State Lakes Report

Here are the conditions at Oklahoma lakes as reported Wednesday, April 8, by the state Department of Wildlife Conservation and lake rangers.

CENTRAL
Arcadia: Blue catfish and channel catfish fair on cut shad and punchbait on the dam. White bass fair to good on spinnerbaits south of the turnpike in the Deep Fork. Largemouth bass fair to good at 6 to 10 ft. on slow moving plastic baits. Crappie good at 5 to 10 ft. on minnows. Report submitted by Mark Murray, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.

Hefner: Elevation normal, water mid 50 degrees and murky. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good. White bass good in riprap. Channel and blue catfish good on cut shad. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at the docks near the dam. Walleye good trolling. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Overholser: Elevation normal, water murky to muddy. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on jigs, shrimp and crawdads on bottom along windy shorelines and in the tailwaters below the dam. Channel catfish fair on cut baits and stinkbaits and in the tailwaters below the dam. Flathead catfish fair on cut baits and stinkbaits. Report submitted by Ron Comer, game warden stationed in Canadian County.

Thunderbird: Elevation normal and muddy. Crappie good on small minnows and jigs at 4 to 8 ft. on structure. Largemouth bass fair on tandem spinnerbaits in shallow coves on structure. Channel catfish fair on cut bait and stinkbait off points. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.

Wes Watkins: Water 52 to 58 degrees and very murky to muddy. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits, soft plastic lures and Carolina-rigged lures, some action in early evening with rattletraps. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around structure in back feed-in creeks. White bass fair to good trolling crankbaits at 8 to 9 ft. Catfish good on chicken livers, worms, bait shrimp and minnows. Report submitted by M. Fowler.

NORTHEAST
Bell Cow: Elevation below normal, water clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.

Carl Blackwell: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 54 degrees and murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 12 to 18 ft. Saugeye fair trolling with crankbaits. Catfish fair on cut bait. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.

Chandler: Elevation below normal, water clear. Channel catfish good on shrimp. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.

Copan: Elevation above normal and clear. Crappie and white bass fair on minnows and tube jigs around structure at 8 to 10 ft. Channel catfish good below the dam on stinkbait and worms. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.

Eucha: Elevation slightly above normal, water 50 degrees and murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 14 to 16 ft. around brush and structure. Largemouth bass fair on jerk baits off rocky points. Some catfish are being caught on limb lines using cut shad. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.

Fort Gibson: Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water 52 degrees and murky. White bass are preparing for a big spawn but the water temps are keeping them from being real aggressive. Paddlefish moving into the low water dam area and preparing for a good spawning run. Crappie good at 10 to 15 ft. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and jig and pig combinations. Report submitted by Rick Stafford with 3riverguideservice.com

Grand: Upper end: Elevation slightly above normal, water 50 to 60 degrees and murky to muddy. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and jigs at 10 to 12 ft. White bass good on chartreuse grubs, pearl white grubs and white rooster tails in upper rivers. Channel, blue and flathead catfish good on shad, goldfish, brooders and night crawlers at 15 to 30 ft. and on secret seven dip bait up rivers and around log jams. Crappie good on Grandpa’s jigs, minnows, tube skirts and Bobby Garland’s in blue and pink at 18 to 22 ft.; spawn is near, blood forming on eggs. Paddlefish excellent in Neosho and Spring Rivers. Report submitted by Grand Lake Sport’s Center.

Greenleaf: Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and beavertail worms along shorelines and rocky points. Catfish good on fresh cut shad on bottom from the spillway and up creek channels. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around fishing docks with brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

Hudson: Elevation normal. Largemouth bass fair to good on plastic lures and crankbaits. White bass fair to good on small lures in the upper end of the lake and mouths of creeks. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs around brush pile areas. Paddlefish good in the upper end of the lake below the dams. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.

Hulah: Elevation above normal and clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around structure at 8-10 ft. Channel and blue catfish are good below the dam. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.

Kaw: Elevation 1 ft. above normal and murky. Fishing has slowed considerably for crappie, white bass, and blue catfish, in the lake due to high winds and cold temperatures. White bass fair to good below the dam on sassy shads and jigs. Paddlefish snagging has been fair at or below the 1000’ marker. It should continue to improve with additional water releases. Report submitted by Tracy Daniel, game warden stationed in Kay County.

Keystone: Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water murky to muddy. Largemouth bass fair on black neon tube jigs and single Colorado blade spinnerbaits at 3 to 8 ft. in creeks and backs of coves. Smallmouth bass slow on crankbaits and finesse jigs at 5 to 10 ft. along gravel banks. Spotted bass fair on shaky head worms and small crankbaits at 5 to 10 ft. in main lake coves and pockets. White bass good on minnows and roadrunners at 3 to 8 ft. in creeks up river. Striped bass fair on bucktails and jerk baits at 3 to 6 ft. below the dam. Channel catfish good on worms and liver at 4 to 8 ft. in creeks and culvert areas. Blue catfish fair on cut shad and worms at 6 to 12 ft. along flats half way back in coves that have distinct creek channels. Flathead catfish fair on goldfish and big gobs of worms at 6 to 12 ft. along bluffs and riprap. Crappie good on minnows and pink or chartreuse jigs at 4 to 10 ft. in coves with gravel banks and riprap areas. Report submitted by Woodys Bait and Tackle.

Lower Illinois: Elevation normal, water 56 degrees and clear. Largemouth bass slow on crankbaits at 1 to 3 ft. all along the river. White bass fair on jigs at 1 to 3 ft. all along the river. Striped bass slow on jigs at 1 to 4 ft. at mouth of river. Channel catfish fair on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie slow on jigs at 1 to 3 ft. all along the river. Trout excellent on rooster tails at 1 to 3 ft. around the power house, on power bait on bottom at Watt’s and on flies at the surface at Gore Landing. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.

Skiatook: Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water mid 50 degrees and muddy. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. White bass fair on soft plastic lures and spinnerbaits around windy points. Striped bass hybrids fair on soft plastic lures and spinnerbaits around windy points. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 8 to 12 ft. in creek channels. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.

Sooner: Lake is temporarily closed due to a down power line in the lake. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
Spavinaw: Elevation slightly above normal, water 53 and murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around the dam area. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries.

Tenkiller: Elevation 3 1/2 ft. above normal, water 57 degrees and clear. Largemouth bass slow with some action on jigs from Petit Bay and up to Horseshoe Bend. White bass good from Standing Rock to Horseshoe Bend and trolling or on spinners, spoons or jigs. Catfish fair on juglines with cut baits at 50 to 70 ft. Report by Monte Brooks Cookson Village Resort.

Webbers Falls: Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and pumpkin colored beavertail worms in creek channels and riprap. Catfish good on fresh cut shad on bottom. Crappie good on minnows and purple jigs around brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

NORTHWEST
Canton: Elevation normal. Walleye good along the dam on jigs and crankbaits. Striped bass hybrids good along Thunder Road on crawdad tails, live bait and night crawlers. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.

Fort Supply: Elevation normal, water clear. White bass fair on jigs and spinnerbaits in the mouth of Wolf Creek River. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.

SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 56 to 60 degrees and stained. Crappie hitting jigs and minnows on docks, brush piles. White bass are up creeks in shallow water hitting rattletraps, wiggle tail grubs. Bass hitting spinnerbaits, lizards and swim baits. Report submitted by Jack Melton.

Blue River: Elevation normal, water 51 degrees and clear. Bass slow to fair on minnows and flies. Catfish fair on liver and worms. 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 to 12 ft. around structure. White bass are running good. 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 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on jerk baits and spinnerbaits at 1 to 5 ft. in rocky areas. White bass good on jigs below the dam when water is running. Blue catfish fair on shad at 6 to 20 ft. along the flats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 1 to 5 ft. in brushy and rocky bank areas. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.

Hugo: Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water 56 degrees. Crappie and channel catfish good on minnows around the button brush. White bass fair on spinnerbaits and jigs around the shoals above Rattan Landing. Catfish below the dam improving with water releases. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.

Konawa: Elevation normal, water 59 degrees and clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits at 4 to 6 ft. along points and weedbeds. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on minnows and jigs at 15 ft. in discharge canals. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.

Lower Mountain Fork River: Trout being caught on elk hair caddis, March Brown mayflies and Blue wing olive mayfly pattern. Report submitted by Beavers Bend Fly Shop.

McGee Creek: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 57 degrees and clear. Largemouth bass fair to good on spinnerbaits fished in standing timber at 4 to 7 ft. 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 various baits. White bass good on jigs and topwater baits early morning or late evening. Channel catfish slow on stinkbaits and worms. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Walleye fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.

Pine Creek: Elevation normal and murky. Bass have slowed down but can still be caught on soft plastics by slowly rolling them across the bottom. Crappie good on blue/white jigs at 10 ft. Catfish fair on liver. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Sardis Lake: Elevation normal, water 56 degrees and clear. Bass good in grass beds or shallows up to 6 to 7 feet deep on chatter bait, spinner baits and plugs. 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 juglines or trotlines with live bait. Blue and channel catfish fair on juglines and trotlines with cut bait or shrimp. White bass good on grubs, starting to stage in creeks. Walleye fair on white grubs up creek channels and trolling around islands on rattletraps. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.

Texoma: Elevation normal, water 58 degrees and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good on combination baits around the creek channels. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait and sassy shad from Catfish Bay south. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on cut shad and stinkbait from Platter Flats south. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs around the fishing docks with brush. Paddlefish fair to good below the dam. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.

Wister: Elevation 5 ft. above normal and murky. Largemouth bass good on dark plastics and spinnerbaits at points and drop-offs. White bass good on white road runners and rattletraps, upper Poteau River below dam area and little money maker. Crappie good with small spinnerbaits and pink jigs around brush piles, good on minnows and pink jigs below dam area. Channel catfish good on cut shad and liver and juglines baited with red worms below dam area. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.

SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: Elevation 7 ft. below normal and rising very slowly. Crappie good. Striped bass hybrids and walleye fair to good. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson, Quartz Mountain State Park.

Foss: Elevation normal, water 52 degrees and clear; gates closed. Striped bass hybrids fair on light colored jigs and live bait. Walleye fair along dam. Crappie fair. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.

Fort Cobb: Elevation 1/3 ft. above normal and steady. Catfish slow to fair on cut baits. Largemouth bass slow to fair. Report submitted by James L. Edwards Jr., game warden stationed in Caddo County.