Oklahoma Fishing Report
Larry Newton of Oklahoma City caught this 26-pound lake record channel catfish May 7 at Lake Overholser using Punch bait on a slip cork
Here is this week’s fishing report as compiled by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation:
CENTRAL
Arcadia: May 6. Elevation normal. Channel catfish slow to fair on chicken liver and stinkbait along flats and drop-offs in evenings. Crappie fair to good around docks and riprap. Report submitted by Chance Whiteley, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Hefner: May 7. Elevation normal and rising, water 70-74 and clear to murky. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and soft plastics at 4-8 ft. along weeds and rocky shorelines. Smallmouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits at 4-8 ft. along weeds and rocky shorelines. White bass excellent on shad, spinnerbaits, Gay Blades and grubs at 2-6 ft. along shallow shorelines. Striped bass hybrids excellent on shad, Gay Blades and grubs at 2-8 ft. along shallow shorelines. Channel catfish good on punchbait, cut bait and worms at 3-10 ft. along rocky shorelines. Blue catfish good on punchbait, cut bait and worms at 6-15 ft. along rocky shorelines. Crappie good on jigs, grubs and rooster tails at 6-10 ft. along the dam and water intake. Walleye excellent on shad, spinnerbaits, Gay Blades and grubs at 2-10 ft. along shallow shorelines. Sunfish and bluegill good on worms. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
Overholser: May 6. Elevation near normal, water murky. Catfish fair on stinkbait and cut shad off of points at night. Striped bass hybrids good on worms and minnows near and behind the dam. Report submitted by David Rempe, game warden in Oklahoma and Canadian counties.
Thunderbird: May 6. Elevation 2 ft. below normal, water murky. Crappie good on small minnows and small jigs at 2-4 ft. around structure and off fishing docks. Saugeye good on lime green, white pearl or silver sassy shad and jigs off windy points. Channel catfish fair to good on cut bait and stinkbait. Report submitted by Tony Woodruff, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Wes Watkins: May 7. Elevation 4 1/2 ft. below normal, water 76 and muddy. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Channel catfish good on chicken liver and worms. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Mike France, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
NORTHEAST
Bell Cow: May 6. Elevation normal, water 76 and murky. Bass good on stick baits along weed beds. Channel catfish fair on chicken liver. Crappie good on minnows. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Birch: May 7. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and topwater baits. Channel catfish good on chicken liver and worms. Report submitted by David Clay, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Carl Blackwell: May 7. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 77 and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs in the shallows. Saugeye good trolling. Catfish good on various baits. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County.
Chandler: May 6. Elevation normal, water 77 and murky. Bass good on plastic baits. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Copan: May 7. Elevation 13 ft. above normal, water murky. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs at 8-10 ft. from boats around the lake. White bass slow on white grubs. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Eucha: May 8. Elevation normal, water 70 and dingy. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-12 ft. around brush and structure. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits. Bluegill good on crickets and worms around grass beds. White bass good trolling. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Ft. Gibson: May 6. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 71 and clear. Catfish excellent on cut bait, shad, hotdog chunks and sunfish using rod-and-reel, juglines or on shrimp along the rocky outcroppings and a cork is good. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs. White bass fair on small spinnerbaits and crankbaits around windy points. Report submitted by Rick Stafford in Wagoner.
Grand: May 7. Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water 68. Bass good on worms and jigs in the shallows. White bass good on jigs up creeks. Catfish good on juglines baited with fresh cut bait at 20 ft. above Sailboat Bridge. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 20-25 ft. Report submitted by Kody Moore, game warden stationed in Delaware County.
Greenleaf: May 7. Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, buzz baits and jig-and-worms along shorelines, brush structure and rocky points. Catfish good on fresh cut bait along the spillway and the upper end of creek channels. Crappie good on minnows and jigs in yellow, green and red around fishing docks and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
Hudson: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. above normal. Largemouth bass fair to good on crankbaits and plastic baits. White bass fair to good on small lures in the upper end. Channel and blue catfish good on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait. Crappie good on minnows and small jigs at 6 ft. at mouths of the creeks and brush piles. Paddlefish fair to good in the upper end. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.
Hulah: May 7. Elevation 15 ft. above normal, water murky. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs at 8-10 ft. Catfish fair on cut shad and worms. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Kaw: May 8. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. above normal, water 70 and murky. White bass fair on small jigs along riprap below the dam. Striped bass and striped bass hybrids fair on topwater lures and surface lures below the dam. Blue catfish good on juglines baited with cut shad below the dam. Crappie slow to good below the dam. Report submitted by Larry Green, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Keystone: May 8. Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water 76. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 5-8 ft. Catfish good on cut bait and shrimp at 10 ft. Largemouth bass fair. Report submitted Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Lower Illinois: May 7. Elevation normal, water 43 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on stinkbait and crankbaits at 1-2 ft. in coves, around docks and creek channels. White bass good on spinnerbaits and jigs at 1-3 ft. all along the river. Striped bass fair on jigs at 1-3 ft. at the mouth of the river. Striped bass hybrids slow on jigs at 1-3 ft. at the mouth of the river. Channel catfish excellent on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie fair on spinnerbaits and jigs 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 from Gore Landing to the dam. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore.
Oologah: May 6. Elevation 10 ft. above normal and falling, water upper 60 and muddy. Channel catfish good on liver and shrimp around flooded willows. Blue catfish fair on juglines baited with shad at 10-15 ft. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits around flooded 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: May 8. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water mid 60s and murky. Elevation 7 1/2 ft. below normal, water upper 50s to lower 60s and murky. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on topwater lures along the riprap at the dam. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. around structure. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Sooner: May 7. Striped bass hybrids good on live shad, umbrella rigs and trolling. Catfish fair on cut bait and live bait off points. Crappie fair on live minnows off Hwy 15 and 177. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
Spavinaw: May 8. Elevation slightly above normal, water 70 and dingy. Crappie good on minnows and jigs around the dam area. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Bluegill good on crickets and worms. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Tenkiller: May 7. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastic baits at 5-15 ft. early mornings. Crappie good at 15-20 ft. in brush. Sunfish good on small worm tipped jigs in or near docks. Report submitted by Monte Brooks, Cookson Village Resort.
Webbers Falls: May 7. Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits along brush structure, creek channels and riprap. Catfish good on fresh cut bait and liver drifting and on mudflats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs in black and purple. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.
NORTHWEST
Canton: May 5. Elevation 6 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear. Channel catfish excellent on live bait along dam. White bass and striped bass hybrids good trolling crankbaits. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: May 7. Elevation normal, water clear. White bass fair on minnows and jigs all over the lake. Channel catfish fair on stinkbait along the riprap at the dam. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs all over the lake. Walleye good trolling the shallows and from the banks. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: May 5. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water clear to stained up creeks. On calm days expect to see algae on surface. Crappie being caught off docks early morning and good on chartreuse 1/16 ounce jigs off brush piles. White bass being caught on small crankbaits and roadrunners in a lot of the bigger coves and along the dam. Bass being caught on topwater early and on crankbaits, drop-shot rigs and shaky heads throughout the rest of the day. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue River: May 7. Elevation normal, water 70 and clear. Channel catfish excellent on stinkbait, minnows and chicken liver in deeper holes around current and structure. Flathead catfish fair on live bait in deeper holes. Smallmouth, spotted and largemouth bass good on soft plastics and spinnerbaits around structure and rocks. Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: May 6. 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: May 6. Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water clear in the east and murky in the west. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along rocky areas. White bass good on jigs below the dam when water running. Blue catfish good on shad and shrimp along rocky areas and shallow flats. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 4-10 ft. along riprap, bridges and standing timber. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: May 6. Elevation normal. Crappie fair to good on minnows along the river channel and along drop-offs. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and lizards around brush along creek channels. Blue catfish good on cut shad below the dam. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
Konawa: May 4. Elevation normal, water 77 and clear. Largemouth bass excellent on plastic worms at 2-5 ft. along the cattails. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on shad at 15 ft. in the discharge canal and road beds. 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: May 6. Water mid-60s. Rainbows being caught on march browns in the red zone. Walleye, white bass and rainbows good on rooster tails and grubs near the power house. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: May 6. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 74 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on Carolina-rigged soft plastic baits at 14-18 ft. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Murray: May 7. Water 71. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good to excellent on various baits. White bass fair on minnows, jigs and trolling in the north end of the lake. Channel catfish good on stinkbait, worms and chicken liver. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 4-10 ft. around structure. Report submitted by Jeremy Brothers, game warden stationed in Carter County.
Pine Creek: May 6. Elevation normal, water clear. Bass good on Zara spooks around secondary points in shallow water. Crappie good on grubs in shallow water. Catfish good on juglines baited with cut shad. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: May 7. Elevation normal, water murky. Bass fair on topwater lures and soft plastic baits along grass beds. Catfish fair on trotlines baited with cut bait and shad. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush piles and standing timber. Report submitted by Leland Sockey, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: May 5. Elevation normal, water 72. Largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits, buzz baits and swim baits in shallow water and on crankbaits, swim baits and plastic worms at 10-12 ft. White bass fair trolling. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait and dead minnows. Flathead catfish good on live bait. Crappie fair at 3-10 ft. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: May 5. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 69 and murky far north and clear south. Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on crankbaits, spinner baits and plastic worms at 5-15 ft. from Catfish Bay to Little Glasses Creek. Striped and white bass good on live bait, sassy shad and deep diving lures at 15-25 ft. from Alberta Creek to the north. Channel and blue catfish good on worms, live bait and stinkbait at 10-20 ft. from Johnson Creek to the south. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. around the fish attractors and underwater brush. Paddlefish fair to good below the dam while generating. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: May 6. Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on soft plastic baits and Zara spooks and fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Catfish good on juglines baited with cut shad, sunfish, liver and night crawlers. Crappie good on pumpkin seed and chartreuse tail grubs and minnows. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: May 6. Elevation 24 1/4 ft. below normal. Catfish, crappie, walleye and white bass being caught on minnows. Crappie and walleye being caught on chartreuse lures by the dam and Horsehead with better results at Twin Peaks and Little Hicks. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson.
Ellsworth: May 5. Elevation 9 ft. below normal, water murky. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 4-6 ft. at Ralph’s Resort and Fisherman’s Cove. Catfish good on cut bait off rocky points. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Foss: May 9. Elevation 6 1/2 ft. below normal with gates closed, water upper 60s and clear. Striped bass hybrids good on live bait and drifting shad colored lures near the dam. Walleye fair on live bait on north side of lake near reserve area. Crappie fair around docks on the south and north sides of lake. Catfish good in channels. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.
Ft. Cobb: May 7. Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 73 and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 4-8 ft. Striped bass hybrids and white bass good on crank baits and cut bait at 4-6 ft. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait, earth worms and live bait. Report submitted by Tyler Howser, game warden stationed in Caddo County.
Lawtonka: May 5. Elevation 2 ft. below normal, water clear. Saugeye fair on minnows off rocks at Schoolhouse Slough. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Tom Steed: May 7. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 65 and murky. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on minnows on bottom off points. Channel catfish good on cut bait around islands. Crappie good on minnows and jigs all over the lake. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.
Waurika: May 6. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water murky to muddy. Channel catfish fair to good on cut shad, worms and stinkbait along windy shorelines and points early and late. Blue catfish fair to good on cut shad, worms and stinkbait along windy shorelines and points and on juglines and trotlines baited with cut shad and sunfish in the main lake. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs along the rocks at Corum and at the fishing docks at Wichita Ridge. Report submitted by Vince Mesis, game warden stationed in Cotton County.
Thank you for joining our conversation on Outdoors. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.
Enjoy reading and want to fish in Oklahoma. Sorry I don’t know what URI is.