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Lake Tenkiller: Late Winter Smallmouth and Crappie Bite Heating Up This Afternoon
Published 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Description
Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.
Corps of Engineers has Tenkiller sitting several feet below normal, with pool elevation in the mid‑620s and light release at the dam, so we’re still in that classic low, clear late‑winter pattern according to the Tulsa District lake report. Water clarity is good on the main lake, a little more stain up the river arms.
Weather this morning is cool and calm with a light north to northwest breeze, high pushing into the 60s this afternoon under partly sunny skies per the latest National Weather Service discussion. A mild pressure trend and warming surface temps should nudge the bite up as the day goes on. Sunrise is right around 6:45 a.m. local, sunset close to 6:20 p.m. per the U.S. Naval Observatory data.
No real tide to speak of here, but water level changes from generation at Tenkiller Ferry Dam act like a weak pseudo‑tide on the lower end and down into the Illinois. With minimal release overnight, expect a fairly stable lake today; any bump in afternoon flow can spark a short feeding window near the dam.
Recent reports from local tackle shops around Keys and Cookson and a couple of guide posts out of Cookson Bend say the **smallmouth and spots** have been the stars, with a fair **largemouth** bite on rock and wood in 8–15 feet. Crappie have been fair to good on brush piles and docks in the mid‑lake area. A few stripers and hybrids are still being caught in the lower Illinois below the dam on swimbaits and live shad.
Numbers-wise, most competent bass anglers are boating 8–15 fish on a full day, with best five bags running 12–16 pounds, and an occasional smallmouth in the 4‑pound class reported out of the main‑lake bluffs. Crappie guys are putting together 10–20 keepers a trip when they stay mobile and hop piles.
Best lures today:
- For **smallmouth/spots** on gravel points and bluff ends: 3.5–4 inch finesse swimbaits on a 1/4 oz head, green pumpkin football jigs, and silver‑blue jerkbaits worked slow.
- For **largemouth** in the creeks: flat‑side crankbaits in craw patterns, black/blue jigs, and a slow‑rolled spinnerbait if the wind picks up.
- For **crappie**: 1/16–1/8 oz tube jigs or marabou in chartreuse/white, or small shiners over brush in 15–25 feet.
Best bait:
- Live shiners or small minnows for crappie and docile bass.
- Live shad or big minnows below the dam and in the river channel swings if you’re chasing stripers and bigger spots.
Couple of local hot spots to circle:
- **Cookson Bend to Chicken Creek**: main‑lake points and first secondary points are holding smallmouth and spots; hit the chunk rock and transition banks.
- **Snake Creek and Carter’s Landing area**: good mix of docks and brush; crappie on piles and largemouth on secondary points leading into the coves.
Fish activity should ramp mid‑morning through early afternoon as the water warms a degree or two; the last couple hours of daylight ought to be prime on wind‑blown points with a crankbait or swimbait.
That’s your Tenkiller rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
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
Corps of Engineers has Tenkiller sitting several feet below normal, with pool elevation in the mid‑620s and light release at the dam, so we’re still in that classic low, clear late‑winter pattern according to the Tulsa District lake report. Water clarity is good on the main lake, a little more stain up the river arms.
Weather this morning is cool and calm with a light north to northwest breeze, high pushing into the 60s this afternoon under partly sunny skies per the latest National Weather Service discussion. A mild pressure trend and warming surface temps should nudge the bite up as the day goes on. Sunrise is right around 6:45 a.m. local, sunset close to 6:20 p.m. per the U.S. Naval Observatory data.
No real tide to speak of here, but water level changes from generation at Tenkiller Ferry Dam act like a weak pseudo‑tide on the lower end and down into the Illinois. With minimal release overnight, expect a fairly stable lake today; any bump in afternoon flow can spark a short feeding window near the dam.
Recent reports from local tackle shops around Keys and Cookson and a couple of guide posts out of Cookson Bend say the **smallmouth and spots** have been the stars, with a fair **largemouth** bite on rock and wood in 8–15 feet. Crappie have been fair to good on brush piles and docks in the mid‑lake area. A few stripers and hybrids are still being caught in the lower Illinois below the dam on swimbaits and live shad.
Numbers-wise, most competent bass anglers are boating 8–15 fish on a full day, with best five bags running 12–16 pounds, and an occasional smallmouth in the 4‑pound class reported out of the main‑lake bluffs. Crappie guys are putting together 10–20 keepers a trip when they stay mobile and hop piles.
Best lures today:
- For **smallmouth/spots** on gravel points and bluff ends: 3.5–4 inch finesse swimbaits on a 1/4 oz head, green pumpkin football jigs, and silver‑blue jerkbaits worked slow.
- For **largemouth** in the creeks: flat‑side crankbaits in craw patterns, black/blue jigs, and a slow‑rolled spinnerbait if the wind picks up.
- For **crappie**: 1/16–1/8 oz tube jigs or marabou in chartreuse/white, or small shiners over brush in 15–25 feet.
Best bait:
- Live shiners or small minnows for crappie and docile bass.
- Live shad or big minnows below the dam and in the river channel swings if you’re chasing stripers and bigger spots.
Couple of local hot spots to circle:
- **Cookson Bend to Chicken Creek**: main‑lake points and first secondary points are holding smallmouth and spots; hit the chunk rock and transition banks.
- **Snake Creek and Carter’s Landing area**: good mix of docks and brush; crappie on piles and largemouth on secondary points leading into the coves.
Fish activity should ramp mid‑morning through early afternoon as the water warms a degree or two; the last couple hours of daylight ought to be prime on wind‑blown points with a crankbait or swimbait.
That’s your Tenkiller rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.
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