H&H Power Lunch Chat with Ed Godfrey and marksmen Chris Andersen & Jesse Tischauser
Spring trout fishing excellent on the Lower Mountain Fork
The spring hatch of bugs on the Lower Mountain Fork River has produced some excellent trout fishing
Spring trout fishing on the Lower Mountain Fork River in McCurtain County has been fantastic, reports Donny Carter of Stratford, an avid fly fisherman who makes frequent trips to Oklahoma’s best year-round trout stream.
Carter sent me an email about his latest trip to the river and called the experience “dry fly fishing at its finest. Hatches like you wouldn’t believe. It’s close your mouth fishing unless you want to be eating the same thing the trout are having.”
Carter said the browns were boiling the surface for the caddis and small mayflies one day last week. He fished with a dry fly all day long to catch rainbows and browns.
“I used the Adams exclusively but in various sizes depending on the size mayfly that was hatching,” Carter said. “Late that evening, that’s when it was unreal. Large March Browns (a mayfly, caddis and smaller midges were just everywhere. It was a blizzard hatch.
“I couldn’t hardly release a fish without a bug flying in my eyes, nose, down my shirt and so on. Trout were boiling on the surface everywhere. As soon as my No. 12 Adams hit the surface, a trout would attack it. I fished ‘til dark, but it wasn’t because the trout were not still feeding. I was just ready to call it quits and make the long drive home. It was one to write down in the books as a very rewarding day.”
And if you are looking for a nice cabin to stay on a trip to the Lower Mountain Fork River, check out http://www.foxruncabins.com. Right now they are even running some April discounts.
Practice safety when turkey hunting
Dawson Salle, 8, of Guthrie harvested his first turkey during the youth season last weekend.
Oklahoma’s spring turkey season opens Friday at the National Wild Turkey Federation advises hunters to heed the following safety tips:
- Leave the area if you suspect there’s another hunter already working the same bird.
- Resist the urge to stalk turkey sounds. It is nearly impossible to sneak up on a turkey. They see and hear the slightest movements. Stalking is one of the most common causes of accidents.
- Pick your spot in open timber rather than thick brush. Eliminating movement and excess noise is more critical to success than hiding in heavy cover. Camouflage clothing also helps.
- When calling turkeys, place your back against a large stump, tree trunk, rock, etc., that is wider than your shoulders and higher than your head to avoid potential confusion from other hunters.
- Never wear red, white, blue or black – those are colors of a wild turkey gobbler’s head and body – even on socks or buttons.
- Do not wear any bright colors. Wear dark undershirts and socks and pants long enough to tuck into boots.
- Remain still and speak in a loud, clear voice to announce yourself to other hunters if necessary.
- Never move, wave or make turkey sounds to alert another hunter of your presence.
- Keep your hands and head camouflaged when calling.
- Maintain a clear field of view when using a camouflage blind or netting. Set a perimeter of no more than 40 yards.
- Make sure your decoy is not visible when you are transporting it. Stash the decoy in your vest and check that the head is not sticking out.
- If you harvest a wild turkey during your hunting trip, you should cover the bird’s head and body when carrying it to your vehicle.
- Put your gun safety on and approach the downed bird with your firearm pointed in a safe direction after firing.
- Never run with a firearm.
Weekly Fishing Report
Brett Fesler of Prague with a large spoonbill snagged from Hudson Lake
Here is this week’s fishing report compiled by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
CENTRAL
Arcadia: April 1. Elevation normal. Bass fair to good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits in early mornings. Channel catfish good to excellent on chicken liver and minnows over flats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs around docks and secondary points. Report submitted by Chance Whiteley, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Hefner: April 2. Elevation normal and rising, water 68-73 and murky. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits at 2-8 ft. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on lipless baits, grubs and shad at 2-10 ft. along shallow shorelines. Channel catfish good on punchbait with slip corks at 6-10 ft. along rocky shoreline areas. Blue catfish good on cut bait at 6-15 ft. Crappie good on jigs at 2-6 ft. around docks and the dam. Walleye good on grubs and sassy shad at 2-8 ft. along rocky shoreline areas. Sunfish and bluegill good on worms. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
Overholser: March 31. Elevation close to normal, water murky. Crappie starting to bite on jigs around the fishing dock and close to the dam. Striped bass hybrids good on worms along rocks on the west side and by the dam. Catfish slow on cut bait. Report by David Rempe, game warden in Oklahoma and Canadian counties.
Thunderbird: April 1. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal and murky. Crappie fair on small minnows and small jigs at 3-5 ft. around structure and off fishing docks. Channel catfish fair on cut bait. Bass fair on spinnerbaits at 3-6 ft. in coves. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Wes Watkins: April 2. Elevation 4 ft. below normal, water 64. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 7 ft. Report submitted by Mike France, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
NORTHEAST
Bell Cow: April 1. Elevation normal, water 72 and muddy. Bass fair on plastic lizards. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Birch: April 2. Elevation below normal, water 62 and stained. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Channel catfish good on chicken liver and worms. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 3-5 ft. Report submitted by David Clay, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Carl Blackwell: April 1. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 68 and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs. Saugeye good on jigs around rocks and windy points. Striped bass hybrids fair on jigs. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
Chandler: April 1. Elevation normal, water 72 and muddy. Bass fair on plastic baits. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Copan: April 1. Elevation 4 3/4 ft. above normal, water clearing. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 6-8 ft. from boats around the lake and on jigs from the new fishing dock at Copan Point. Channel catfish good. Blue catfish fair 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.
Eucha: April 3. Elevation slightly above normal level, water 68 and dingy. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-7 ft. around brush and structure. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and plastic baits. White bass fair trolling. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Ft. Gibson: April 2. Elevation 5 ft. above normal, water 62 and falling. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 2-5 ft. Catfish good on cut bait and live shad in the creek channels. White bass good on rooster tails and swim baits in the river above Chouteau Bend and will get better as water levels drop and level off. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits at 5-15 ft. Report submitted by Rick Stafford in Wagoner.
Grand: April 2. Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water 62 and murky. Bass fair on crankbaits off points. White bass good up creeks. Catfish fair on juglines at 25 ft. from Sailboat Bridge to Gray’s Ranch. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-10 ft. Report submitted by Kody Moore, game warden stationed in Delaware County.
Greenleaf: April 3. Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and bill baits along shorelines and brush structure. Catfish good on fresh cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around fishing docks and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
Hudson: April 3. Elevation 2 ft. above normal. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait and stinkbait. Paddlefish good in the upper end. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.
Hulah: April 1. Elevation 8 3/4 ft. above normal, water murky. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs at 6-10 ft. Catfish fair on cut shad and worms. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Kaw: April 1. Elevation 5 ft. above normal, water low 60s and stained. White bass good in upper Beaver Creek with warming water temperatures the spring spawning run will soon be over. Crappie improving daily on minnows and jigs at 2-10 ft. in the backs of creeks or along the riprap. Blue catfish good in the upper Arkansas River, fishing south of the river bridge east of Newkirk, there is access to the river by vehicle on the east side through the public hunting area. A map of this area can be found in the Oklahoma Water Atlas. A boat is not needed, fish can be caught from the bank using heavy tackle and fresh cut bait. Just a reminder, vehicles must stay on maintained roads. Fishing below Kaw dam has been very good for crappie and white bass on small jigs or minnows. Paddlefish good as long as there is a continual flow below Kaw Dam the fishing should remain solid. Report submitted by Larry Green, game warden stationed in Osage County for more information call 580-761-4097.
Keystone: April 3. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water 62. White bass fair trolling crankbaits. Catfish good on cut bait and shad. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Lower Illinois: April 2. Elevation normal, water 43 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on crankbaits at 1-3 ft. all along the river. White bass fair on jigs and spinnerbaits at 1-3 ft. all along the river. Striped bass slow on jigs at 1-4 ft. at the mouth of the river. Channel catfish excellent on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie fair on jigs and spinnerbaits at 1-3 ft. all along the river. Trout excellent fly-fishing the surface, on rooster tails at 1-2 ft. and on Power Bait on bottom at the dam, Watts, Maruels and Gore Landing. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.
Oologah: April 1. Elevation 8 1/2 ft. above normal and falling slowly, water lower 60s 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: April 3. Elevation 9 1/2 ft. below normal, water mid to upper 50s and murky. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on topwater lures along the riprap at the dam. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10-20 ft. around structure. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Sooner: April 3. White bass and striped bass hybrids good trolling in the lake or on live shad or slabs. Catfish good on cut bait and live bait at the north end of the dam. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
Spavinaw: April 3. Elevation slightly above normal level, water 69 and dingy. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and plastic baits along spawning beds. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around banks. Bluegill fair on crickets. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Tenkiller: April 2. Elevation 10 ft. above normal, water 63 and stained. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics in submerged brush. Catfish good on flip-flops baited with cut bait at 20-30 ft. Sunfish good on night crawlers in or near structure. Crappie slow on minnows in docks. Report by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.
Webbers Falls: April 3. Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits in the riprap and brush structure. Catfish good on fresh cut bait drifting and mudflats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs around bridges and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
NORTHWEST
Canton: March 31. Elevation 8 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear. White bass and walleye fair on jigs and crankbaits along dam. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: April 2. White bass fair jigging along the dam and running up the river into the Ft. Supply Wildlife Management Area. Crappie good on minnows and jigs along jetties and the intake. Walleye fair on jigs and spinnerbaits all over the lake. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: April 1. Elevation 3/4 ft. above normal, water 63-65 and mostly clear. Crappie good on small grubs and jigs in the shallows and good at the dock. White bass good on smaller rattletraps, crankbaits and roadrunner jigs good in coves and up creeks. Bass good on worm rigs, jerk baits spinnerbaits and Alabama rigs in shallows. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Broken Bow: April 1. Elevation slightly above normal and dropping. Bass good on pink flukes around structure and shallows. White bass excellent on white and yellow rooster tails and on yellow and white smoke grubs with 1/4-ounce lead heads; they are running in the upper end of the lake, in Panther Creek and up streams. Channel catfish good on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait and sunfish. Crappie fair to good on pumpkin seed and chartreuse tail grubs at 5-8 ft. in shallows. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: April 1. Elevation 3 1/2 above normal, water 62 and clear in the east and murky in the west. Largemouth bass good on plastic baits flipping the flooded brush and on crankbaits in rocky areas. White bass good on small spinnerbaits and jigs up creeks and below the dam. Blue catfish good on various baits along shallow flats and below the dam. Crappie fair on minnows at 3-10 ft. along riprap and rocky areas near banks. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: April 1. Elevation 11 ft. above normal, water 54. White bass good on minnows and jigs in the river channel. Blue catfish fair to good on cut bait below the dam. Crappie good on minnows and jigs along flooded timber and riprap in old creek channels and fair to good on jigs below the dam. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
Konawa: April 2. Elevation normal, water 65 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic worms at 4-8 ft. along weed beds. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows, jigs and shad at 15 ft. in the discharge canal. Channel catfish good on stinkbait at 5-10 ft. around points. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mt. Fork: April 1. Water flow 100 c.f.s. above Powerhouse, water 58 and clear. Call 866-494-1993 for hydroelectric release schedule. 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: April 1. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. above normal, water 60 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: April 2. Elevation below normal, water 62 and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on various baits. Channel catfish good on stinkbait, minnows and worms. Crappie fair around brush piles and rocky shorelines. Walleye good on minnows and jigs before dark at the dam. Report submitted Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.
Pine Creek: April 1. 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 great 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: April 2. Largemouth bass good on soft baits along riprap and grass beds. White bass fair on spinnerbaits and roadrunners in creek channels. Catfish good on shad and minnows in creek channels. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 3-4 ft. Report submitted by Leland Sockey, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: April 2. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and swim baits at 9-12 ft. White bass good up creeks and at mouths of creeks. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait and dead minnows. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 2-9 ft. Walleye fair trolling at 8-15 ft. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: April 1. Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water 58 and murky to the north and clear to the south. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and plastic combination baits at 10-15 ft. in the creek channels. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait, sassy shad and slabs at 10-20 ft. in the river channels. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on live bait, worms, and stinkbait at 10-20 ft. from Catfish Bay to the north. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. in the upper creeks and around brush piles. Paddlefish fair below the dam while generating. Report submitted Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: April 1. Elevation 8 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: April 1. Elevation 25 1/4 ft. below normal and rising slowly. Crappie, white bass and walleyes being caught from the rocks around Horsehead. Walleye and white bass being caught on minnows and jigs at the main swim beach and Little Hicks. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson.
Ellsworth: April 1. Elevation 12 ft. below normal. Blue catfish good on juglines baited with cut bait. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around standing timber and rocks. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Foss: April 3. Elevation 6 1/2 ft. below normal with gates closed, water high 50s and clear. Striped bass hybrids good on live bait close to the dam. Crappie fair on jigs. Catfish good on juglines. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.
Ft. Cobb: April 2. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal, water 61. Striped bass hybrids good on cut shad, worms, rattletraps and swim baits at 4-8 ft. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 6-10 ft. Report submitted by Tyler Howser, game warden stationed in Caddo County.
Lawtonka: April 1. Elevation 3.ft. below normal. Crappie fair to slow on minnows and jigs around structure. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Tom Steed: April 3. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 55 and murky. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows from the bank and trolling with shad colors. Crappie fair on minnows in creeks. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
Waurika: April 2. Elevation below normal, water murky to muddy. Blue catfish fair to good on cut shad on windy shores and points and on juglines at 3-12 ft. Crappie slow to fair on rocks on Corum Road and Walker Creek and fishing dock at Wichita Ridge. Striped bass hybrids fair to good on jigs and cut shad along dam and windy shores and points in mornings. White bass are not running. Report submitted by Vince Mesis, game warden stationed in Cotton County.
Aggie anglers win college bass tourney on Lake Eufaula
The Texas A&M team of Josh Haddox of Nacogdoches, Texas, and Timothy Temple of Bryan, Texas won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Southern Conference event on Lake Eufaula Sunday with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 6 ounces.
The victory earned the team $5,000. The win also helped them advance to the Southern Conference Championship.
“Coming in today, we both had a really good feeling about this tournament,” said Haddox, a biomedical studies major. “Today went perfectly. We did a lot of research online and looked at everything we could find on Lake Eufaula.
“We found some specific creeks to target, so we started our day there. We got pretty lucky and found some really aggressive fish. We had three keepers within our first 10 minutes of fishing, so we knew we were on to something. The key for us was the water clarity. We were able to find water more clear than anyone else.”
“I knew that there was going to be a strong wind from the south today,” said Temple, a finance major. “We tried to target the south side of the lake where we could find coves that wouldn’t have all of the muddy water blowing into it. We caught them today on a black and blue Santone jig and a Zoom Baby Brush Hog. We caught around 12 fish today, and only one was under 14 inches.”
The Texas A&M duo may have had a little bit of beginner’s luck, as this was their first National Guard FLW College Fishing event.
The highest finishing team from Oklahoma was a pair of anglers from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Nathan Colwell and Shane McGlothlin, who finished 10th. University of Oklahoma anglers Tyler Nipper and Paul Muzljakovich placed 11th.
Rounding out the top five teams and also advancing to the Southern Conference Championship were teams from the University of Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana State University-Shreveport; Texas Tech University and Henderson State University.
Complete results can be found at CollegeFishing.com.
The top five teams from each tournament qualify for the conference championship where the first-place team will win a Ranger 177TR bass boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard wrapped in school colors for their fishing club. The top five teams from each conference tournament advance to the national championship.
Hottest March ever
We just experienced the warmest March ever in Oklahoma.
According to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, March temperatures in Oklahoma were more than nine degrees above the average. Not only does that make it the warmest March on record, but it also tops more than half of the previous 117 Aprils in the record books.
And the forecasts for April and the summer months in Oklahoma show increased odds for above normal temperatures.
The mountains never looked so appealing.
