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Tenkiller Fishing Report: Bass, Crappie, and Cats Biting Strong in Classic Oklahoma Spring Conditions
Published 1 year ago
Description
Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report for Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Weather on the lake today has been classic Oklahoma spring with clear skies and a light breeze. Sunrise was at 6:42 AM and sunset will be at 8:00 PM, giving you a long window to wet a line. Lake elevation is a little above normal but on the fall, and water temps are ranging from 55 to 58 degrees, with a slight stain in the water in most arms and coves[2][3][5].
Fish activity is excellent right now with the pre-spawn in full swing. Bass are the main story—largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass are all active, holding tight to brush piles, rocky banks, and points. We’re seeing good numbers of both largemouth and smallmouth being caught, with several pushing 3 to 5 pounds. Best baits have been crankbaits, Alabama rigs, lipless baits, and jigs worked near brush, points, and channel swings. For smallmouth, don't be afraid to downsize to finesse jigs or natural-colored plastics to match the clear water[5][8][9].
Crappie fishing is also hot around docks, the dam, and brush piles in 10 to 20 feet of water. Jigs—especially in chartreuse or pink—and live minnows are putting fish in the bucket, with plenty of slabs over 12 inches being reported. The crappie bite will stay strong as they wrap up their spawn—work cover slow and use a slip bobber if needed to keep your presentation in the strike zone[5][8].
Catfish action is solid with channel and blue cats feeding up. Cut shad, worms, chicken liver, and punch bait are solid choices. Focus on creek channels, flats, and shorelines for steady action, and try the spillway area below the dam if you want to mix it up. Most cats being caught are in the 3 to 8 pound range with a few bigger blues reported near the river mouth and in deeper holes[5][8].
Some white bass are still active at the river mouth and rocky shorelines, biting well on small jigs, spinners, and lipless crankbaits.
For hot spots, try the area around Chicken Creek for crappie and bass, and the bluffs near Snake Creek for smallmouth. The dam area is always a classic, especially for crappie and some bonus walleye. If you prefer solitude, work up the north end into the Illinois River arm for mixed bag action and less boat traffic[5][8][9].
There’s no tidal influence on Tenkiller, so focus on early morning and late evening for best bites. Fish are moving shallow but will pull back deep if the sun gets high.
That’s your Tenkiller report from Artificial Lure—tight lines to all and good luck out there!
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Weather on the lake today has been classic Oklahoma spring with clear skies and a light breeze. Sunrise was at 6:42 AM and sunset will be at 8:00 PM, giving you a long window to wet a line. Lake elevation is a little above normal but on the fall, and water temps are ranging from 55 to 58 degrees, with a slight stain in the water in most arms and coves[2][3][5].
Fish activity is excellent right now with the pre-spawn in full swing. Bass are the main story—largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass are all active, holding tight to brush piles, rocky banks, and points. We’re seeing good numbers of both largemouth and smallmouth being caught, with several pushing 3 to 5 pounds. Best baits have been crankbaits, Alabama rigs, lipless baits, and jigs worked near brush, points, and channel swings. For smallmouth, don't be afraid to downsize to finesse jigs or natural-colored plastics to match the clear water[5][8][9].
Crappie fishing is also hot around docks, the dam, and brush piles in 10 to 20 feet of water. Jigs—especially in chartreuse or pink—and live minnows are putting fish in the bucket, with plenty of slabs over 12 inches being reported. The crappie bite will stay strong as they wrap up their spawn—work cover slow and use a slip bobber if needed to keep your presentation in the strike zone[5][8].
Catfish action is solid with channel and blue cats feeding up. Cut shad, worms, chicken liver, and punch bait are solid choices. Focus on creek channels, flats, and shorelines for steady action, and try the spillway area below the dam if you want to mix it up. Most cats being caught are in the 3 to 8 pound range with a few bigger blues reported near the river mouth and in deeper holes[5][8].
Some white bass are still active at the river mouth and rocky shorelines, biting well on small jigs, spinners, and lipless crankbaits.
For hot spots, try the area around Chicken Creek for crappie and bass, and the bluffs near Snake Creek for smallmouth. The dam area is always a classic, especially for crappie and some bonus walleye. If you prefer solitude, work up the north end into the Illinois River arm for mixed bag action and less boat traffic[5][8][9].
There’s no tidal influence on Tenkiller, so focus on early morning and late evening for best bites. Fish are moving shallow but will pull back deep if the sun gets high.
That’s your Tenkiller report from Artificial Lure—tight lines to all and good luck out there!
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.