Fishing

[Glocktogo]

Went weekend before last to Horseshoe Bend on Tenkiller and we caught 24 white bass (kept 17). Went this past weekend expecting it to be better, but runoff had pushed a lot of mud and debris into the river channel, so the fish were further downriver than up. Still caught 30 and wound up with 17 keepers again. All females and still had eggs, so they haven't spawned yet. Most were caught at 8-16 feet suspended over 20-25 feet of water. Temps on Saturday were running 54-56 at the surface. This coming weekend should be good if the storms stay away.

We normally fish the Neosho above Ft. Gibson, but it's completely blown out.

 

[MacFromOK]

Do any of y'all keep/eat fish eggs?

Just curious.

 

[Glocktogo]

Do any of y'all keep/eat fish eggs?

Just curious.

Used to do catfish eggs when I was a kid, but haven't in decades.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Nice mess of sandies!

 

[dancer4life]

Went weekend before last to Horseshoe Bend on Tenkiller and we caught 24 white bass (kept 17). Went this past weekend expecting it to be better, but runoff had pushed a lot of mud and debris into the river channel, so the fish were further downriver than up. Still caught 30 and wound up with 17 keepers again. All females and still had eggs, so they haven't spawned yet. Most were caught at 8-16 feet suspended over 20-25 feet of water. Temps on Saturday were running 54-56 at the surface. This coming weekend should be good if the storms stay away.

We normally fish the Neosho above Ft. Gibson, but it's completely blown out.

View attachment 199649 View attachment 199650

Nice catch!!

 

[dennishoddy]

Can someone in the Kay County area that knows,
Point me in the right direction on Lake Ponca where I can catch some crappie.
The 2 spots I have tried several times so far I haven't got a single bite.

I don't have a boat, so I'm fishing from the banks.

Any info is appreciated. Thanks

Would you give up the location of your biggest buck?




LOL, just kidding. Some folks do hold their favorite spots close and don't disclose them. They would give up their children first.
For bank fishing, you need to understand crappie and the relationship between the length of the day and water temps.
You can't chase them like you can in a boat which is your stated issue. As the length of the day increases, and water temps do the same, it triggers crappie to move from winter habitat.
First of all, I'd recommend Wentz Camp cove. It's the road below Wentz camp. There is a parking lot there now. They shut down the road that used to be there for bicycle trails so it's walk in with a very short walk.
The ODW put in a couple dozen spider blocks as crappie attractors within easy casting distance of the bank at 6' to 10' depth. There is a buoy right in the middle of them designating that area. Further out there is another ODW habitat area also designated by a buoy that is a brush pile at 16'.
When water temps are 51-54 degrees the crappie are moving from the deep winter habitat to the shallow spawning areas, feeding along the way in open water. Tough to find with males leading the way to build the nest.
I don't know the current water temps of Ponca Lake as they aren't published but the neighboring Kaw lake temps are at 52 degrees currently. Ponca lake being shallower should be a bit warmer, but not much. Cold nights like we are having are setting the temps back.
When the water temps get to 55-60 degrees, the crappie will move into the shallows.
Remember that shallow water warms first on a sunny warm day. The back of coves where a creek is coming in will warm first with temps further out in the cove increasing later in the day or week.
If I were you, I'd probably hit that area next week or two when the air temps are going to be near 80 floating marabou jigs under floats with a slow retrieve around the spider blocks that you can't see and along the banks, constantly adjusting the float as you get further out into deeper water. You will get hung up a lot and break off, but retie and keep moving. You will get some moss at times and sometimes you won't. It's unlikely to get hung up on the spider blocks as they are just plastic pipe in concrete blocks, but you will get some moss occasionally. Crappie love to hang around them.
Second spot would be in the spillway area when the water temps are right. Nice gravel beds available and the saugeye will be in there spawning as well. Don't sit in one spot and wait on them to come to you. Keep mobile and casting with floats and jigs or minnows along the banks.
Keep in mind that Ponca lake has different regulations on how many crappie you can keep vs state regulations. Most are posted at boat ramps but is also available online. You are required to have a lake permit to fish as well, and I've been checked a couple of times. It's cheaper than the fine for not having one.

 

[MR.T.]

Thanks for the info Dennis.
Appreciate it.
I never knew about the water temperatures.

& No, I wouldn't mind giving up the location that I took my biggest Buck.
As I don't have the permission to hunt there anymore.

 

[Garrett]

I had a decent day even though the wind seemed to follow me around

. I caught about a dozen using two flies that a friend had given to me years ago, he passed away in 2011 so it meant a lot to me to catch some fish with them today...

 

[MacFromOK]

I had a decent day even though the wind seemed to follow me around

Lol, don't take it personal... I think it's following everyone today.

Congrats on all the rest.

 

[DRC458]

I caught about a dozen using two flies that a friend had given to me years ago, he passed away in 2011 so it meant a lot to me to catch some fish with them today...

View attachment 199764 View attachment 199765

That makes every single one of them a trophy then, doesn't it? Congrats!.

.