Canton water release could trigger fishing
The Army Corp of Engineers is releasing water from Canton Lake to the North Canadian River and the increased flows could trigger good fishing on the Oklahoma River this weekend.
“No guarantees, but with modest flows the hybrid striped bass and white bass do stack up below the dams and we may get new fish coming down from Canton,” said Gene Gilliland, fisheries biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
City permits and state licenses are required. Observe warning signs and off-limit areas. Close-to-Home fishing regulations apply.
See www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishregs/closetohome.htm for details.
Water is being released at a rate of about 350 cubic feet per second. The higher flow is expected to arrive in Oklahoma on Thanksgiving day.
Lakes Hefner and Overholser will be filled to capacity may be filled to capacity and additional water will be released downstream, increasing the flow of the Oklahoma River.
Citizens should be wary of the conditions if planning any recreational activities at the lakes or the river this weekend.
The Corps stared opening the gates at Canton Lake on Nov. 20 to lower Canton Lake’s water level and prepare for a construction project that begins in mid-December.
Whacking and stacking
Oklahoma deer hunters were whacking ‘em and stacking ‘em over the weekend.
The opening weekend of the gun season may be a record for numbers and big deer. Hunter check stations across the state were reporting long lines, in some cases a wait of nearly two hours.
Lisa Mayberry, who operates Terry’s Taxidermy in Oklahoma City with her husband, said the opening weekend was nothing like they have ever seen before.
“Swamped,” she said of the weekend business. “It’s still like that today.”
Mayberry said they are on pace to have the busiest deer season ever. She also said she’s never seen more monster bucks.
The rut was apparently going strong over the weekend.
“All of the big daddys are going down. I can guarantee you that,” Mayberry said. “As far as horns, it’s probably the biggest crop I have ever seen.”
Mayberry said she doesn’t have a state record at her shop, but predicts somebody will before the season ends on Dec. 7.
“I can guarantee you there will be one (a record) this year,” she said.
The photo above is Dee Greninger of Edmond with a buck he harvested in Oklahoma County.
