Fishing is great in SW Oklahoma

If you haven’t been to the lake lately, then you are missing out on some of the best fishing weather of the year. It seems like every lake in Southwest Oklahoma is reporting some fair to good fishing.

Whether fishing out of a boat or from the bank, the opportunities are endless for some great fishing action across this part of the Sooner State.

I started my career in wildlife helping do research on SW area lakes, and having written this column for 20 years have gathered information from biologists, anglers, game wardens, guides, and bait dealers and although there are always a few places that get “hot” fishing in Southwest Oklahoma typically follows a similar pattern.

Here are a few different species and where to search for them.

White Bass

White bass, also known as sand bass, are found in most waters state-wide and they are notorious for their fighting ability. They make spawning runs up many of Oklahoma’s streams and rivers. Waurika has the best run of sandies in these parts. While it may be a little late for great spawning action, stragglers can still be caught.

Sand bass fishing does not end, however, when the spawn is over. There is some great fishing for sandies all through the spring and summer. Sand bass are schooling fish when they return to the lake and big groups will gather to chase shad. Anglers can get in on great action by watching for big schools surfacing and keeping an eye out for gulls dive bombing the left over shad bodies.

Lawtonka, Waurika and Tom Steed all have good numbers of surfacing sandies in the summer.

Crappie

Crappie fishing around the state continues to improve as the fish begin to gather before spawning in early-May. They will continue to congregate in preparation for the spawn.

To get in on some good action, try fishing minnows and jigs around structure, 10 to 20 feet deep, off gradually sloping shorelines. Don’t be afraid to move around. Crappie often move in and out of shallow water this time of year, depending on weather, time of day and water temperature.

Waurika is the perennial favorite for crappie, notes Clayton Porter, fisheries biologist for SW Oklahoma, but Ft. Cobb produced surprisingly good numbers and sizes last year, Ellsworth may be on its way back to a crappie hot spot.

Largemouth Bass

Spring is the best time of year for anglers to catch a trophy largemouth bass.

Anglers should have good results by fishing flooded timber and other deep underwater structure with crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Shiners and goldfish can be good choices as well. Some of southwest Oklahoma’s best bass waters are the smaller impoundments such as the Duncan lakes.

Taylor Lake, a city of Marlow impoundment, has been refurbished in the last couple of years and is showing great potential for good numbers of bass, with 3 – 5 pounders common.

Porter suggests for some really big largemouths, Lake Elmer Thomas is the place to go. Lake surveys have shown some really good sized fish, and good numbers of bass as well. Ft. Cobb is a dark horse for bass, adds Porter.

Catfish

Catfish are abundant in streams, rivers and lakes across Oklahoma, and spring is an excellent time to experience some quality catfishing action.

Some of the best action in the state can be found right here in southwest Oklahoma. Try fishing with shad, liver, worms or cut baits in nearly any of the area lakes. Whether fishing from a boat or from the bank, using rods and reels, or limb-lines, hooking into a big cat is sure to heat up the spring.

Blue cats are the mainstay at Ellsworth, and there is always a chance of another state record coming from the lake. Good numbers of fillet-sized blues can also be taken at Ellsworth and the low water conditions don’t seem to effect cats as is does other species. Ellsworth is also the regions best flathead lake.

Hybrid Striped Bass

When it comes to hybirds the best bet is Waurika! There is no shortage of shad and windy points – the key ingredients for hybrid action.

While it may be hard on controlling boats, hybrids love to stack along windy points and rocks along the dam. A couple of days with north wind is almost a guarantee that big stringers of hybrids can be caught all along the rocks.