal and murky. North shore boat ramp
is high and dry. Crappie are being caught using minnows. White bass, walleye
and hybrid striped bass fair to good. Report compiled by Quartz Mountain
Grocery.
Ellsworth: Elevation 10 ft. below normal and murky. Crappie have slowed but
are still being caught in shallow water on jigs and minnows. Catfish fair on
cut bait off rocky points. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden
stationed in Comanche County.
Foss: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal, water 68 and clear. Walleye and
saugeye good along dam with live bait. White bass good. Catfish fair with
cut shad or shad gizzards. Bass and crappie fair. Watch for the birds
working and you will generally find fish. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B
& K Bait House.
Ft. Cobb: Elevation 1/4 ft. above elevation and murky. Crappie fair on
minnows and jigs in shallow water. Catfish fair on cut baits. White bass
fair on jigs and minnows. Saugeye fair on night crawlers and jigs or sassy
shad drifting or trolling. Report submitted by James L. Edwards, Jr., game
warden station in Caddo County.
Tom Steed: Elevation 4 ft. below normal, water 68 and murky. Catfish good on
cut bait. White bass good trolling crankbaits. Crappie fair on minnows
around the rocks. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in
Kiowa County.
Waurika: Elevation below normal, water 70 and murky. White bass good on jigs
and shad off windy points. Catfish good on juglines or trotlines baited with
shad and goldfish. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at Washita Bridge.
Report submitted by Phillip Cottrill, game warden stationed in Jefferson
County.
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