Fishing reports and winter boat prep

Terry Johnson recently caught this 9.62 pound bass at Sardis Lake.

As fall approaches the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation provides the latest I fishing reports in this report, but for those preparing to store their boat for winter, the Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS) offers a free guide online to prevent costly mistakes.

For example; water mistakenly left in a boat’s engine block to freeze over the winter is sure to become an expensive repair come springtime. As the ice expands it can crack the block, ruin the motor, damage fiberglass, split hoses, or destroy a boat’s refrigeration system. To prevent a mishap while putting the boat away this fall, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), offers the free 15-page guide.

The online brochure addresses the reasons for more than 95 percent of the freeze claims handled by the BoatUS Marine Insurance Program. Included are sections on boat storage, engines and outdrives dos and don’ts, winterization contracts, green winterizing, as well as preparing boat plumbing. A winterization checklist is also included. The guide is available by clicking on the following link: www.BoatUS.com/winterizingguide.

Fishing Report for September 21, 2016 by Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation

NORTHEAST

Copan: September 20. Elevation normal, water 70s and clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure. Blue and flathead catfish fair on chicken liver and shad along channels. Report submitted by Joe Alexander, game warden stationed Washington County.

Crappie fishing on Lake Eufaula. (Photo by ODWC)

Greenleaf: September 20. Elevation normal, water 77 and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair on bill baits, buzz baits, crankbaits, jerk baits, spinnerbaits and spoons around brush structure, channels, in coves, creek channels, points, rocks, shorelines and standing timber. Crappie slow on minnows, jigs and hair jigs around brush structure, docks, standing timber and in coves. Catfish slow on cut bait along channels, in coves, the discharge, flats and river channel. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

Keystone: September 19. Elevation above normal and dropping, water 79 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, plastic baits and spinnerbaits around docks, points, rocks and shorelines. Striped and white bass fair on crankbaits and live shad below the dam, along channels, in the main lake and around points. Blue and channel catfish fair on cut bait and live shad along flats, in the main lake, river channel and river mouth. Report submitted by Dwight Luther, game warden stationed in Creek County.

Lower Illinois: September 18. Elevation normal, water 60s and clear. Trout fair on in-line spinnerbaits, jigs, midges, nymphs and PowerBait below the dam, along channels, river channel and spillway. Report submitted by Jeremy Bersche, game warden stationed in Sequoyah County.

Oologah: September 18. Elevation 5 3/4 ft. above normal and rising, water 80 and murky. Blue catfish good on cut bait and shad below the dam. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County.

Sooner: September 19. Elevation normal, water clear. Striped bass hybrids and striped bass slow on live shad and slabs in the main lake. Blue and channel catfish fair on cut bait along channels and around points. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County.

Tenkiller: September 18. Elevation below normal, water low 80s and clear. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass slow on plastic baits around brush structure. White bass fair on crankbaits, hair jigs, in-line spinnerbaits and spoons in the main lake and around points. Channel catfish fair drifting worms or liver at 10-20 ft. and on punch bait along flats and points or stinkbait anchored off points anchored at 17-23 ft. along flats and points. Report submitted by Monte Brooks, Cookson.

Webbers Falls: September 20. Elevation normal, water 78 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on bill baits, buzz baits, crankbaits, jerk baits, plastic baits and topwater lures around brush structure, channels, in coves, creek channels, along flats, points, riprap, rocks, standing timber and weed beds. Crappie slow on grubs, minnows and jigs along around brush structure, channels, docks, standing timber and bridges. Blue, channel and flathead catfish slow on live bait, live shad, shad, shrimp and sunfish along channels, creek channels, riprap, rocks and sandbars. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

SOUTHEAST

Broken Bow: September 18. Elevation normal, water 86. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass good on Alabama rigs, flukes and plastic baits around brush structure, points and standing timber. Channel, blue and flathead catfish fair on chicken liver, cut bait, punch bait and worms along channels, in coves, creek channels points and the river mouth. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Hugo: September 18. Elevation below normal, water 81. Smallmouth and spotted bass fair on flukes, plastic baits, spinnerbaits and tube jigs around brush structure, creek channels and standing timber. Blue and channel catfish fair on chicken liver, cut bait and shad below the dam. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw County.

Eufaula: September 17. Elevation below normal, water clear. Blue and channel catfish good on cut bait and shad along channels and in the main lake. White bass good on crankbaits, grubs, jigs and sassy shad along flats, points and riprap. Crappie good on grubs, minnows and jigs around docks and brush structure. Report submitted by David Robertson, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.

Konawa: September 19. Elevation normal, water 90. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and lipless baits around points and weed beds. Channel and blue catfish fair on chicken liver, cut bait and shrimp at the inlet, main lake and shallows. Bluegill slow on in-line spinnerbaits and worms around docks, shorelines and weed beds. Report submitted by Dale Stites, game warden stationed in Pontotoc County.

Lower Mountain Fork: September 18. Elevation above normal, water 67 and clear. Trout fair on PowerBait and worms below the dam, along creek channels and the discharge. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Pine Creek: September 18. Elevation above normal, water 80 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on topwater lures in coves and around points. Crappie slow on jigs along creek channels and in the main lake. Channel catfish good on chicken liver, cut bait and hotdogs along channels, the main lake and river channel. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.

Sardis: September 18. Elevation normal, water 78. Largemouth and spotted bass fair on bill baits, buzz baits, crankbaits, lipless baits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures around brush structure, points, rocks, standing timber and weed beds. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure and standing timber. Blue, channel and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, live shad and sunfish along channels, creek channels, in the main lake and shorelines. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.

Barbara Pope caught this 24.7 pound striped bass from Lake Texoma.

Texoma: September 19. Elevation normal, water 82 and stained. Striped and white bass slow on live shad below the dam, along creek channels, in the main lake and river channel. Blue and channel catfish fair on cut bait and live shad below the dam, along channels, in the main lake and river mouth. Report submitted by Bob Wingo, game warden stationed in Bryan County.

Wister: September 19. Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 80 and clear. Crappie good on minnows around brush structure. Largemouth and spotted bass fair on plastic baits and spinnerbaits around brush structure, rocks and standing timber. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.

CENTRAL

Hefner: September 19. Elevation dropping, water 80. Largemouth and smallmouth bass slow on crankbaits, plastic baits, spinnerbaits, topwater lures and Whopper Ploppers in the main lake, around points, riprap and rocks. Striped bass hybrids and walleye fair on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, grubs, hair jigs, live bait, minnows, sassy shad, slabs and spoons along the dam, in the main lake, around points, riprap, rocks and spillway. Crappie, bluegill and green sunfish fair on minnows, jigs and tube jigs at the dam, around docks, in the main lake, points and rocks. Report submitted by Lucky Lure Tackle.

SOUTHWEST

Ellsworth: September 18. Elevation normal, water murky. Blue and channel catfish slow on cut bait and shad in the main lake and around points. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County.

Ft. Cobb: September 19. Elevation normal, water 80. Striped bass hybrids and white bass fair on crankbaits, live shad, sassy shad and spinnerbaits in the main lake, around points and along shorelines. Blue and channel catfish fair on chicken liver, cut bait and stinkbait in coves, the main lake and shallows. Report submitted by John Grellner, game warden stationed in Caddo County.

Tom Steed: September 20. Elevation normal, water 70. White bass, striped bass hybrids and saugeye fair on minnows and jigs around points and along shorelines. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.

Waurika: September 19. September 19. Elevation normal, water 83. Blue and channel catfish fair on chicken liver, stinkbait and worms in the main lake, around points and shorelines. Crappie slow on jigs around brush structure. Report submitted by Chris Stover, game warden stationed in Stephens County.