Need help, don't know what I'm doing wrong -Lake McMurtry

[dennishoddy]

Is that the one by the power plan? Never fished there. I have a small 10ft plastic boat, one reason I'm sticking to smaller lakes most of the time. With friends or renting bigger boats I fish Keystone, Skiatook, and Eufaula.

That's the lake owned by OG&E Sooner Power Plant. I fished that lake almost daily for the 15 years I worked there after hours. There is a walk-in area that is about a mile long on HWY 177 just North of the 412 exit that takes one to either Stillwater or Ponca City.
It's right across from the warm water discharge of the power plant.
During the spring, like right now and in the winter, the fish congregate around it. More so on the North Side which is Employee only fishing, but I've seen some big fish taken from the public side which is on the South.
Everything from 50 lb flatheads to 20 lb stripers. Tons of hybrid stripers, bass, crappie in there as well at different times.
This time of year, the shad spawn run is the key to the best fishing. One never knows when it's going to happen, but if one keeps going down there and mimicking what the experienced folks are using, it usually results in a stringer of fish. That mile walk-out with a limit of fish is a long mile and it's uphill part of the way. Been there and done that many times before working there.
Anything resembling shad or small baitfish works. All artificial as it's in current and rocky. Paddle tails with 3/8 oz heads. Hyper-striper stump jumper plastics in blue and sometimes red with a 3/8oz head, rattletraps, chrome cast masters, and similar lures work. (pro tip, use a 1 0z chrome cast master and 10lb line. You can cast to the employee side)
Also target crappie and bass along highway 18 that is on the south end of the lake with lots of standing timber that can be accessed from the bank. Focus on the big culverts that run under the highway to the coves on the south side, especially if it's windy.
The wind blows the lake in either the north or south direction until it can't push the water any further. Then the lake pushes back against the wind creating a current through those culverts moving food back and forth during the day through them that the fish feed on.
Use small jigs or small artificials in the spring to target bass and crappie. Channel cat like those areas as well. It's rocky and wooded in some of those areas so use a weight with a light line at the bottom of the hook rig so if it gets into the rocks, you only lose the weight if using live bait.
Good luck!

 

[T. MIKE SMITH]

Late winter- early spring it just tricky trying to figure out what they might take. 3 of us went bass fishing at Broken Bow, about a 4–5-hour drive and fished 3 days. Threw everything in the bag and finally I put on a red thin fin- one I never use but I think it came in a set. Bam about a 3 pounder took it. Only fish we put in the boat. The only joy was we got to the dock, and they were setting up for a gals fishing tournament. I donated that dude for their tank to display the catch. Then last year my daughter and I wanted to see if we could get some crappie at our local city lake. Stopped and got some minnows and I had some worms I dug up along with jigs and stuff in the bag. Got on the dock and bang- catfish on a minnow- weird I thought, we wound up with about 8 eating size channel cat mostly on minnows.

 

[birdhunter1980]

My go to lure is rooster tails trolling, caught about every fish in the lake with it. Sandies, cats, walleyes, crappie and of course drum! A good all around lure for me, then once I catch one I'll go back and usually there are more. Good luck!

 

[Pennyless]

That's the lake owned by OG&E Sooner Power Plant. I fished that lake almost daily for the 15 years I worked there after hours. There is a walk-in area that is about a mile long on HWY 177 just North of the 412 exit that takes one to either Stillwater or Ponca City.
It's right across from the warm water discharge of the power plant.
During the spring, like right now and in the winter, the fish congregate around it. More so on the North Side which is Employee only fishing, but I've seen some big fish taken from the public side which is on the South.
Everything from 50 lb flatheads to 20 lb stripers. Tons of hybrid stripers, bass, crappie in there as well at different times.
This time of year, the shad spawn run is the key to the best fishing. One never knows when it's going to happen, but if one keeps going down there and mimicking what the experienced folks are using, it usually results in a stringer of fish. That mile walk-out with a limit of fish is a long mile and it's uphill part of the way. Been there and done that many times before working there.
Anything resembling shad or small baitfish works. All artificial as it's in current and rocky. Paddle tails with 3/8 oz heads. Hyper-striper stump jumper plastics in blue and sometimes red with a 3/8oz head, rattletraps, chrome cast masters, and similar lures work. (pro tip, use a 1 0z chrome cast master and 10lb line. You can cast to the employee side)
Also target crappie and bass along highway 18 that is on the south end of the lake with lots of standing timber that can be accessed from the bank. Focus on the big culverts that run under the highway to the coves on the south side, especially if it's windy.
The wind blows the lake in either the north or south direction until it can't push the water any further. Then the lake pushes back against the wind creating a current through those culverts moving food back and forth during the day through them that the fish feed on.
Use small jigs or small artificials in the spring to target bass and crappie. Channel cat like those areas as well. It's rocky and wooded in some of those areas so use a weight with a light line at the bottom of the hook rig so if it gets into the rocks, you only lose the weight if using live bait.
Good luck!

Greatly appreciate the detailed write up. That's only an extra 30 minute drive fore me, I will definitely check it out.

Also mind marking on the map where that walk in area is?