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"Late Summer Transition at Lake Tenkiller: Topwater Bass, Crappie Slabs, and Catfish Crusades"
Published 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Description
Good morning from beautiful Lake Tenkiller—Artificial Lure here, bringing you the latest fishing scoop for Sunday, September 14th, 2025. Sunrise hit at 7:02 AM and we're looking at sunset around 7:27 PM, so there's plenty of daylight to hit your favorite spots. No tidal influence here, but lake level updates from the Tulsa District Water Control show Tenkiller steady at 0.76 feet above normal, with a pool elevation of 632.76 feet as of yesterday, and reservoir releases holding right around 590 cubic feet per second. Water clarity is typical late-summer clear-to-slightly-stained.
Weather-wise, today started off mild and clear, with temps easing into the low 70s by sunrise and pushing toward the mid-80s by afternoon. Winds are light out of the southwest—ideal conditions for both shallow water anglers early and those venturing offshore later.
Fishing activity is peaking right now as the late-summer transition kicks in. According to Tenkiller locals and the recent Daily Fishing Report on Spreaker, the **topwater bite for bass is still firing early and late**, with a noticeable uptick on poppers, buzzbaits, and walking baits around main-lake points and bluff ends. Medium-sized largemouths and spots are schooling on shad; this is a hands-down best window for big reaction strikes before the sun gets high.
Crappie are stacking on main-lake brushpiles and deeper docks—anglers are reporting solid catches of **10-12 inch slabs** on both jigs and live minnows fished 12 to 18 feet down. Look for brush in 15-20 feet close to creek channels. Catfish are cruising the flats and river arms; **channel cats and blues** are active with the stable water and warming days. Fresh-cut shad and stink baits soaked on shallower flats are the ticket, and night fishermen are still scoring with trotlines and juglines near the upper end of the lake.
On the lure front, Lake Tenkiller's clear waters call for **shad-style crankbaits, 1/4 to 1/2 oz swim jigs in bluegill or shad patterns, and natural-colored soft jerkbaits**. For live-baiters, go with fresh minnows or small shad, which have been producing everywhere from fisherman’s cove to standing timber. Don't overlook black/chartreuse tube jigs for crappie—still a staple in this clear water.
For hot spots, you can’t go wrong at **Cookson Bend**, especially the secondary points just north of the marina—lots of bass busting shad at dawn. Another hot zone is the **Snake Creek arm**; crappie have been strong all week around brush and sunken timber in the mid-lake section. Catfish action has lit up near the mouth of the Illinois River, where current and bait are congregating.
If you’re heading out, the surface water’s in the upper 70s to low 80s, and fish are shifting into a more active late-summer pattern. Don’t forget to downsize your line when finesse fishing—especially on sunny days with lower wind.
Thanks for tuning in to your September 14th Lake Tenkiller fishing report. Be safe out there, and may every cast get bit! Be sure to subscribe for local updates and tips right here. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Weather-wise, today started off mild and clear, with temps easing into the low 70s by sunrise and pushing toward the mid-80s by afternoon. Winds are light out of the southwest—ideal conditions for both shallow water anglers early and those venturing offshore later.
Fishing activity is peaking right now as the late-summer transition kicks in. According to Tenkiller locals and the recent Daily Fishing Report on Spreaker, the **topwater bite for bass is still firing early and late**, with a noticeable uptick on poppers, buzzbaits, and walking baits around main-lake points and bluff ends. Medium-sized largemouths and spots are schooling on shad; this is a hands-down best window for big reaction strikes before the sun gets high.
Crappie are stacking on main-lake brushpiles and deeper docks—anglers are reporting solid catches of **10-12 inch slabs** on both jigs and live minnows fished 12 to 18 feet down. Look for brush in 15-20 feet close to creek channels. Catfish are cruising the flats and river arms; **channel cats and blues** are active with the stable water and warming days. Fresh-cut shad and stink baits soaked on shallower flats are the ticket, and night fishermen are still scoring with trotlines and juglines near the upper end of the lake.
On the lure front, Lake Tenkiller's clear waters call for **shad-style crankbaits, 1/4 to 1/2 oz swim jigs in bluegill or shad patterns, and natural-colored soft jerkbaits**. For live-baiters, go with fresh minnows or small shad, which have been producing everywhere from fisherman’s cove to standing timber. Don't overlook black/chartreuse tube jigs for crappie—still a staple in this clear water.
For hot spots, you can’t go wrong at **Cookson Bend**, especially the secondary points just north of the marina—lots of bass busting shad at dawn. Another hot zone is the **Snake Creek arm**; crappie have been strong all week around brush and sunken timber in the mid-lake section. Catfish action has lit up near the mouth of the Illinois River, where current and bait are congregating.
If you’re heading out, the surface water’s in the upper 70s to low 80s, and fish are shifting into a more active late-summer pattern. Don’t forget to downsize your line when finesse fishing—especially on sunny days with lower wind.
Thanks for tuning in to your September 14th Lake Tenkiller fishing report. Be safe out there, and may every cast get bit! Be sure to subscribe for local updates and tips right here. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.