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The weather and water clarity will determine the colors you should be throwing but dont forget the water is cold so the fish will be moving slower and so should your lure. Among the accomplishments includes the recently concluded Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt initiative, which in 10 years conserved or enhanced 5.3 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, recruited 1.5 million new or lapsed hunters, and opened new access to 750,000 acres for hunting and recreation. 0:43 Oklahoma's state record largemouth bass is 14 pounds, 11 ounces. Commonly known as Grand Lake, or simply Grand by the locals, this huge reservoir at times has been ranked among the very best bass fishing lakes in the country by Bassmaster Magazine. For the four baits he uses a custom large-hooked 3/16-ounce weedless swimbait jighead made by a friend of his in Charleston, Ark. Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. Bass are at their largest and most aggressive, so its the time of the year that offers the highest percentage chances at catching several big bass in one outing. Arbuckle is the hottest lake at present, producing numerous double-digit bass the past three years. com. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Where we typically see really big fish are places we have stocked Florida bass on a regular basis and we have lots of food and lots of forage, and for the most part its been in the southeast part of the state, Gilliland said. For a complete list of record fish and the procedures for certifying a state record, consult the current "Oklahoma Fishing Guide" or log on to wildlifedepartment.com. #goog-gt-tt {display:none !important;} "This is a great time of year to be out on the water. I doubt thosestates consistently produce trophy bass. They are all accessible to the public, so anyone who follows the suggestions in this article has a shot at catching a giant Oklahoma bass from one of these lakes. The best lures for this time of year are deep-diving crankbaits, jigs and large soft plastic worms. The opportunity to catch multiple Oklahoma lunkers with the winning stringers typically over 15 pounds for a single day is why its common for professional bass fishing circuits to regularly make a stop at an Oklahoma lake. Its a medium-sized lake covering over 2,800 acres in northeast Oklahoma. Lakes in the southeast region of the state tend to warm up earlier and cool off later in the year than in other regions, which affords these fish a longer growing season.According to Gene Gilliland, assistant chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department, Cedar Lake has been known to produce big largemouth bass for anglers in recent years - not only because of its southeastern location, but also because it has a history of receiving Florida strain largemouth bass through the state's stocking program. Its best to find the type of structure the fish are preferring that day. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conversation (ODWC) says Bowlings catch is the 13th biggest largemouth bass on record. His fish was from the Florida strain of largemouth bass, which state wildlife officials began stocking in Oklahoma lakes in 1972. Some Oklahoma lakes have size limits on bass to protect them from overharvesting. The fish MUST be preserved in a live-weight condition until approved by an Oklahoma Wildlife Fisheries biologist or technician, and an official letter of verification from the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has been received by the angler. Summer time fishing in Oklahoma begins in June and continues through the dog days of summer. Biggest Bass Ever Caught. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. In addition to the fishing, a day use swimming beach is also open to the public, and boating and various water sports are also popular. Angler Brodey Davis just weighed one of the largest Texas ShareLunkers to hit the scales in the past 30 years!! The lake is easily visible from the gates of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge where campgrounds are also available. .goog-te-menu-value:hover {text-decoration:none !important;} And then somebody has got to catch it. Most anglers are hunting or taking care of family matters off of the water. Walls turned Miller on to his own modified version of the Manns Original Alabama Rig. Eric Lundgren of Ruger, which now owns Marlin, highlights the features of both rifles with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Miller actually borrowed the tackle from Josh Walls, owner of Bass Fanatics in Poteau. His 17.06 pound Legacy Class bass is the pending new lake record for lake O.H. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, What to know about Oklahomas recreational marijuana, Bricktown implements immediate curfew for youth. If you havent read our piece on biggest bass ever caught, check it out and check out the other pictures and videos from Mr. Coxs amazing catch here! At just over 14 3/4 pounds, the Oklahoma largemouth record is the 15th biggest state record in the country. The spinners, lightweight jigs and the Swimmers lighten the rig and give it plenty of action when fished slowly, Walls said. Its appeal spans cultures, age groups and genders to tap on the heart strings of anglers everywhere. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. A lifelong resident of the wooded hills of Southeast Oklahoma, Miller, 54, of Panama, and his brother, Vonnie, decided to fish 80-acre Cedar Lake in the Ouachita National Forest after they heard the lake gave up several double-digit bass. Hiking, picnicking, swimming, horseback riding (you must bring your own horse), and fishing are all fun activities you can do at Cedar Lake. That also means Oklahoma lakes are heavily pressured and require unique approaches to catch the biggest bass that lurk below the waters surface. of Wildlife Conservation, Exotic Fishing Paradise Awaits in South Florida, Tag the Best Pronghorn of Your Life This Season, Go Whole Hog for Delectable Backyard Pork BBQ, Best New Baitcasting Rods & Reels for 2022, How to Add Casting Distance to Reach Bigger Fish, Spin to Win: Panfish Secrets for Catching Limits on Spinners, Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection, Classic Marlin: 336 and 1894 Lever-Action Hunting Rifles, NWTF's Passion for Wild Turkey Conservation Still Burns After 50 Years, First Look: Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Rangefinding Binos, Browning's Max Point, Silver Series Rifle Ammunition, New Hunting Ammo from Remington: 360 Buckhammer, New from Browning: X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan, Hornady's Hot New 7mm PRC Cartridge: SHOT 2023, Hawke Optics' Frontier LRF Laser Range Finding Binoculars, New from LaRue Tactical: Siete Chassis Rifle. To see a complete list of state largemouth bass records, click onhttp://assets.espn.go.com/winnercomm/outdoors/bassmaster/pdf/bb_state_Large_20100107.pdf. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. What's the next best thing to a world record largemouth, smallmouth or spot? The Florida subspecies of largemouth bass have been stocked in many reservoirs and will interbreed with native largemouth bass. The . A clear photograph showing a close-up side view of the fish MUST accompany the completed fish affidavit form. For example, you can start by Texas rigging the Senko, but if youre not getting consistent bites then try wacky rigging it. The debate over President Bidens student loan relief for millions of Americans came to a head on Tuesday as Supreme Court justices grilled the administration and its challengers during oral arguments. Could an Oklahoma lake produce a 17, 18 or even 20 pound largemouth bass. The docks are extremely pressured but still offer the chance at landing some fish. I think we might beat it by a matter of ounces, he said. Hiking in the Wichita Mountains is a short drive away, as Mount Scott looms over the lake. Lakes are stocked every other year with Florida fingerlings grown at the Durant Fish Hatchery. During the hot days of summer and cold winter months, these fish move to deeper water. There are two divisions of state record fish. Tenkiller Ferry Lake located near Tahlequah is a clear blue lake thats rare for Oklahoma. March 7 - Red River Fly Fishers monthly meeting and fly tying session, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Rec Hall of Eisenhower State Park. Lots of good pictures and funny video with this one. But who knows? When, and if, the Oklahoma state largemouth bass record is broken again, Gilliland doesnt think it will be shattered. Rank: Angler: Weight in Pounds: Weight in Ounces: Date Caught: Location: PhenoType: Photo Link: 1: Dale Miller: 14: 13.7: 3/13/2013: Cedar Lake: N/A: See Photo: 2 . The Texas state record is now 18 years old and not close to being broken. The U.S. Brodey Davis of Tuttle, Oklahoma boated an absolutely giant largemouth bass while fishing Texas's O.H. "You have all the right ingredients for the production of big fish the genetic component with the Florida strain, high productivity with almost unlimited forage and no competition, no larger predators feeding on them, and so the fish we stocked or the first few generations immediately after those have had growth conditions that are just ideal. Girth: 21 27/32 inches. Now, they put the Floridas where they get the biggest bang for their buck. Weve got the genetic component. The fish was weighed and certified at the nearest Wildlife Department office at Higgins, a 90-minute drive. Three witnesses, one of which must be an employee of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife, must witness the weighing and measuring of the fish and sign the affidavit. It is also the second Top 20 largemouth bass caught from Broken Bow this year. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. As we mentioned above, there are many quality bass fishing lakes in Oklahoma and we cant possibly list them all. marijuana special election, Voters re-elect members of Oklahoma City Council, Yukon bond election set for street improvements, Prominent Republicans hold off on backing Trump, Registration deadline approaching for recreational, Oklahoma voters to decide on massive school bond, Judge dismisses Kari Lakes last election challenges, DeSantis tops Trump by 23 points among Republicans, SCOTUS hears case to determine who controls elections, Trump hosts Mar-a-Lago event with prominent QAnon,, Senate approves bill to lock the clock on DST, Fight at basketball playoff game caught on camera, Tracking our next storm system that brings more rain, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Thats something that no one has ever really figured out, he said. On warmer days, the bass might be shallow but near ledges or drop offs so they can quickly get back to open water. We checked his scales against mine after we released her and his were correct. Lake Texoma also made our list of the best bass fishing lakes near Dallas-Fort Worth and has some of the better white bass fishing in Oklahoma. What makes this lake so unique is that swimming is not permitted in the lake and gas powered motors are not allowed on the lake, only electric motors. At 2,350 acres, Arbuckle Lake is a medium-sized lake and can become crowded during the summer months with excessive boating activity. It also consistently makes the roster for the elite bass fishing circuits to fish, so you might want to time your trip for times when the competition isnt quite so stiff. Bullhead, Brown 2lbs. Food Sources: Crustaceans, insects, crayfish, frogs, and fish. If all the right components come together, you could get a freak of nature that is considerably bigger than everybody else. The fishing is excellent at Lake Eucha, with Florida-strain largemouth bass being stocked since 2016. Its well over 100 feet in many areas of the lake, but the water depth regularly changes because water is regularly pumped in and out. Last Bass tourney on Nov. 11 Gilliland would bet on McGee Creek, even though the lake currently doesnt have a fish among the states top 20 largemouth bass. Tenkiller is the fifth-largest lake in Oklahoma, which means theres plenty of places for fish to hide. Black bass is a general term referring to largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass and their hybrids. States with 15-pound plus record largemouth bass are Lousiana, North Carolina, New Mexico and Massachusetts. The original spotted bass described in scientific literature came from the Ohio River in 1819. . Because the bass are feeding so aggressively, if the bite slows down a subtle change of color or lure can quickly re-ignite the feeding frenzy. Lawtonka Lake has produced a state record smallmouth bass weighing over 8 pounds. "Anglers who believe they may have hooked a record fish must weigh the fish on an Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture certified scale, and a Wildlife Department employee must verify the weight. That included a state record caught a year earlier, March 23, 2012, by Benny Williams Jr. of Poteau that weighed 14 pounds, 12.3 ounces. The state record spotted bass was caught out of a pond.. Cameron Mosteller age 9.. Bass are one of the most sought after of all the game fish. By Oklahoma Dept. Cedar Lake has produced several double-digit fish in the last five years.. There are two campgrounds, both with bathrooms and showers on site.