New state record smallmouth
Oklahoma's new state record smallmouth bass
Just eight days after the state’s largemouth bass record was broken for the first time in 13 years, a new state record smallmouth bass was caught Saturday at Lake Lawtonka in southwest Oklahoma.
Ryan Wasser of Pocasset caught the 8-pound, 7-ounce bronzeback around 11:30 a.m. on a shaky head rig. The fish was 23 1/8-inches long and had a girth of 18 inches.
Oklahoma’s previous state record smallmouth was caught on March 4, 2006 at Lake Eufaula by Steve McLarty of Broken Arrow. That fish weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces. It’s believed to be the first time that both the state’s smallmouth and largemouth bass records have been broken in the same year.
This week’s fishing report
Justin Franks of Durant caught this 3.2-pound white bass March 22 on a spinning rod at Lake Texoma. It is a new lake record.
Here is this week’s fishing report compiled by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
CENTRAL
Arcadia: March 23. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water clear. Channel catfish good on cut bait off bottom along northeast banks in the evenings. Crappie starting to move in. All other fishing fair. Report submitted by Linnie Mason, gate attendant.
Arcadia: March 25. All fishing is starting to pick up. Catfish good on liver along flats and secondary points. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Chance Whiteley, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Hefner: March 26. Elevation normal and rising, water 56-60 and murky. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on crankbaits and worms at 4-15 ft. White bass good on grubs and lipless baits at 6-20 ft. along shallow shorelines and the inlet. Channel catfish good on cut bait at 8-12 ft. in inlet area. Blue catfish good on cut bait at 10-20 ft. in the inlet area. Crappie good on jigs at 2-10 ft. around docks and the dam. Walleye excellent on grubs and sassy shad at 2-8 ft. along rocky banks and the inlet. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
Overholser: March 26. Elevation normal, water murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around the floating dock in the evening and at night. Catfish slow on worms, shad and stinkbait all around the lake. Striped bass hybrids fair on jigs in front of the dam in the evening. Report by David Rempe, game warden in Oklahoma and Canadian counties.
Thunderbird: March 25. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal, water muddy. Crappie fair on small minnows and small jigs at 8-10 ft. off the dam, Willow Creek cove and Little Axe boat ramp. White bass have moved up little river with the rain this past week and are being caught on jigs. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Wes Watkins: March 26. Elevation 4 1/2 ft. below normal, water 58 and murky. Northwest boat ramp still closed due to low water. Largemouth bass fair. Channel catfish fair on chicken liver at 12 ft. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 7 1/2 ft. Report submitted by Mike France, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
NORTHEAST
Bell Cow: March 27. Elevation below normal, water 58 and clear. Crappie good on minnows. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Birch: March 26. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 55 and stained. Largemouth bass good on plastic baits and spinnerbaits. Channel catfish good on chicken liver and worms. Crappie good on minnows and jigs over structure. Report submitted by David Clay, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Carl Blackwell: March 26. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 62 and muddy. Crappie good on minnows and jigs. Saugeye good around riprap and rocky points. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
Copan: March 25. Elevation 7 ft. above normal, water clearing. Boaters should use caution because of increased amount of debris due to high water levels. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 8-10 ft. from boats around the lake and on jigs from the new fishing dock at Copan Point. Channel catfish good near and around flooded grassy areas like the Copan Point loop and on the rocks. Blue catfish and fair number of blue catfish being caught near and around flooded grassy areas like Copan Point loop and on the rocks around Washington Cove. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Ft. Gibson: March 27. Elevation 18 ft. above normal, water 64 and muddy. One boat ramp is open at Chouteau Bend. White bass good on white grubs and swim baits on bottom in feeder creeks. Catfish good on shad and cut bait. Paddlefish being caught below both dam at Markham Ferry, Ft. Gibson and the low water areas. Report submitted by Rick Stafford in Wagoner.
Grand: March 26. Elevation 6 ft. above normal, water 58. Bass fair on worms and crankbaits at 5-10 ft. around points. White bass fair up streams and creeks. Crappie fair at 5-10 ft. Paddlefish good up the Neosho River. Report submitted by Kody Moore, game warden stationed in Delaware County.
Hudson: March 26. Elevation 11 ft. above normal. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on cut bait in flooded areas. Paddlefish good on the upper end of the lake near the Pensacola dam. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.
Hulah: March 25. Elevation 10 ft. above normal, water murky. Boaters should use caution because of increased amount of debris due to high water levels. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs at 8-12 ft. Catfish slow on cut shad and worms below the dam. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Kaw: March 26. Elevation 5 ft. above normal, water 60s. Generating below Kaw dam all week. White bass excellent on small jigs in Beaver Creek and old Vickory Crossing and excellent on shad, jigs and small crankbaits below Kaw dam. Blue catfish good to excellent on cut shad at 2-5 ft. in the upper end. Report submitted by Larry Green, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Keystone: March 27. Elevation 4 ft. above normal. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and plastic baits. Catfish good on cut bait. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. and at the mouths of feeder creeks. Report submitted by Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Lower Illinois: March 26. Elevation normal, water 44 and murky. Largemouth bass fair at 3 ft. in coves. White bass good on jigs and spinnerbaits at 3 ft. all along the river. Channel catfish excellent on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie good on jigs and spinnerbaits at 2-3 ft. all along the river. Trout excellent fly-fishing the surface, on rooster tails at 1-2 ft. and on Power Bait on bottom from the dam to Gore Landing. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.
Oologah: March 25. Elevation 8 ft. above normal and rising slowly, water upper 50s and muddy on the north end and murky on the south end. Blue and channel catfish fair on shad at 10 ft. in the upper end of the lake near the mouth of the river. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 3-5 ft. around flooded willows. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits at 3-5 ft. around flooded trees and brush. White bass fair on jigs below the dam. Blue catfish fair on shad below the dam. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.
Skiatook: March 27. Elevation 9 ft. below normal, water low to mid 50s murky. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits along rocky shorelines. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. around structure. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Sooner: March 27. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on live shad and slabs. Channel catfish good on cut bait and stinkbait by the dam at the north end. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
Tenkiller: March 26. Elevation 10 ft. above normal, water murky in the upper end and clear towards the lower end. Catfish good on cut baits and flip-flops at 15-20 ft. Sunfish good on night crawlers around docks. Bass fair on spinnerbaits, soft plastics and crankbaits in flooded brush. Report by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.
NORTHWEST
Canton: March 24. Elevation 9 ft. below normal, water clear. Walleye and white bass fair on jigs and crankbaits along the dam after sundown. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: March 26. Elevation normal. White bass good on jigs all over the lake. Crappie good on jigs all over the lake. Walleye fair to good on roadrunners and spinnerbaits all over the lake. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: March 24. Elevation 5-inches above normal, water 61 and stained. Crappie good starting to move to shallows. Crappie and bluegill good dock fishing. White bass being caught on rattletraps and wiggle-tailed jigs at 12 ft.; they are using the coves to spawn. Bass being caught on jerk baits, crankbaits, shaky heads and Alabama rigs. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Broken Bow: March 26. Elevation slightly above normal. Bass good along structure. White bass being caught on yellow and white roadrunners and yellow and white grubs, they are in full run in the upper end of the Mt. Fork, all creeks and feeder creeks on the lake. Crappie good at 3-5 ft. in the willows and structure along the banks and mouths of creeks. Walleye fair on rogues and witches brew grubs in the upper end. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: March 25. Elevation 5 ft. above normal, water 52 and clear in the east and murky in the west. Largemouth bass fair on plastic baits flipping the flooded brush. White bass good on minnows, jigs and small spinnerbaits up feeder creeks. Blue catfish good on various baits in creeks and rivers. Crappie fair on minnows at 4-10 ft. in feeder creeks and riprap areas. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: March 25. Elevation 13 ft. above normal, water 53. Lake access limited. Catfish good on cut bait and shad below the dam. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
Konawa: March 25. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 64 and clear. Largemouth bass good on Carolina rigs and plastic worms at 4-8 ft. in weed beds and cattails. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on stinkbait at 5-10 ft. around points. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mt. Fork: March 25. Water flow 100 c.f.s. above Powerhouse, visibility 3 ft., water 58 and clear. Big rainbows and browns have been caught this week on March Brown Dry flies on smooth water High Stick presentation with nymphs in fast water. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: March 25. Elevation 6 1/2 ft. above normal, water 56 and clear to murky. Largemouth bass good on soft plastic lures and spinnerbaits at 1-6 ft. Crappie fair at 8-20 ft. around cedar brush just off the main creek channels. Channel and flathead catfish good on juglines and trotlines on live bait. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County
Murray: March 27. Elevation below normal, water 52 and stained. Largemouth bass good. Smallmouth bass good. Channel catfish good. Crappie good. Walleye good. Report submitted by Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed Carter County.
Pine Creek: March 25. Elevation above normal and rising, water clear. Bass fair on crankbaits at 15 ft. Crappie excellent on minnows near brush and timber and on chartreuse and orange rooster tails in the shallows. Catfish very good on liver and cut shad near creek channels and flooded timber. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: March 27. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 65 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on soft baits. White bass fair on spinnerbaits. Catfish good on shad and cut bait. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-6 ft. Report submitted by Leland Sockey, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: March 25. Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water 60. Largemouth bass good on swim baits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits at 4-9 ft. Channel and blue catfish good on crankbaits and dead minnows. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 2-14 ft. Walleye fair trolling at 8-14 ft. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: March 25. Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water 54 and murky in the north and clear in the south. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic combination baits at 5-15 ft. around the drop-offs and creek channels. Striped and white bass good on live bait, sassy shad and slabs at 15-25 ft. from Alberta Creek to Caney Creek. Channel and blue catfish good on live bait, stinkbait and worms at 15-20 ft. from Catfish Bay to the north. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. around the fish attractors and in the creek channels. Paddlefish fair below the dam while generating. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: March 25. Elevation 14 1/2 ft. above normal, water murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs below the dam. Largemouth bass good on black 6-inch plastic worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfish good on juglines baited with cut shad and liver. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: March 25. Elevation 25 1/2 ft. below normal and rising slowly. Crappie, white bass and walleye being caught off Horsehead. Walleye and white bass being caught on minnows and jigs off the main swim beach and little Hicks. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson.
Ft. Cobb: March 27. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal, water 59 and murky. White bass good on crankbaits and rattletraps at 4-5 ft. in mornings and evenings. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 8-10 ft. in the evenings. Report submitted by Tyler Howser, game warden stationed in Caddo County.
Tom Steed: March 26. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 52 and murky. Saugeye fair on chartreuse curly tails near the rocks. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows off windy points. Crappie slow on minnows in the creeks. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
Waurika: March 27. Elevation below normal, water murky to muddy. Striped bass hybrids slow to fair on jigs and cut shad. Blue catfish fair to good on juglines baited with cut shad and worms at 6-12 ft. along windy shorelines and points. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs along the rocks at Corum and the fishing dock at Wichita Ridge. Report submitted by Vince Mesis, game warden stationed in Cotton County.
Still time to snag a spoonbill
Snagging for paddlefish is still going strong up the Neosho River
There is still time to get in on some paddlefish action this spring but anglers should do it quickly.
Eric Brennan, fisheries technician in the northeast region for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, predicts two more weeks of good fishing.
In March, paddlefish start congregating, or staging, at the northern end of Grand Lake in anticipation of spawning. As the water temperatures rise, they start moving up the rivers to spawn.
However, big spawning runs are triggered by water being released upstream and runoff from heavy rains. When that occurs, spoonbills will shoot up the rivers to spawn and the fishing can be phenomenal.
The spawning runs sometimes continue though April but because of the warm weather the paddlefish began their migration earlier than usual this year.
Brennan, who was manning the Wildlife Department’s paddlefish processing center on Grand Lake Wednesday, said eight to 10 female paddlefish which had already spawned have recently come through the center. All of those paddlefish were snagged while they were headed back down the rivers, he said.
The Wildlife Department has processed 1,500 paddlefish, or spoonbills, at the center this spring with the biggest being a 76-pounder, Brennan said.
This year, the Wildlife Department built a new paddlefish processing center on SH 137 about three miles north of Twin Bridges State Park.
The center was built with money earned from the sale of paddlefish caviar. At the center, the Wildlife Department will clean an angler’s paddlefish for free and package the fillets in exchange for the eggs from the female, which are used to make caviar.
The Wildlife Department then sells the caviar to a wholesaler and the money raised is used for paddlefish management and research.
Anglers are allowed to keep one paddlefish per day, except on Monday and Fridays when all paddlefishing statewide is catch and release only. A free paddlefish permit along with a state fishing license is required of anglers.
For more information, anglers can call the paddlefish processing center at (918) 542-9422 or visit http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishing/paddlefish.htm.
Local shooters gunning to be the best
Jesse Tischauser of Edmond competes in a 3-gun match
Two Oklahoma City area residents will be competing in the inaugural season of a nationally televised shooting series on the NBC Sports Network.
Chris Andersen of Norman and Jesse Tischauser of Edmond were two of 64 shooters in the country chosen to participate in the 3-Gun Nation Pro Series.
Their first of seven 3-gun matches in the series is Saturday in St. Augustine, Fla. It’s unknown when the match will be shown on the NBC Sports Network, formerly Versus.
Called the fastest growing segment of the shooting sports, 3-gun matches require proficiency and speed with handgun, shotgun and rifle on targets at distances ranging from 5 to 600 yards.
“It’s a multi-tasker’s sport for sure,” Andersen said of 3-gunning.
Both Tischauser, 36, and Andersen, 38, met and became friends while competing in action pistol matches where they both excelled. In the past two years, they have become two of the country’s best shooters in 3-gun competitions.
They are the only Oklahomans among the 64 elite shooters chosen for the new pro series.
“We are a couple of the younger guys in the pro series,” Andersen said.
Tischauser was fifth and Anderson finished 15th in the 3-gun national championships in October in Las Vegas, Nev.
In August, Tischauser captured the Nordic Components Shotgun Championship in Wisconsin. In June, Andersen won the High Plain Shooting Rifle Challenge at the Oklahoma City Gun Club.
“We don’t shy away from any opportunity to go try and win something,” Andersen said.
Last year, more than 2,000 shooters across the country competed in 3-gun matches. The new series on the NBC Sports Network will showcase an elite field of 64 shooters who will be gunning for a top cash prize of $50,000 as well as thousands of dollars in merchandise.
“I am pretty pumped,” said Andersen, who is the general manager of an auto service center in Norman. “We are both pretty excited. It’s neat we have the opportunity to do it at all, let alone do it for money.”
Andersen is an Oklahoma native and lifelong shooter. He achieved the highest competitive pistol classification before transitioning to 3-gun events. He is sponsored by rifle manufacturer Loki Weapon Systems of Atoka.
Tischauser, who operates a commercial green house in Guthrie, is a native of Wisconsin. He moved to Oklahoma in 1997 to attend Oklahoma State University.
Tischauser is a member of Team Stag Arms. Both men are also sponsored by the U.S. Shooting Academy in Tulsa.
Andersen said the two men go to the gun range three or four times a week. Both already have shot 15,000 rounds this year and 2,000 rounds in the past week to get ready for Saturday’s 3-gun pro match.
To learn more about 3-gun events and the upcoming professional series, go to http://www.3gunnation.com
State Archery in the Schools tournament on Wednesday
Oklahoma students from public and private schools will be competing for state titles in archery Wednesday at State Fair Park.
The Archery in the Schools state tournament is Wednesday at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.
The Archery in the Schools program, administered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, started seven years ago in 10 Oklahoma schools. Olympic-style archery is taught in physical education classes during a six-week course. Through the program, archery is now being taught in 310 schools in Oklahoma.
At Wednesday’s state tournament, 75 schools and 1,200 students who qualified to the state shoot through five regional contests will compete for state championships. The top shooters advance to the National Archery in the Schools competition in Louisville, Ky.
Forty-six states now participate in Archery in the Schools program including schools in Canada and New Zealand.
Oklahoma is one of the top five states in the total number of participating students and that number keeps growing each year, said Colin Berg of the state Wildlife Department.
“We can’t meet the demand,” he said.
The Wildlife Department provides grant money to schools to start the program. Schools match the grant money either through general funds or private fund raising.
It costs a school about $1,300 to get started, Berg said. Physical education instructors receive training on how to teach archery to their students.
Many of the archery instructors are also teaching hunter education now in schools, Berg said.
Don’t get a ticket. Buy a boat trailer tag.
My sports editor received an email from a reader who was angry that a friend and fellow fisherman had recently received a $200 ticket in Texas for not having a tag on his boat trailer.
Oklahoma law does not require boat tags on trailers. Texas does and it is subject to a $200 fine, but Oklahoma anglers normally haven’t experienced this problem in Texas.
I know many anglers who have been fishing in Texas for years and pulling a boat and have never been ticketed or even asked about a boat trailer tag. I don’t know the circumstances surrounding this man’s ticket because he didn’t respond to my request for an interview.
I did talk to Joe Lunn, deputy director for the Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Commission, who also expressed surprise that an Oklahoman traveling in Texas would be ticketed for not having a trailer tag.
Most states recognize the validity of a visitor’s registration, especially in a border state such as Texas, he said.
However, Lunn said there is an optional license plate that Oklahomans can buy for trailers just to avoid this kind of situation. Cost of the tag is $7 and it can be bought at any Oklahoma tag agency.
Lunn said a tag likely would have to be ordered by the tag agency because so few people buy them.
So if you are going on a fishing trip outside Oklahoma and plan on pulling a boat, you might consider investing $7 in a trailer tag just to be safe. If you run into the wrong cop, you might get a ticket.
Minco mountain lion was from the Black Hills
DNA analysis of a mountain lion that was struck and killed by a motorist near Minco show the cat journeyed from the Black Hills of South Dakota, state wildlife officials said Thursday.
The 130-pound male mountain lion was killed by a motorist and found dead along SH 81 north of Minco in November.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation collected tissue from the cat for DNA testing.
“The cat’s DNA shows a very close genetic relationship to wild populations in South Dakota,” said Erik Bartholomew, furbearer biologist for the state Wildlife Department. “We can say with a high level of confidence that this male was born in the Black Hills region. Another clue that this animal is wild is the fact that it had porcupine quills in its stomach.
“Apparently mountain lions consider them to be good eating, or maybe they are easy to catch, but many times western states report mountain lions with porcupine quills in their front legs and digestive tract.”
A small tooth from the mountain lion’s jaw also was tested to determine the age of the cat.
Much like the rings on a tree, the root portion of the tooth has rings that can be used by experts to age the animal.
The Minco mountain lion was at least 3-years-old.
“We have no idea the path he used to get to Oklahoma,” Bartholomew said. “However, with him being killed near the South Canadian (River), he likely was following the river where their primary prey, white-tailed deer, would be in high abundance.”
Male mountain lions will sometimes roam great distances.
“Males tend to have very large home ranges at or over 200 square miles,” Bartholomew said. “The Black Hills is a small island of habitat and many times adult males will get in territorial disputes with young males and the loser leaves in search of new territory.”
Other mountain lions captured or killed in Oklahoma also traveled from the Black Hills, such as a female cat captured in the city limits of Tulsa last year and a male cougar killed by a train in Red Rock in 2004.
A male mountain lion shot in 2010 in the Panhandle by a state Department of Agriculture employee tested positive for genetic ties to populations in eastern Colorado.
Another captured in southeastern Oklahoma by game wardens was genetically tied to populations in the Pine Ridge region of northwest New Mexico.
Anyone who sees a mountain lion in Oklahoma is asked to report the sighting to the Wildlife Department either online at www.wildlifedepartment.com or by calling Bartholomew at (405) 385-1791.
Weekly Fishing Report
A 60.4-pound paddlefish snagged Wednesday by Mike Denton from Porter from the Chouteau Lock and Dam tailwaters is a new lake record.
The crappie are beginning to spawn and white bass are starting to run in lakes all across the state, according to this week’s fishing report from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
CENTRAL
Arcadia: March 18. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal. Channel catfish good on chicken liver and punchbait along flats and secondary points in late evening. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs in deep water. Report submitted by Chance Whiteley, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Hefner: March 19. Elevation below normal, water 50-55 and murky. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and worms at 4-15 ft. Smallmouth bass fair on crankbaits and worms at 4-15 ft. White bass fair on grubs and lipless baits at 6-20 ft. Channel catfish good on cut bait at 8-12 ft. at the inlet area. Blue catfish good on cut bait at 20-25 ft. at the inlet area. Crappie good on jigs at 2-10 ft. around the docks and the dam. Walleye good on jerk baits, crankbaits and grubs at 2-8 ft. along rocky banks and the inlet area. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
Overholser: March 19. Water murky. Catfish fair on fresh shad on bottom all around the lake. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on worms and minnows near dam in the late evening. Report by David Rempe, game warden stationed in Oklahoma and Canadian counties.
Thunderbird: March 20. Elevation 3ft. below normal, water muddy. Crappie fair on small minnows and small jigs at 8-10 ft. off the dam, Willow Creek cove and Little Axe cove. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Wes Watkins: March 19. Elevation 6 ft. below normal and rising, water 58 and murky. Largemouth bass fair to good on minnows and spinnerbaits at 3-4 ft. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs near structure. Report submitted by Mike France, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
NORTHEAST
Bell Cow: March 18. Elevation below normal, water 55 and clear. Crappie fair on minnows at 12 ft. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Birch: March 19. Elevation 8 below normal, water 53 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic lures and spinnerbaits. Crappie good on minnows and jigs around structure. Report submitted David Clay, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Carl Blackwell: March 20. Elevation 6 ft. below normal but should be rising with current rain activity, water 52 and muddy. Crappie good on jigs at 10 ft. Saugeye fair trolling and near rock structure. Report Submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
Copan: March 18. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water clearing. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 4-8 ft. near Osage Plains and the new fishing dock at Copan Point. Catfish slow on cut shad below the dam and near Copan Point. White bass being caught on jigs in several creeks. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Eucha: March 20. Elevation 1 1/5 ft. above normal, water 59 and muddy. Crappie and bass excellent before the heavy rain. At this point it will take the lake a few days to clear up. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Ft. Gibson: March 18. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 63 and clear. Crappie excellent on minnows and 1/16-ounce tube jigs in black and chartreuse with 6 lbs. test line around brush piles and rocky banks; starting to move toward the banks for spawn. White bass excellent on white jigs and also whole shad 1-3 inches long fishing a Carolina-rigged shad on the bottom of the creeks and river banks. Wherever you fish you need to get your lure or bait to about 6 inches off the bottom where they are spawning. Catfish excellent on juglines and rod-and-reel baited with whole shad while drifting and bank fishing. Largemouth bass excellent on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs. Report submitted by Rick Stafford in Wagoner.
Greenleaf: March 20. Elevation 1 1/2 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits along shorelines, creek channels and brush structure. Catfish good on fresh cut bait and stinkbait up creek channels and the spillway. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in green, yellow and red around brush structure and fishing docks. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
Hudson: March 19. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and plastic baits. White bass fair to good on small lures. Crappie good on minnows and jigs in shallower areas and brush pile areas. Paddlefish fair to good. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.
Hulah: March 18. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water clearing. Crappie slow on minnows at 4-8 ft. near and around Skull Creek. Channel catfish slow on cut shad on bottom. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Kaw: March 20. Elevation normal and rising, water 55. Crappie excellent on minnows and jigs at 10-12 ft. Catfish fair at 1-5 ft. below the dam. White bass good on jigs and crankbaits. Report submitted by Spencer Grace, game warden stationed in Kay County.
Keystone: March 20. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 56. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. Report submitted by Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Lower Illinois: March 19. Elevation normal, water 41 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on crankbaits at 1-3 ft. all along the river. White bass fair on jigs at 1-3 ft. all along the river. Striped bass slow on jigs at 1-4 ft. at the mouth of the river. Striped bass hybrids fair on jigs at 1-3 ft. at the mouth of the river. Channel catfish good on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie fair on jigs and spinnerbaits at 1-3 ft. Trout excellent fly-fishing the surface, on rooster tails at 1-2 ft. and on Power Bait on bottom from the dam to Gore Landing. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.
Oologah: March 18. Elevation normal, water in upper 50′s and clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10 ft. around brush piles. Blue catfish fair on jugs using shad at 10-15 ft. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits at 5 ft. White bass fair on jigs in the Verdigris River above the lake and fair on jigs below the dam. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.
Pawhuska: March 19. Elevation below normal, water 53 and clear. Trout good on silver Super Dupers and Power Bait. Report submitted by David Clay, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Skiatook: March 20. Elevation 12 ft. below normal, water low 50s and clear. Largemouth bass fair on soft plastics lures in back of coves. White bass fair on live shad around winding points. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Spavinaw: March 20. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. above normal, water 61 and dingy. Crappie and bass excellent before the heavy rain. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Tenkiller: March 19. Elevation normal, water 58-60 and clear. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics in rocky structure. Crappie fair in the upper end on tube jigs at 15-20 ft. around brush. Catfish fair on flip-flops and cut bait at 20-30 ft. White bass staging in the mouth of coves in upper end. Report by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.
Webbers Falls: March 20. Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along creek channels, brush structure and riprap. Catfish good on fresh cut bait drifting on bottom on mudflats and creek channels. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in black and purple around bridges and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
NORTHWEST
Canton: March 18. Elevation 9 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear. Walleye good on jigs and crankbaits along dam after sundown. Channel catfish fair on shad in river channel. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: March 18. White bass and walleye good on white grubs below the dam and fair on jigs in the riprap along the shorelines. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: March 17. Elevation 3 ft. below normal, water 60 and clear in the main lake and stained up creeks. Bass being caught on small soft plastics, crankbaits, jerk baits and Alabama rigs. Crappie good off docks early and late hours. White bass being caught on rattletraps, wiggle-tailed grubs and roadrunners chasing shad up the creeks. Sunfish being caught around docks. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue River: March 20. Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water 55 and murky. Channel catfish good on cut bait and stinkbait around eddies in swift water. Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: March 18. Elevation slightly above normal. Bass good along structure. White bass being caught on yellow and white roadrunners and yellow and white grubs, they are in full run in the upper end of the Mt. Fork, all creeks and feeder creeks on the lake. Crappie good at 3-5 ft. in the willows and structure along the banks and mouths of creeks. Walleye fair on rogues and witches brew grubs in the upper end. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: March 18. Elevation normal, water 53. Largemouth bass fair on jerk baits, crankbaits and plastic lures in rocky areas. White bass good on jigs below the dam when running water. Blue catfish fair on fresh shad along flats and below the dam when running water. Crappie fair on minnows at 6-10 ft. in the riprap and standing timber and at 2-3 ft. at the north end moving towards the banks. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: March 19. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water 54. Largemouth bass good on soft plastic lures and spinnerbaits around flooded timber. Blue catfish fair to good below the dam during water releases. Crappie good on minnows at 15-20 ft. in creek channels and up the Kiamichi River channel, good at 12-15 ft. in secondary creek channels as water warms and fair to good below the dam during water releases. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
Konawa: March 18. Elevation normal, water 60 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic worms at 4-8 ft. in weed beds and cattails. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows and jigs at 15 ft. in the discharge canal. Channel catfish fair on stinkbait at 5-10 ft. around points. Report submitted Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mountain Fork River: March 18. Water 58 and clear, visibility 3 ft. Water flow 100 cfs above Powerhouse. Call 866-494-1993 for hydroelectric release schedule. Big Rainbows and Browns have been caught this week on March Brown Dry Flies in smooth water and with high stick presentation with nymphs in fast water. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: March 18. Elevation normal, water 55 and clear. Largemouth bass good on soft plastic lures and spinnerbaits at 1-6 ft. Crappie fair at 8-20 ft. around cedar brush just off of main creek channels. Channel and flathead catfish good on juglines and trotlines baited with live bait. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Murray: March 20. Elevation below normal, water stained to muddy in the north end. Largemouth bass good. Crappie good. Walleye good. Report submitted by Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.
Pine Creek: March 18. Elevation normal and rising, water murky. Bass fair on crankbaits at 15 ft. Crappie fair on minnows but most have been small fish. Catfish action is picking up on liver with big numbers of fish being caught but most being small. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: March 20. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water muddy. Largemouth bass fair on soft baits along riprap. White bass slow but should pick up with the rain. Catfish good on shad and minnows in the creek channels in rising water. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in the Big San Bois Creek area. Report submitted by Leland Sockey, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: March 18. Elevation normal, water 56. Largemouth bass good on swim baits, spinner baits and crank baits at 2-10 ft. Channel and Blue Catfish fair to good on cut bait, dead minnows. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 6-15 ft. Walleye fair trolling at 12-14 ft. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: March 18. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water 54 and mostly clear. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fair to good on plastic worms and deep-diving crankbaits at 10-15 ft. in the creek channels and around riprap. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait, sassy shad and slabs at 15-20 ft. in the river channels and north. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on live bait, worms and stinkbait at 10-15 ft. from Platter Flats to the north. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. in the upper creek channels. Paddlefish fair below the dam while generating. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: March 18. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. above normal, water murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs below the dam. Largemouth bass good on 6-inch black plastic worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfish good on juglines baited with cut shad and liver. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: March 18. Elevation 26 ft. below normal and slowly rising. Crappie, White bass and walleyes being caught at Little Hicks. Walleye and white bass being caught on minnows and jigs off the main swim beach. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson.
Ellsworth: March 18. Elevation 12 ft. below normal. Blue catfish good on juglines with cut bait. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Ft. Cobb: March 21. Elevation 2 3/4 ft. below normal, water 58 and clear. Two boat ramps are still open at Sunset and Lemon Hill. Crappie slow on minnows around the marina and boat slips late evening and early morning. Catfish being caught on juglines baited with cut shad around rocks by the dam mainly at night. Saugeye being caught on slabs in late evening. Report submitted by Kevin Bean, park ranger at Ft. Cobb State park.
Tom Steed: March 19. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 55 and murky. White bass fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish good on cut bait. Crappie fair on cut bait. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
Waurika: March 20. Elevation below normal, water murky to muddy. Striped bass hybrids slow to fair on shad and jigs along rocks and windy banks. Blue catfish fair to good on cut shad and shrimp at 3-12 ft. along rocky points and shorelines. Crappie slow to fair on minnows and jigs a
Huge Hefner walleye ties 45-year-old fishing record
Jeff Ma of Oklahoma City tied a 45-year-old fishing record while fishing at Lake Hefner Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old Ma landed an 11.3-pound walleye which ties the old Hefner lake record set in 1967.
Fishing in the Hefner spillway with a lipless crankbait, Ma caught the big walleye at 8:40 p.m.. The fish was spawning and full of eggs so he decided to release it. But before doing so took a couple of photos on his cell phone and weighed it on two digital scales, one belonging to him and one belonging to another angler fishing at the spillway.
The walleye measured 30 inches in length and 20 inches in girth, he said.
Ma said water was being released into the spillway at the time and the current was strong. He was jigging a KVD Red Eye Shad crankbait up and down in the current. He had caught a few buffalo and white bass before the walleye hit.
“It felt like I had snagged on a piece of wood or rock,” Ma said. “When I tried to pop it loose, I felt that thump. It started taking off and I thought it was another buffalo because that’s all I was catching.”
However, when Ma was able to get the fish closer to shore he could see the glow in the eye of a walleye.
The previous 11.3-pound walleye caught in 1967 from Oklahoma City’s Lake Hefner also served as the state record for 28 years. That state record finally was tied in 1993 by a walleye from Broken Bow Lake and then broken two years later by a 12-pound, 10-ounce walleye pulled from Altus-Lugert.
The current state walleye record is 12 pound, 13 ounces caught on Robert S. Kerr between Webbers Falls and Gore in 2004.
Rabies outbreak in New Mexico
Skunks are the primary carriers of rabies in Oklahoma
State agriculture officials are cautioning Oklahomans about a rabies outbreak in neighboring New Mexico. They are encouraging livestock and pet owners to be vigilant this spring in monitoring their animals.
According to a news release from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, New Mexico is experiencing one of the most concentrated outbreaks of rabies in decades with 32 animals testing positive since January.
More than a dozen people who were possibly exposed are being treated for rabies in New Mexico. The rabies outbreak has been concentrated in the Carlsbad area and been limited to rabid skunks and foxes which have spread the disease to cattle and horses.
Oklahoma averages about six cases of rabies in cattle each year, state agriculture officials said. Skunks are the primary carrier of rabies in Oklahoma, however in the past 10 years the state has had two bobcats, two foxes, two coyotes and one opossum diagnosed with rabies.
The drought that Oklahoma has experienced has resulted in wildlife and domestic livestock coming into contact with each other more frequently as wildlife have been forced to search for food and water.
Livestock and pet owners are encouraged to get their animals vaccinated for rabies and monitor them more closely for unusual behavior. Skunks are typically nocturnal so if they are seen during daytime hours it may be a sign the animal is behaving unnaturally, state agriculture officials said.
