Trout festival at Medicine Park
The cobblestone community of Medicine Park in southwest Oklahoma offers a scenic setting for trout fishing. Restaurants and lodging are within walking distance from the trout fishery.
The inaugural Medicine Park Trout Festival will be held Friday through Sunday (March 1-3) at Oklahoma’s newest winter trout fishery on Medicine Creek.
Prizes will be awarded for the five heaviest fish weighed in during the three-day festival with a separate division for youth anglers.
Fifty trout will be tagged for prizes. There also will be a prize for the most unusual fish.
The weigh-in will be at the Gone Fishin’ Bait Shop in Medicine Park. The awards ceremony is 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information on the festival, call the bait shop at (580) 704-6469 or visit www.medicinepark.com
Backwoods Hunting and Fishing Expo opens Friday
Kids fish for catfish at last year’s Backwoods Hunting and Fishing Expo in Oklahoma City.
The 26th annual Backwoods Hunting and Fishing Expo opens Friday in the Travel and TransportationBuilding at StateFairPark.
The three-day show opens Friday at noon and Saturday at 9 a.m. It closes at 8:30 p.m. each day. On Sunday, show hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Admission is $10 for adults. Children ages 10 and younger receive free admission.
In addition to numerous hunting and fishing vendors, the show will feature Muzzy’s 200-inch whitetail deer exhibit, a National Wild Turkey Federation sanctioned turkey calling contest, the Bass Tank with Brad Campbell, the Texas Snake Handlers with Joe Martin and more.
For more information, visit www.backwoodsshow.com.
Rashaun Woods’ world is football and fishing
Former Oklahoma State University football star Rashaun Woods speaks at Tuesday’s press conference where he was introduced as John Marshal High School’s new football coach. Woods also is an avid bass tournament angler.
Everyone knows that Rashaun Woods could catch touchdown passes, but he can also catch bass.
The former Oklahoma State University wide receiver, who was introduced Tuesday as John Marshall’s new football coach, is an avid bass tournament angler.
In 2004, I interviewed Woods after he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. He told me then, “If I go out in a tournament and stick five good bass, I feel the same adrenaline rush as when I catch three touchdown passes.”
My colleague at The Oklahoman, Ryan Aber, attended the press conference Tuesday where Woods was officially introduced as the Bears’ new head football coach.
Ryan asked Woods is he was still bass fishing and quizzed him about the upcoming Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa.
“I’ll definitely be there (Bassmaster Classic),” Woods said. “I’ve got to do some things for Quantum and Gene Larew. I’ll be in a booth shaking hands and signing autographs.
“They’ve given me things and sponsored me the last couple years with me just really going out and really enjoying myself and I appreciate that. This is an opportunity to give back and do some things for them.”
Woods said having the Bassmaser Classic in Oklahoma on Grand Lake is huge for the state.
“There are a lot of fishermen in Oklahoma. It’s a deal where everybody’s excited. A lot of guys are going to be there and that’s not mentioning everybody from out of state. It’s a great deal, it should be great for growth and I will be there for sure to see my favorite guys.”
Woods plans to still fish in bass tournaments even with his new job.
“I’m fishing as much as I can. Obviously that’ll go down a little bit. The biggest trails in Oklahoma I’ve had a chance to fish, the Triton and Extreme Fishing League are big, big tournaments. I won’t get to do much during football season but that’s fine. I’m going to take advantage during this time right now.”
Stillwater teen wins world archery shoot
Brogan Williams of Stillwater wins world archery shoot in Las Vegas, Nev.
Brogan Williams, 17, of Stillwater won the young adult female freestyle compound class of the World Archery Shoot held Feb. 9 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Williams was one of 21 girls competing in her division. The junior at Stillwater High School has been competing in compound archery since age 13.
She has won numerous state contests and was one of four 4H members of a compound archery team from Oklahoma that competed at the national championships.
Williams was the top female shooter in the compound archery division at 4H Nationals where the Oklahoma team finished fourth.
Oklahoma Fishing Report
Heather Fink of Grove snagged this 110-pound paddlefish Feb. 7 on Grand Lake around Patricia Island.
Here is this week’s fishing report as compiled by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
CENTRAL
Hefner: February 19. Elevation below normal and rising, water 45-47 and murky. White bass good on grubs and gay blades at 2-5 ft. at the water intake. Striped bass hybrids good on jigs and grubs at 2-5 ft. along the dam. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait and punch bait at the dam and the water intake. Crappie fair on minnows, jigs and grubs at 15-25 ft. along the dam. Walleye good on grubs and gay blades at 2-5 ft. at the water intake. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
NORTHEAST
Ft. Gibson: February 16. Elevation normal, water 43 and clear. Paddlefish good in the Mission Bend and Mazie Landing areas in deep holes in the main river. Catfish good on whole shad drifting the flats and on juglines at 15-25 ft. on the flats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 15-25 ft. around the docks in the Paradise Cove. Largemouth bass good on Biffle Bugs and crankbaits in all depths around structure. Report submitted by Rick Stafford of Wagoner.
Kaw: February 17. Elevation normal, water 59. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-12 ft. around Sarge Creek. Blue catfish fair on juglines. Channel catfish good on fresh cut shad north on the Arkansas River. Largemouth and spotted bass good on white spinnerbaits on the south end of the lake. Report submitted by Emily Long, game warden stationed in Kay and Grant counties.
Keystone: February 19. Elevation 3 ft. below normal, water 46. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish good on cut bait. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and jigs. Report submitted by Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Lower Illinois: February 18. Elevation normal, water 43 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on stinkbait at 3 ft. in coves and at the mouth of the river. White bass slow on jigs and spinnerbaits at 2-3 ft. around jetties and coves. Striped bass slow on shad at 1-4 ft. at the mouth of the river. Channel catfish excellent on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie slow on jigs and spinnerbaits at 1-3 ft. in the coves. Trout excellent on flies at 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.
Lower Illinois: February 19. Stocked 2,329 rainbow trout on February 19. The Corps of Engineers will be doing turbine inspections on Tenkiller Dam during March and April and the turbines will be out of use for 4-6 weeks. Report submitted by Josh Johnston, biologist stationed in the east central region.
Oologah: February 17. Elevation 4 1/4 ft. below normal, water mid to upper 40s and clear. Crappie fair at 10-15 ft. around brush piles. Blue catfish fair on worms and shad at 10-15 ft. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.
Pawhuska: February 16. Trout good on Power Bait. Report submitted by David Clay, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Skiatook: February 20. Elevation 12 3/4 ft. below normal, water murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10-20 ft. around standing timber. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Tenkiller: February 18. Elevation 7 3/4 ft. below normal, water 48 and clear. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass slow on soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Monte Brooks of Cookson.
NORTHWEST
Canton: February 16. Elevation 14 ft. below normal. There are no useable boat ramps on the lake at this time. Channel catfish good on shad in the river channel near the spillway. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: February 18. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear. White bass fair on spinnerbaits at the dam. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
Watonga: February 15. Stocked 710 lbs. of rainbow trout on February 14. Report submitted by Jody Laubhan, secretary at Byron State Fish Hatchery.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: February 16. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 51 and clear to stained in the upper arms of the lake. Crappie good on brown/chartreuse jigs and CC Spoons at 35 ft. off ledges and brush piles and fair around docks early morning. White bass being caught on CC Spoons under the gulls and on long Johns in the upper creek arms. Bas being caught on crankbaits, jerk baits, jigs and Alabama rigs at 12-20 ft. on cooler days and in shallows on sunny days. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue River: February 20. Elevation normal, water 45 and clear. Trout good on yellow and peach Power Bait, in-line spinnerbaits and Super Dupers with hook dressing when fishing around waterfalls and structure in current. Fly fishing good on zebra midge, soft hackles, caddis flies and woolly buggers. Channel catfish fair on stinkbait, chicken livers and shrimp fished in deeper pools around current and structure. Approximately 2,000 rainbow trout were stocked February 19. Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: February 17. Elevation 9-10 ft. below normal, water 50. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fair to good on jerk baits and crankbaits around structure and points. Walleye good on rogues, rattletraps and 5-inch twirl-tail grubs with 1/4 ounce jig heads in the upper end of the lake. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: February 17. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water clear. Largemouth fair on jerk baits and plastic baits in rocky areas. Blue catfish good on shad in the flats. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in riprap and around boat docks. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: February 17. Elevation normal. Crappie fair on minnows along the river channel. Catfish fair on trot lines baited with cut bait and live bait. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
Konawa: February 16. Elevation 1/2 ft. below normal, water 53 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on plastic bait in the cattails and along moss beds at 5-8 ft. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on minnows and jigs at 15 ft. early and late at the discharge. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mountain Fork: February 17. Fishing has been great. In addition to midges and blue-winged olive mayflies, March Browns and tan caddis flies are beginning to take trout throughout the river. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: February 17. Elevation 11 2/3 ft. below normal, water 48 and clear. Largemouth bass fair to good on soft plastic baits and jig-and-pig combinations at 15-30 ft. Crappie fair on minnows at 12-28 ft. over cedar brush piles in creek channels. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Pine Creek: February 17. Elevation below normal, water clear. Boat ramps have been reopened. Bass good on most jerk baits. Crappie good on jigs. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: February 19. Bass fair on crankbaits and stick baits off points, along creek channels and in coves up river. Spotted bass excellent up the Canadian River; look for concentrations of gulls. Crappie fair up Big San Bois Creek around deeper submerged brush. As water clears from recent rains look, for improvement. White bass and striped bass fair on minnows and shad crankbaits upriver in deeper holes and around rock ledges. Channel and blue catfish excellent on trotlines and juglines baited with cut bait at 12-20 ft. close to creek and river channels. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: February 15. Largemouth bass fair to good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Channel and blue catfish good on shad and dead minnows at 8-14 ft. White bass fair on jigs and live minnows at 10-14 ft. Walleye fair trolling and on jigs at 8-9 ft. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: February 17. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 50 and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good on crankbaits, jigs and plastic baits at 10-20 ft. around the points. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait and sassy shad at 10-30 ft. from Johnson Creek to Platter Flats. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on live bait, cut shad and stinkbait at 10-30 ft. from Johnson Creek to Burns Run. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. in the creek channels. Sunfish fair on worms and small tube jigs at 5-10 ft. around fish attractors. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: February 17. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on black plastic worms with white tail tips and fair on silver crankbaits. Crappie fair to good on minnows and fair on white/pink tail grubs at 15-20 ft. Catfish fair on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait and liver. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
SOUTHWEST
Altus-Lugert: February 17. Elevation 27 ft. below normal and rising. Quartz Mountain Nature Park and Lake Altus-Lugert have had another fish kill as a result of a Golden Algae bloom. Golden Algae blooms are not a public health threat; healthy fish are safe to eat. Overall, fishing is slow. Walleye, striped bass hybrids, crappie and catfish all slow. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson, Quartz Mountain Nature Park.
Ellsworth: February 17. Elevation 12 ft. below normal, water murky. Blue catfish fair on cut bait off rocky points. Crappie slow to fair on minnows around boat houses at Ralph’s Resort. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Lawtonka: February 17. Elevation 3 ft. below normal, water clear. Crappie fair on jigs at the dam. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Medicine Creek: February 18. Water 40. Trout good on floating Power Baits and salmon eggs on light tackle and fair on Super Dupers, small in-line spinnerbaits and minnows. Fly fishing good on black flies and Maribou jigs. Trout were stocked last week. Report submitted by Jimmy Miller with Gone Fishin’.
A Bassmaster Q&A
Kenyon Hill thinks Aaron Martens will win the Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake.
Kenyon Hill of Norman has fished in four Bassmaster Classics and won more than $1 million in his career as a pro bass angler.
He missed making this year’s Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake and was teaching a Bassmaster University course Tuesday night at Rose State College in Midwest City.
Before the event, we shared a meal and he shared some opinions about this year’s Super Bowl of fishing.
What is your predictions on the Bassmaser Classic? Grand Lake, this time of year, will produce huge stringers if you use the Alabama Rig, but they can’t, and that is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish
I suspect it will still be a pretty deadly Classic. If the water temperatures are still in the ‘40s, I think the jerk-baiters will probably do very well. There may be some guys figure out how to catch them suspended on a swim bait.
I kind of look for Aaron Martens to have a very good Classic. The bigger ones seem to be a little tougher to catch when they are deeper and suspended and he is about good as it gets watching them on a depth finder and catching them.
What about catching bass on jigs? Jigs will be OK, but with the water temperature it would surprise me if that is a winning technique. Normally it takes 50 degrees or better for the jigs to come in. It’s a generic kind of a mark but normally 50 degrees or warmer they (bass) will start getting structure and bottom-related. Fifty degrees and lower they suspend more so with the water temperature in the upper ‘40s, I don’t look for a jig to be a huge player. It could be but I think it’s going to be that other stuff.
So you would bet on Martens to win? Martens will be tough. No one knows anymore about it (the lake) than (Jason) Christie, between him and his family. It just depends on what he can put together. There is not a slouch out there.
Does the Bassmaster Classic feel like a different tournament than any other B.A.S.S. Elite Series event? It did my first one, because I let it bother me. But after that, no, because I just ignore all the pomp and circumstance. There are a lot of people who cannot and it will wear on them.
What does having the Bassmaster Classic in Oklahoma mean for the state? It will bring more recognition to the state obviously. Grand Lake is a very good fishery. It’s introducing the world to Oklahoma, basically. It all depends on whether the Department of Tourism will try to capitalize on it. Oklahoma, as a state, has a tremendous amount to offer the outdoorsmen of all kinds. It has an incredible amount of diversity. It’s truly amazing.
If anglers had not had success catching fish in the two previous Elite Series events on Grand Lake (2007 and 2008), would the Bassmaster Classic have been held on Grand Lake? That has no bearing on it at all. On the Classic, it has to have special things. They would like to have a reasonable fishery but that’s not always the case. You have to have an arena, the facilities, a place to hold the show and the money to pay them (B.A.S.S) to come. I look for it to be very good event and hopefully it showcases Oklahoma and Tulsa very well.”
What is your favorite bass fishing lake in Oklahoma? I grew up fishing Texoma and have such great childhool memories there with my dad and my buddies, so I would have to say Texoma going away is my favorite place.
Have you been to Arbuckle Lake this year? I haven’t, although I have heard it’s really kicked on. The deal was the water temperatures got down and the (the bass) suspend, and they started bashing ‘em with that Alabama rig.
What do you think about using the Alabama rig in bass tournaments? I think it’s just another way to catch fish. I have absolutely no problem with it whatsoever. It absolutely has no bearing on being hard on the fishery. At one time in the state of Alabama a legislator proposed outlawing the plastic worm because it was so deadly. If you want to do anything to protect the fishery, get rid of mapping GPS. It’s made heroes out of zeros. It takes a lot of time and effort to find stuff off the shore without that and then find it again. But now with mapping GPS, there is no place for them to hide in the whole lake.
If you really want to level the playing ground, get rid of that, and you will see a whole new batch of people start shining a whole lot more.
You have any tips for fishing with an Alabama rig? You rig it with swim baits. I use Zoom Swimmin Fluke. It doesn’t have to look real realistic. It just has to look like a minnow swimming. I use relatively light jig heads. And then it is about depth control and learning how to keep it down and whatever depth you are seeing on the depth finder. It takes awhile to learn to cast it. It’s like throwing a shoe out there. So you throw it sidearm and if you feather the whole cast, and really feather it good before it comes down, you will keep it all lined out. And you just got to be conscious about counting it down, letting it go to the bottom and keeping it at a certain depth. It’s primarily for a suspended fish situation and when that is is when the water is below 50 degrees and in the post-spawn in the summertime. And in the fall they will get to schooling and chase some baits back in pockets and stuff. They are in shallow water but you can still catch them on Alabama rigs in those situations. You will also catch stripers and white bass and whatever is swimming in the lake. It doesn’t do well in brush piles. I’ve snagged everyone I have come close to. I don’t use a heavy grade hook. I use kind of a medium, wire hook. It allows you to get it (the rig) back. With 66-pound braid, just pull on it and you can straighten that hook out and bring it back in and rig your stuff. That’s the way to get it back. Use lots of heavy stuff and baby hooks.
Your passion outside of bass tournament fishing is duck hunting? Duck hunting and fishing. I enjoy fishing outside of tournament fishing. We are planning trips to El Salto (Mexico) this year and at least a couple of trips to Venice, La. Hopefully, I will get to do some crappie fishing this spring at Thunderbird. It’s a great crappie lake. You can catch ‘em by the bucketfuls.
House committee approves aerial hog hunting
A committee in the Oklahoma House of Represenatives has approved a bill that would allow aerial hog hunting to control the population of wild hogs. Feral hogs are causing millions of dollars in damages for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers, state agriculture officials say.
Legislation that would allow aerial hunting of feral hogs has been approved unanimously by a House committee, a state lawmaker said Wednesday.
HB 1904, as amended by state Rep. Dustin Roberts, would allow a permit for any landowner or any person who has contracted with a landowner to engage in the management of depredating animals by use of aircraft on the land of the landowner.
“Feral hogs are a huge problem in southeastern Oklahoma and lawmakers have been working to create opportunities for individuals hunting them,” said Roberts, R-Durant.
“I amended House Bill 1904 to allow aerial hunting of feral hogs, which is a efficient and effective way to manage the feral hog population.”
HB 1094 was approved by a 13-0 vote by the Oklahoma House of Representatives Agriculture and Wildlife Committee.
If approved by the House Calendar Committee, the measure will be available for a hearing on the House floor.
Berkley Experience Trailer to visit Bass Pro
The Berkley Experience Trailer will make a stop at Bass Pro Shops in Bricktown
The Berkley Experience Trailer will be at Bass Pro Shops in Bricktown Friday through Sunday before heading to Tulsa for the Bassmaster Classic next week.
Visitor to the 60-foot Experience trailer can watch videos, interactive demos, knot tying seminars and product demonstrations under the tent.
“This is the eighth year for the Berkley Experience Trailer and we have many new locations across the country,” said Andrew Marks, Berkley Marketing Director. “The Berkley Experience Trailer team is ready to help anglers of all ages and skill levels learn about our broad spectrum of products and how best to use them to catch more fish.”
Special retail promotions – including rod and reels, fishing line and bait – will be offered at the trailer.
Weekly Fishing Report
The striper fishing has been excellent at Lake Texoma, as evidenced by this haul last weekend. The blue cat fishing also was good, reported Bob Masterson, who emailed this photo to The Oklahoman.
CENTRAL
Hefner: February 5. Elevation below normal and rising, water 46-48 and clear to murky. White bass good on grubs near the intake. Striped bass hybrids fair on jigs and grubs at 18-25 ft. along the dam. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait and punch bait near the dam and intake. Crappie good on minnows, jigs and grubs at the dam. Walleye fair on grubs and jerk baits at the dam. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
NORTHEAST
Eucha: February 6. Elevation 8 3/4 ft. below normal, water 44 and dingy. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush and structure at 16-18 feet. Largemouth bass fair on plastic baits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Ft. Gibson: February 2. Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water stained. Catfish good on juglines with whole shad and at 15-20 ft. drift fishing the main channel. Crappie excellent at 15-20 ft. around the docks. White bass good on whole small shad Carolina-rigged on bottom. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits and Slugg-O worms. Report submitted by Rick Stafford of Wagoner.
Hudson: February 5. Elevation normal. Black bass good on plastic baits and crankbaits. Crappie good on small minnows and jigs around brush piles. Blue catfish good on but bait. Report submitted by Steve Loveland, game warden stationed in Rogers and Mayes counties.
Kaw: February 2. Elevation 1/2 ft. below normal, water 44. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 10-12 ft. around Sarge Creek. Blue catfish fair on juglines. Channel catfish good on fresh cut shad north on the Arkansas River. Report submitted by Emily Long, game warden stationed in Kay and Grant counties.
Lower Illinois: February 4. Elevation normal, water 43 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on crankbaits at 3 ft. along coves and bridges. White bass slow on jigs and spinnerbaits at 1-3 ft. at the mouth of the river. Striped bass slow on shad at 3 ft. at the mouth of the river. Channel catfish good on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Crappie slow on jigs at the mouth of 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: February 3. Elevation 4 1/4 ft. below normal, water low to mid 40s and clear. Crappie fair at 10-15 ft. around brush piles. Blue catfish fair on worms and shad at 10-15 ft. on flats. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.
Skiatook: February 5. Elevation 12 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear. Channel and blue catfish fair on cut shad along rocky shorelines. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Spavinaw: February 6. Elevation slightly above normal, water 43 and dingy. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush and structure. Largemouth bass fair on spinner baits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa.
Tenkiller: February 4. Elevation 9 ft. below normal, water 48-50 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on soft plastics. Sunfish fair on worm-tipped jigs around rocks. Report by Monte Brooks, Cookson.
NORTHWEST
Ft. Supply: February 4. Elevation 3 ft. below normal. White bass fair on spinners along the riprap. Crappie fair on jigs at the intake. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
Watonga: February 1. Stocked 710 lbs. of rainbow trout on January 31. Report submitted by John Stahl, northwest region fisheries supervisor.
SOUTHEAST
Arbuckle: February 2. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 43-45 and clear. Crappie slow to fair on minnows and jigs in chartreuse and white at 42-52 ft. near the dam. Crappie slow off docks. White bass fair on CC spoons at 35-45 ft. near drop-offs. Bass fair on jerk baits, jigs, crankbaits and Alabama rigs. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue River: February 6. Elevation normal, water 50 and clear. Trout good on orange powerbait, mealworms, in-line spinners arounf waterfalls and structure in current. Fly fishing good on caddis flies, midges, woolly buggers and mayfly larvae. Channel catfish good on stinkbait, worms and chicken liver fished in deep pools around current. Approximately 2,000 rainbow trout stocked on January 30 and approximately 2,000 stocked on February 4. Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: February 3. Elevation 9-10 ft. below normal, water 50. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fair to good on jerk baits and crankbaits around structure and points. Walleye good on rogues, rattletraps and 5-inch twirl-tail grubs with 1/4 ounce jig heads in the upper end of the lake. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: February 3. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water clear. Black bass and sand bass slow. Blue catfish fair on shad on the flats. Crappie fair on small minnows and jigs around boat docks with brush. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: February 3. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 48. Blue catfish fair on trotlines baited with shad. Crappie fair on minnows along the river channel. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties.
Konawa: February 3. Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 47 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic bait in the cattails at 5-6 ft. and good on crank baits off the points in 8-10 ft. Hybrid and white bass good on minnows and jigs at 15 ft. in the discharge canal early and late in the day. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mountain Fork: February 3. Rainbow trout being caught on night crawlers and Power Bait in the Blue Zone. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: February 3. Elevation 11 ft. below normal, water 48 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on soft plastic baits and jig-and-pig combinations at 10-25 ft. Crappie fair on minnows at 12-28 over cedar brush piles in creek channels. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Pine Creek: February 3. Elevation below normal, water clear. Boat ramps have been reopened. Bass fishing good on most jerk baits. Crappie good on jigs. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: February 5. Bass fair on crankbaits and stick baits off points, along creek channels and in coves up river. Spotted bass excellent up the Canadian River; look for concentration of gulls. Crappie good up Big San Bois Creek around deeper submerged brush. White bass and striped bass fair on minnows and shad crankbaits up river in deeper holes and around rock ledges. Channel and blue catfish excellent on trotlines and juglines baited with cut bait at 12-20 ft. close to creek and river channels. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Texoma: February 3. Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 50 and clear. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fair to good on plastic worms and crankbaits at 10-20 ft. along the deep points and riprap. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait, slabs and sassy shad at 10-30 in river channels. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on live bait and stinkbait at 10-20 ft. from Johnson Creek to the south. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. around underwater brush. Sunfish fair to good on worms and small tube jigs at 5-10 ft. around the fishing docks. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Wister: February 3. Elevation 2 ft. above normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on black plastic worms with white tail tips and fair on silver crankbaits. Crappie fair to good on minnows and fair on white/pink tail grubs at 15-20 ft. Catfish fair on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait and liver. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
SOUTHWEST
Ellsworth: February 4. Elevation 12 ft. below normal, water murky. Blue catfish fair on cut bait off rocky points. Crappie slow to fair on minnows around the boathouse at Ralph’s Resort. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.
Medicine Creek Park: February 4. Trout were stocked last week. Trout excellent on Berkley Dough and Gulp bait early morning, good on Super Dupers, small spinnerbaits and salmon eggs and fair on small to medium minnows. Channel catfish fair on minnows. Report submitted by Jimmy Miller, Gone Fishin’ Baitshop.
Waurika: February 4. Elevation 11 ft. below normal, water murky. Blue catfish fair on shad at 25-30 ft. near the dam. Channel catfish fair on punch bait in flooded timber. Report submitted by Ted Hasty, game warden stationed in Jefferson County.
Buck limit rule shot down
A proposed hunting regulation that would have limited deer hunters to one buck during the muzzleloader and gun seasons combined failed to pass the Oklahoma Wildlife Commission on Monday.
Apparently, the conventional wisdom that “if it’s brown, it’s down” still prevails in Oklahoma.
On Monday, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission decided against the proposed hunting regulation that would have reduced the buck limit to one for the combined gun and muzzleloader seasons.
Commissioners didn’t vote on the proposal, but instead voted unanimously to withdraw it from consideration.
Deer hunters will still be able to harvest a buck in both the muzzleloader and rifle season if they choose.
Commissioner John Zelbst of Lawton, chairman of the Wildlife Commission’s rule committee, said that the one buck limit proposal is dead for this year. It could be reintroduced next year but, “I do not believe it will come up again for maybe two or three years,” Zelbst said.
The proposal to reduce the buck limit for gun hunters was very controversial and the majority of Oklahoma deer hunters didn’t support it, Zelbst said.
Based on feedback that the Wildlife Department received, about 60 percent of the deer hunters were against it, he said.
“We want to look at it a little longer and see if we have good science,” Zelbst said.
Even though all eight wildlife commissioners voted unanimously to withdraw the proposal from consideration, Commissioner Dan Robbins of Altus expressed disappointment. Robbins said 22 states have laws that protect yearling bucks, but not Oklahoma.
“We protect young fish with slot limits, but we do not offer that for our deer herd,” he said. “Why don’t we do the same with the deer herd? It makes biological sense.”
Robbins said even though the majority of Oklahoma deer hunters did not specifically support the one buck limit, the majority did support some type of restrictions to improve the age structure of the state’s deer herd, either by reducing the buck limit, antler restrictions or requiring hunters to harvest a doe before using their buck tag.
Of the 1,809 public comments received by the Wildlife Department, 744 people favored the one buck proposal, 702 were against it and 363 people were against it but supported and suggested other regulations for stricter management to increase the number of older bucks.
“Everybody gets hung up on the trophy stuff,” Robbins said. “But it’s about improving the health and age structure of the deer herd. Antler size is just a byproduct.”
But Oklahoma hunters who don’t regularly kill two bucks in the gun hunting seasons still want the opportunity to do so, said Alan Peoples, head of the wildlife division for the Wildlife Department.
Most Oklahoma deer hunters don’t get excited about shooting does, he said.
“I heard a lot about it (the buck limit proposal). Yesterday in church they were on me out in the lobby,” Peoples said. “It tugs at the heartstrings of a lot of deer hunters. It shows to us that people take their hunting and fishing very seriously. They are passionate about it.”
In other action Monday, the Wildlife Commission unanimously approved a rule that would prohibit the transfer of shad from any body of water in Oklahoma that has been identified as being infested with Bighead or Silver carp.
Shad and tiny carp are similar in appearance and state wildlife officials are trying to prevent the spread of the Asian carp in Oklahoma.
The original proposal would have made it illegal to transfer shad from any lake or river in Oklahoma to another public body of water, but it was modified Monday to only waters that are infested with Bighead or Silver carp.
The Wildlife Department will list those bodies of infested waters in the Oklahoma Fishing Guide.
Oklahoma waters where Asian carp have been discovered are the Red River and its tributaries below Denison Dam downstream to the Arkansas state line; Grand Lake; The Spring and Neosho rivers from Grand Lake upstream to the Kansas state line; Hudson Lake and the Grand River and its tributaries upstream to Grand Lake.
Wildlife commissioners also passed a rule that hunters who take feral hogs on wildlife managements areas during deer or turkey seasons must use a method of harvest that is legal for those hunting seasons.
Also approved was a measure allowing hunters during the youth deer gun season to shoot a turkey in counties that are open to fall turkey hunting.
The proposal to lower the age limit for youth deer and turkey seasons was rejected.
