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Cool water, big
fish: a perfect summer combination
Striped bass,
rainbow trout and walleye, three of Oklahoma's most successfully introduced
fish, have found their niche in the lower Illinois River.
"The stripers
are doing really well right now," said Jim Burroughs, northeast region
fisheries supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "I
think they are doing better than they have in several years and anglers have
reported some very nice catches this year of both stripers and walleye."
The Lower
Illinois River is one of two year-round trout fisheries in Oklahoma. Water,
drawn from the depths of Lake Tenkiller, flows into the lower Illinois River,
keeping it at a fairly constant temperature range in the 50s and 60s. This
cool, oxygen rich water serves two purposes, it keeps trout comfortable year
round and the cooler water attracts stripers, white bass, walleyes and other
fish when the nearby Arkansas River becomes too warm for their liking. This
makes it one of the state's best year-round striper fisheries, particularly
in the hottest part of summer.
"Those big
stripers will lay up in deep holes in the Lower Illinois during the summer,
just waiting for a gizzard shad or a trout to get a little too close,"
Burroughs said.
This is no fish
story, and the numbers support the facts. The unique fishery consistently
produces bragging size fish of 20 pounds or more. In fact, several of the
last state record striped bass have come from the 10-mile stretch of river.
The current record stands at 47-pounds, 8-ounces for a monster striper that
Louis Parker horsed from the Lower Illinois River in June of 1996. The record
fish measured a full four feet in length and 30 inches in girth.
When going after
the big fish, bring some big tackle. Stiff rods, heavy-duty reels and strong
line are a necessity when fighting one of the lower Illinois bruisers. A big
striper can make quick work of mismatched tackle.
Although
artificial lures such as jerk baits and topwater plugs can be effective in
early morning hours, live bait is often the best way to catch stripers. Shad
and trout are two of the most common bait fishes used by anglers. Trout are
legal bait as long as they are caught using legal equipment or purchased from
a licensed dealer. Be sure to keep the bait lively and remember that the
daily limit on trout is 6 per person, regardless of whether you are keeping
them to eat or you are using them for bait.
Anglers can go
after the big stripers by themselves or they can go along with one of the
several excellent guides in the area. Delmar Shoults ((918) 773-5213) has an
excellent reputation for putting visitors into big stripers. Other sources of
guides and local information can be obtained by calling Dave Sullivan at
Dave's Bait and Tackle in Gore at (918) 489-2424.
There is no need
to go to the Lower Illinois River without all the proper information, and the
Internet offers all sorts of resources to interested anglers.
Both
wildlifedepartment.com and okiefish.com offer excellent, up-to-date fishing
reports so that you can time your trip when the fish are biting.
There are plenty
of great places to stay while in northeast Oklahoma. Check out
greencountry.com or laketenkiller.com to find a place to stay or to find out
about special events during your visit.
One of the
states premier private campgrounds, Marval Family Resort, is located right on
the banks of the river. The resort offers log cabins, swimming pool,
fly-fishing lessons and many other amenities. To find out more information,
log on to marvalresort.com or call (918) 489-2295.
According to
Sheryl Townsend with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, there are no ramp
closures or river closures on the Arkansas River due to the I-40 bridge
collapse last May.
To fish the
river for any species, anglers must have an Oklahoma fishing license and
those fishing above the Highway 64 bridge also need a trout stamp. For a
complete list of regulations pick up a copy of the "2002 Oklahoma Fishing
Guide."
Fish over
20-pounds not only provide an adrenaline-inducing fight, they also provide a
great meal of fresh fish.
Louis Parker caught the current state record striper in the lower Illinois
River, this fish weighed an impressive 48-pounds, 8-ounces.
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