Lower Mountain Fork River trout stocking update
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will soon resume routine trout stocking in the Lower Mountain Fork River pending the award of a new three-year contract to a selected trout hatchery vendor. Stockings are expected to resume within three weeks.
Biologists are continuing to collect water profile data at both of the state’s year round trout fisheries, Lower Mountain Fork and the Lower Illinois River. Stream temperatures and low dissolved oxygen often threaten continued stockings especially during summer months. The Wildlife Department will request water releases as necessary to maintain the trout fisheries, but lack of available water and high summer temperatures could curtail trout stockings anytime during the remainder of the summer.
Central
Arcadia: July 27. Elevation normal, water 88 and clearing. Blue and channel catfish fair on crawfish, cut bait, live shad, punch bait, shad and worms. White bass fair on in-line spinnerbaits, jigs, sassy shad and topwater lures surfacing in the main lake. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs around brush structure and docks. Report submitted by Mark Murray, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County.
Draper: July 27. Elevation above normal, water 90. Largemouth bass fair on buzz baits, plastic baits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures around points, shallows and standing timber. White bass fair on crankbaits and in-line spinnerbaits along inlet. Report submitted by Chad Strang, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Hefner: July 31. Elevation normal but slowly rising, water 81-83 and clear. White bass and striped bass hybrids good on grubs, minnows and lipless baits from shorelines. Channel catfish fair on cut bait, shrimp and punch bait at 10-20 ft. off the dam and around docks. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, jigs and chatter baits along shorelines. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs off docks and riprap. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.
Thunderbird: July 27. Elevation below normal, water 90 and stained. Largemouth bass fair on bill baits, buzz baits, crankbaits, plastic baits and spinnerbaits around points, shallows, shorelines and standing timber. Channel and blue catfish fair on chicken liver, punch bait and stinkbait along dam, points and riprap. Saugeye fair on crankbaits and plastic baits around points and rocks. Report submitted by Chad Strang, game warden stationed in Cleveland County.
Wes Watkins: July 31. Elevation normal, water mid-80s. Channel catfish fair on chicken liver, punch bait and shrimp along creek mouth with running water. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure and standing timber. Report submitted by Mike France, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County.
Northeast
Bell Cow: July 30. Elevation normal, water 86 and murky. Largemouth bass slow on plastic baits along weed beds. Crappie fair on minnows along docks at night. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Birch: July 29. Elevation below normal, water 86 and clear. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs in coves, docks and shorelines. Report submitted by Ryan Walker, game warden stationed in Osage County.
Carl Blackwell: July 29. Elevation below normal, water 86 and murky. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs along sandbars and crappie dock. Channel catfish fair on punch bait, stinkbait and worms along shorelines and standing timber. Striped bass hybrids fair on crankbaits, cut bait, minnows, plastic baits and sassy shad in the main lake. Report submitted by Emily Long, game warden stationed in Payne County.
Chandler: July 30. Elevation normal, water 86 and murky. Bluegill sunfish fair on worms around docks and shorelines. Report submitted by Gary Emmons, game warden stationed in Lincoln County.
Copan: July 28. Elevation normal, water clearing. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure and docks. Blue, channel and flathead catfish fair on chicken liver, live shad, sunfish and worms along riprap and river channel. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Hulah: July 28. Elevation normal, water clearing. Blue, channel and flathead catfish slow on chicken liver, live shad, shad and worms below the dam, along riprap and river channel. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs around brush structure. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed in Washington County.
Kaw: July 30. Elevation normal, water 80s. Largemouth and spotted bass good on lipless baits and plastic baits along shorelines. Largemouth bass are good using lipless crankbaits and Texas-rigged creature baits along rocky shorelines. Striped bass hybrids and white bass are good on slabs and silver spoons in the Pioneer Cove area. Blue and channel catfish are fair while drift fishing and juglining with fresh cut shad in the Coon Creek flats. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 12-20 ft. over man-made brush piles. Report submitted by Tracy Daniel, District 8 Chief.
Keystone: July 26. Elevation above normal, water 86. Striped bass fair on small lures in the main lake. Blue catfish fair on cut bait below the dam and along channels. Report submitted by Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Lower Illinois: July 27. Elevation normal, water 60 and murky. Trout good on jigs, midges, nymphs, PowerBait, small lures and worms below the dam and rocks. Report submitted by Jeremy Bersche, game warden stationed in Sequoyah County.
Sooner: July 31. Elevation normal, water clear. Striped bass hybrids and striped bass good on live bait, live shad and slabs along dam and main lake. Largemouth bass good on plastic baits along shorelines. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.
Tenkiller: July 27. Elevation below normal, water clear to murky. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fair on jigs, plastic baits and spoons at 11-15 ft. around brush structure, docks, shorelines and under water ledges. Crappie fair on hair jigs, minnows and tube jigs around brush structure and docks. Channel and blue catfish fair on juglines baited with live bait, live shad and sunfish at 20-30 ft. along river channel and rocks. Report submitted by Brady May, game warden stationed in Cherokee County.
Texoma: July 28. Elevation normal, water 88 and clear. Crappie good on jigs, live bait, minnows and tube jigs around brush structure and rocks. Striped bass good on live shad, slabs and topwater lures below the dam, along flats and river channel. Crappie biting well on deep structure, chartreuse jigs and minnows are producing bites. Striper fishing is still doing really well, most fish are being caught on live shad but slabbing will still catch fish. Surfacing fish are still present in the early mornings and late evenings. Report submitted by Trey Hale, game warden stationed in Bryan County.
Northwest
Canton: July 27. Elevation normal, water clear. Channel catfish good on shad, waterdogs and shrimp along shallows and shorelines. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on slabs in the main lake. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County.
Ft. Supply: July 30. Elevation normal, water clear. Crappie good on minnows and jigs along shorelines. Channel catfish good on chicken liver along shorelines and on juglines baited with cut shad in the main lake. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Woodward County.
Foss: July 31. Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water high 70s. Catfish good on trotlines baited with cut shad on the north side. Striped bass hybrids and white bass fair to good drifting live bait. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.
Southeast
Broken Bow: July 27. Elevation below normal, water 89 and clear. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass good on crankbaits, plastic baits and spinnerbaits around brush structure, creek channels, points and standing timber. Channel catfish good on chicken liver, punch bait and worms along channels, in coves and creek channels. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: July 27. Elevation normal, water murky. Blue and flathead catfish good on cut bait, dough bait and shad below the dam, main lake and river mouth. Striped bass excellent on jigs, live bait, live shad and topwater lures below the dam and along the dam. Crappie good on minnows and jigs around brush structure, in coves, main lake and bridges. Report submitted by Cannon Harrison, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Hugo: July 27. Elevation below normal, water 86 and murky. Blue, channel and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, dough bait and shad below the dam, along channels and river channel. Crappie slow on minnows and jigs below the dam, around brush structure, main lake and river channel. Report submitted by Andrew Potter, game warden stationed in Choctaw County.
Konawa: July 26. Elevation normal, water 96 and clear. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits, jigs, plastic baits and topwater lures in the main lake, around points, river channel and weed beds. Striped bass hybrids and white bass good on Alabama rigs, crankbaits and live shad in coves, main lake and river channel. Channel catfish fair on chicken liver, cut bait and stinkbait along channels, in coves, main lake and riprap. Report submitted by Garret Harley, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mountain Fork: July 27. Elevation normal, water clear. Rainbow trout fair on caddis flies and small lures along creek channels and river channel. Brown trout good on small lures along channels. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: July 29. Elevation normal, water 86. Largemouth and spotted bass fair on buzz baits, grubs and plastic baits along creek channels, rocks and standing timber. Flathead and channel catfish fair on goldfish and sunfish along river channel. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Pine Creek: July 27. Elevation below normal, water clear. Largemouth bass good on topwater lures along shallows. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure and shallows. Channel catfish fair on chicken liver and cut bait along channels and main lake. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: July 27. Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth and spotted bass fair on flukes, jerk baits, jigs, lipless baits, plastic baits and worms around brush structure, channels, in coves, creek channels, rocks and standing timber. Blue, channel and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, live bait, live shad, shad and stinkbait along channels, flats, main lake, river channel and river mouth. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis: July 26. Elevation below normal, water 89. Largemouth and spotted bass fair on jigs, plastic baits and spinnerbaits around brush structure, channels, points, standing timber and weed beds. Blue, channel and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, shad and sunfish along channels, flats, main lake and shorelines. Crappie fair on hair jigs, minnows and tube jigs around brush structure and standing timber. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Wister: July 27. Elevation normal, water cloudy. Largemouth bass fair on bill baits, plastic baits and topwater lures around brush structure, shallows and standing timber. White bass fair on cut bait, dough bait and shad in the main lake. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure, channels and standing timber. Report submitted by Thomas Gillham, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.
Southwest
Ft. Cobb: July 30. Elevation below normal, water 84 and murky. Channel and blue catfish slow on chicken liver, cut bait and stinkbait along channels and main lake. Report submitted by Brayden Hicks, game warden stationed in Caddo County.
Waurika: July 30. Elevation below normal, water 85. Blue and channel catfish fair on cut bait and stinkbait in the main lake, around points and shorelines. White bass and striped bass hybrids slow on crankbaits, minnows and sassy shad in the main lake and around points. Report submitted by Chris Stover, game warden stationed in Stephens County.