FROM OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Reports –

Trout stocking suspended at Lower Illinois River

Trout stocking at the Lower Illinois River near Gore has been suspended until water quality improves according to officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The trout fishery is supported by water released from Lake Tenkiller. The majority of that water is released for hydropower generation. However during non-generation hours the only water available to maintain suitable flows, oxygen levels and water temperatures has come from an allocation loaned to ODWC by Sequoyah Fuels Corp. That allocation has run out.

The Lower Illinois River is one of the only two year-round trout fisheries in the state and is managed by the Wildlife Department. While the long, dry summer of 2011 has contributed to poor water quality and insufficient water quantity, the underlying issue is that there is no permanent water allocation in Lake Tenkiller dedicated to the trout fishery. ODWC is pursuing possible solutions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other users of water in Lake Tenkiller. Officials hope that trout stocking can resume once flows are restored and water quality improves.

SOUTHEAST

Arbuckle: September 17. Elevation 6 ft. below normal, water 73 in upper arms and 77 in main lake. Bass being caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and finesse worm rigs. White bass on grubs and rattletraps off points. Crappie good on blue/pearl jigs at 12-25 ft. Channel catfish being caught on doughbaits in Guy Sandy Creek. Sunfish good in shallows. Report submitted by Jack Melton.

Broken Bow: September 18. Elevation 7-8 ft. below normal, water high 80s to low 90s. Largemouth bass good on motor oil or black large plastic lures Texas or Carolina rigged around points in early morning, late evening and at night. Catfish fair on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait early and late. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around structure. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Eufaula: September 18. Elevation 4 ft. below normal, water clear. Largemouth bass fair along rocks and deeper points. White bass fair on flats early and late. Blue catfish fair on shad drifting the deeper flats. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10-18 ft. in standing timber. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.

Konawa: September 19. Elevation 2 ft. below normal, water 80 and clear. Largemouth bass good on topwater lures and crankbaits at 5-10 ft. in coves and weed beds early and late. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.

McGee Creek: September 18. Elevation 3 2/3 ft. below normal, water 80 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and swim baits at 6-12 ft. and on topwater lures along the shorelines early and late. Crappie fair around cedar brush at 8-16 ft. just off of main creek channels. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.

Pine Creek: September 18. Elevation normal, water murky. Bass fair on spinnerbaits and soft plastic baits around the back end of creek channels. Crappie good on spoons around structure in deeper water. Catfish fair on trotlines baited with liver near creek channels. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Sardis: September 18. Elevation 2 1/2 ft. below normal, water 78. Largemouth bass good on swim baits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits early and late. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait. Crappie good on minnows and jigs at 12-14 ft. Walleye fair trolling. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.

Wister: September 19. Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures early and late. Catfish fair on juglines baited with cut shad and liver and excellent on night crawlers. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.

TFC Readers – Thanks for bearing with the lower than average output on Texas Fly Caster. I am working a long way from a dsl connection, and dial-up laptop cards are not what they promise to be. Hang in there though! Fresh fishing spots from the Clay County, Texas, area are cooking (literally).

7/11/11- Fishing Report

East Texas Lakes:
Lake Fork- Low lake levels, an absence of aquatic vegetation and high surface temperatures kept the evening topwater bite from taking off this year. The deep water bite for Bass has been exceptionally good this summer. The newly arrived Sandbass have been schooling on points, humps and roadbeds. Midday through evening topwater schooling action for the Sandies and Largemouth should begin to become more consistent now that the lake is beginning to stratify, making the deeper portions off limits.

Smaller East Texas Lakes- Weed growth is better on the smaller lakes and several of the more eastern lakes are full of water. Bass and bream will readily strike poppers fished along weed beds, creeks and pockets on the main lake in the mornings and evenings. A sink-tip line will help prolong the action when the sun gets high. Bass have started schooling in the afternoons on Gilmer Lake.

Lower Mountain Fork River:

Zone 1- Release from the Spillway is at approximately 100 c.f.s. and the creeks and river are clear. The water temperature is 59 degrees in Spillway Creek. The last two weeks have offered some of the best Trout fishing so far this year! Best flies have been Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Olive Caddis Larvae, Soft Hackles and Zebra Midges. Dry flies like Stimulators, Doculators, Crackle Backs and Terrestrials are continuing to draw strikes in Spillway Creek and the Evening Hole. There may be one more Hexagenia Mayfly hatch during the full moon at the end of this week.

Zone 2 – Generation has been light for several weeks. Zone 2 has been fishing well and Sulphur Mayflies have been hatching the last few days. When no hatches are present Stimulators and baitfish streamers have gotten the strikes.

Zone 3- The area immediately below the Re-regulation Dam has been producing a mixed bag of Trout, Sandbass, Walleye and other species on streamers.

Upcoming Zone 3 Repairs- After 3 years of hard work by president Patrick Waters and the Lower Mountain Fork River Foundation, the Re-Regulation Dam clean out project is slated to begin this autumn. This means cold water year round again for all of Zone 3.

Remember that my weekly fishing report for the Lower Mountain Fork River is available at: http://www.orvis.com/fishing_report.aspx?locationid=7378 .

Loop Lab 201; Advanced Fly Casts and Presentations.
On Saturday, September 24, 2011, FFF Master Casting Instructor Steve Hollensed and I will be conducting Loop Lab 201 near Lake Ray Roberts. The class will address advanced topics in fly casting. Curriculum includes double hauling, distance and accuracy. We will also cover casting and presentation skills specific to warmwater, coldwater, and saltwater fisheries. Class is limited to 10 students and the class is now half full. If interested, contact Steve or me for details.
Tuition: $200, advance registration required.

Thanks to Rob Woodruff for sending out these reports on a regular basis.

5/26/11- Fishing Report

East Texas Lakes:

Lake Fork- The topwater bite has been consistent early and late and on cloudy days. The lake is a little less than 4 feet low, so wind quickly muddies the water on the downwind side. It is necessary to move around the lake to locate clearer water on a daily basis. Because of sparse weed growth, fishing very close to woody cover has been critical this year. The ability to make accurate casts that bring the fly within one foot or less of the timber has often made the difference between a slow and a good day. Bream are beginning to bed and Shad are spawning, so locating either will quickly produce some nice Bass. Lilly Pad fields are starting to produce on frog type flies.

Smaller East Texas Lakes- With the last week’s full moon the Bream have begun bedding on Lake Quitman, Winnsboro, Hawkins and Gilmer. These lakes also offer great Bass fishing as well. Look for bedding activity on sandy points and the backs of creeks and coves. Poppers and slow sinking flies will produce almost constant action and a larger fly fished on the deep water side of the beds will draw the attention of Bass and Bowfin that are hanging around looking for an easy meal.

Lower Mountain Fork River:

Zone 1- Recent heavy rains have raised the level of Broken Bow Lake. Release from the Spillway is at approximately 110 c.f.s. and the creek and river are stained. Best flies have been Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Olive Caddis Larvae, Soft Hackles and Egg Patterns. Dry flies like Stimulators, Doculators and Crackle Backs are starting to draw strikes in Spillway Creek and the Evening Hole. The 13 Year Brood of Periodical Cicadas is hatching in Southeastern Oklahoma.

Just as when the water was lower and clearer than normal in February, I am hearing from people that are having difficulty catching Trout in the higher stained water and asking what flies they should be using. Usually the key to catching fish in changing conditions is not to make drastic changes in fly selection but to adjust the leader, tippet, shot, etc., and the presentation in order to get the flies in front of the Trout.

Recognizing the conditions, reading the water and making the necessary adjustments is the heart of the Trout Lab class Doc Thompson and I teach every year. Details on the upcoming 2011 class are below.

Zone 2 & 3- Generation has been constant for several weeks. In the next few days, the generation schedule may be reduced for a while to help reduce flooding along the Lower Red River in Louisiana.

Remember that my weekly fishing report for the Lower Mountain Fork River is available at: http://www.orvis.com/fishing_report.aspx?locationid=7378

TROUT LAB, Cimarron River, New Mexico, June 4 & 5, 2011
There are a few spaces open for this year’s class. This will be the only Trout Lab offered in 2011. Registration deadline is Tuesday, May 31.

This unique class examines Trout Physiology, Meteorology, Fluviology, Entomology and other natural sciences from a fly fishing point of view.

The objective of the class is to teach fly fishers to analyze the natural variables presented in the course of a typical day on the water and to adjust fly presentation and tactics in order to maximize success.

The Cimarron River and the towering Sangre de Christo Mountains provide the perfect venue for this class. Early June is a great time to fish the Cimarron and the lower section of the Rio Costilla.

Tuition- $225.00

Loop Lab 201; Advanced Fly Casts and Presentations.
On Saturday, September 24, 2011, FFF Master Casting Instructor Steve Hollensed and I will be conducting Loop Lab 201 near Lake Ray Roberts. The class will address advanced topics in fly casting. Curriculum includes double hauling, distance and accuracy. We will also cover casting and presentation skills specific to warmwater, coldwater, and saltwater fisheries. Class is limited to 10 students and the class is already beginning to fill. If interested, contact Steve or me for details.

Tuition: $200, advance registration required.