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Tenkiller Fishing Report: Topwaters and Crappie Bite Hot as Autumn Arrives at Oklahoma's Gem
Published 6 months ago
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Good morning, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report for Thursday, October 30, 2025.
First light cracked at 7:36 AM and sunset will set in at 6:35 PM, giving us a solid window for action, especially with the days shortening and those crisp autumn mornings. Weather’s holding steady—with overnight lows around 48°F, daytime highs near 73°F, and a gentle south wind picking up to 7-10 mph by mid-morning. The sky’s clear, not much rain for the week, so expect the water visibility to be halfway decent.
On the lake, the Tulsa District Water Control reports Tenkiller’s pool elevation this morning sat at 633.13 feet, just a tick over a foot above normal—so we’ve got a little extra water in the system. The reservoir’s releasing 578 cubic feet per second, keeping things mixed up and fish on the move. For fall fishing, that’s a good look. These flow rates typically get the baitfish schools moving, and with them, the predators are hungry.
Speaking for fish activity, it’s prime for largemouth and smallmouth bass right now. The shad are schooling tight, giving the bass opportunities for a strong feed. Bassmaster has highlighted that high water conditions this fall at Tenkiller have been favorable, especially for working topwater baits and frogs across flats and flooded grass. Crankbaits—shallow runners—have also pulled in good numbers, mostly fish between 2-5 lbs, but there were solid reports of a few bigger bass caught last weekend above Snake Creek.
If you’re after crappie, this has been a good week. Locals are reporting stringers coming in from the mid-lake bluffs, especially early and late. Both live minnows and small jigs tipped with a wax worm are getting bites. Folks are pulling them from 12-18 feet around submerged brush and standing timber. The bite gets hotter as the sun drops, so sunset anglers can expect a mess of slabs for the cooler.
Catfish anglers have found steady blues and channels on cut shad and chicken liver, especially along the old river channels near Cookson Bend. Most are eater-size, with a few bigger blues showing near deeper drop-offs overnight. Jug lines have been productive—float them just off the bottom in 25-35 foot water and check them every couple hours.
Stripers and white bass made a push up the river arms early this week. If you’re able to get out during early morning hours, cast white Road Runners or chrome lipless crankbaits near points and creek junctions—fish have been schooling and pushing bait to the surface with explosive takes.
Best lures right now:
- **Topwater frogs** early on grass and shallow flats
- **Shad-colored squarebill crankbaits** along rocky banks and points
- **Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits** for reaction bites on windy banks
- **1/8 oz marabou jigs** for crappie near timber and brush piles
- **Cut bait and punch baits** for catfish on the deeper ledges
For live bait, grab fresh shad or big minnows from the local bait shop near Combs Bridge. Artificial remains king for bass, but don’t ignore natural offerings for crappie and kittyfish.
Hot spots worth your time:
- The mouth of **Pettit Bay**: reliable for bass and early morning whites.
- **Standing timber off Pine Cove**: crappie bite’s been fire just after dawn.
- **Cookson Bend drop-off**: a classic for bigger blues and good variety.
Lots of friendly faces on the water this week, as folks are making the most of these golden mornings and cool afternoons. If you’re coming down, make sure your boat numbers are right and double check all gear; with the season winding down, there’s still plenty of time to pull that bucket list hawg from Tenkiller’s clear waters.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more fishing reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on
First light cracked at 7:36 AM and sunset will set in at 6:35 PM, giving us a solid window for action, especially with the days shortening and those crisp autumn mornings. Weather’s holding steady—with overnight lows around 48°F, daytime highs near 73°F, and a gentle south wind picking up to 7-10 mph by mid-morning. The sky’s clear, not much rain for the week, so expect the water visibility to be halfway decent.
On the lake, the Tulsa District Water Control reports Tenkiller’s pool elevation this morning sat at 633.13 feet, just a tick over a foot above normal—so we’ve got a little extra water in the system. The reservoir’s releasing 578 cubic feet per second, keeping things mixed up and fish on the move. For fall fishing, that’s a good look. These flow rates typically get the baitfish schools moving, and with them, the predators are hungry.
Speaking for fish activity, it’s prime for largemouth and smallmouth bass right now. The shad are schooling tight, giving the bass opportunities for a strong feed. Bassmaster has highlighted that high water conditions this fall at Tenkiller have been favorable, especially for working topwater baits and frogs across flats and flooded grass. Crankbaits—shallow runners—have also pulled in good numbers, mostly fish between 2-5 lbs, but there were solid reports of a few bigger bass caught last weekend above Snake Creek.
If you’re after crappie, this has been a good week. Locals are reporting stringers coming in from the mid-lake bluffs, especially early and late. Both live minnows and small jigs tipped with a wax worm are getting bites. Folks are pulling them from 12-18 feet around submerged brush and standing timber. The bite gets hotter as the sun drops, so sunset anglers can expect a mess of slabs for the cooler.
Catfish anglers have found steady blues and channels on cut shad and chicken liver, especially along the old river channels near Cookson Bend. Most are eater-size, with a few bigger blues showing near deeper drop-offs overnight. Jug lines have been productive—float them just off the bottom in 25-35 foot water and check them every couple hours.
Stripers and white bass made a push up the river arms early this week. If you’re able to get out during early morning hours, cast white Road Runners or chrome lipless crankbaits near points and creek junctions—fish have been schooling and pushing bait to the surface with explosive takes.
Best lures right now:
- **Topwater frogs** early on grass and shallow flats
- **Shad-colored squarebill crankbaits** along rocky banks and points
- **Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits** for reaction bites on windy banks
- **1/8 oz marabou jigs** for crappie near timber and brush piles
- **Cut bait and punch baits** for catfish on the deeper ledges
For live bait, grab fresh shad or big minnows from the local bait shop near Combs Bridge. Artificial remains king for bass, but don’t ignore natural offerings for crappie and kittyfish.
Hot spots worth your time:
- The mouth of **Pettit Bay**: reliable for bass and early morning whites.
- **Standing timber off Pine Cove**: crappie bite’s been fire just after dawn.
- **Cookson Bend drop-off**: a classic for bigger blues and good variety.
Lots of friendly faces on the water this week, as folks are making the most of these golden mornings and cool afternoons. If you’re coming down, make sure your boat numbers are right and double check all gear; with the season winding down, there’s still plenty of time to pull that bucket list hawg from Tenkiller’s clear waters.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more fishing reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on