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FISHING TEXOMA

STRIPED BASS

When you hear the label, "STRIPER CAPITOL OF THE WORLD", you know what rules in Texoma. Since introduced in 1969, the striped bass has put Texoma on the map. Due to natural reproduction, abundance of food and an environment conducive to saltwater gamefish, stripers flourish. Texoma has the right structure to give these migrating warriors plenty of room to roam, so pinpointing a favorite spot is next to impossible.

Most guides keep a keen eye on electronic graphs to locate schools and anchor on top of the school. Live bait is usually dropped down and the action is usually hot and heavy. Shad, both Gizzard and Threadfin are abundant, but a cast net and a bait tank are essential. Shad can be finicky and a round tank works best. Boat livewells with corner tend to promote crowding and do not work well. Anti-foamer and bait saver will also extend shad life.

Lures are effective and anyone can throw one. Cast nets are only effective if you have obtained the skill to throw one. Lures commonly used on Texoma are: a 2 ounce slab chartreuse and white is a proven producer, the Prune Picker slab made by Ron Ludwig is the most popular & available at Willowville Store. For trolling use Red and Gold Devil Horse, Storm Thunder Sticks in deep divers and bombers work well. Down Riggers are used by many fishing for stripers and prove deadly when run through suspended fish. Jig tied inline succession is a good choice for downrigging.

Sea gulls migrate to Texoma in Mid-September by the thousands. This is an event cherished by local fishermen. A good day fishing has been attributed to a flock of diving gulls on many occasions. The gulls swarm over areas where stripers are feeding to pick up the wounded shad coming to the surface. When the "birds are workin'" you know the stripers are close by.

In summer when the water warms up and fish are moving fast...top water time is here! Early morning and late afternoon feeding frenzies can erupt anytime or anywhere. Some of the best places to find top water action are Platter Flats area, the Islands, Soldier Creek, and Preston Point. You can be assured there will be plenty of action, so if you like to fly fish, opportunity knocks!

SMALLMOUTH BASS

Texoma boasts the state record smallmouth. A local fisherman who held the previous record caught a 7 pound 8 ounce trophy. Smallmouth have done well since a stocking program was established in the early eighties. Early spring is the best time to catch a trophy. Rattle traps thrown around rock points and ledges are effective ways to catch smallies.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Due to the lack of visible cover, Texoma can be a hard lake to read. There is little standing cover and no downed logjams or flooded timber to relate to. Bass relate to cover and at a glance Texoma is void. The art of reading your fishfinder is a vital key to catching bass here. The bottom structure holds the secret to catching bass here. In winter when water cools your best action will come on steep ledges working Pigs and Jigs, worms rigged Texas style or spoons vertically jigged are effective ways to catch fish. All marinas have deep water structure so concentrating on them will also pay off.

CATFISH

Catfish come in large sizes on Texoma, with the largest being the Blue Cat. These monster fish are hunted with every technique known to man. Practices range from "noodling"- poking your arm in a hole thought to contain a catfish and hoping you
can agitate it enough to latch on- to spear fishing. Both are legal methods in Oklahoma not in Texas. A good many catfish are taken in more conventional methods. Big cats are more active when the water temperature reaches 53 degrees or warmer. At this time bank fishing at night with a surf rod and cut bait is a favorite of locals. Flats adjacent to steep drops are key target areas for big blues. Flatheads are more susceptible to live bait around rock ledges and structure. Creeks are key areas for channel cats with stink bait and nightcrawlers.