Tenkiller State Park and Lake Information

TENKILLER LAKE TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Summer is plastic worm time, as bass congregate in and among the brush piles in creeks such as Sizemore, Chicken and Snake. A close-set, Texas-rigged worm is dynamite for working this woody cover. Tomato red Gene Larew 7- and 8-inch worms are local favorites.

In late summer, bass form schools and will take surface lures like the Pop 'R and Zara Spook.

Finding bass in fall is a matter of looking for rocky banks and casting spinnerbaits and crankbaits down drop-offs until fish are located. Be sure to hit both the first and secondary drops. Bomber 6As and 7As in fire tiger and brown crawdad are preferred lures. Rebels in natural crawdad are a close second to Bombers. Plastics rigged Carolina style are equally effective for exploring rock ledges. Try red shad Pow R' worms or Mann's Augertails in grape or plum with a fire tail.

Winter bass go deep where a jig n' pork or jigging spoon worked slowly in front of their nose may trigger a strike. Try the channel side of the submerged Willow Island area off Pettit Bay.

Winter bass go deep where a jig n' pork or jigging spoon worked slowly in front of their nose may trigger a strike. Try the channel side of the submerged Willow Island area off Pettit Bay.

In early spring, stickbaits such as the suspended Rattlin' Rogue fished straight or ripped along creek channel edges or points take good numbers of bass as they begin staging for the spawning season. Running spinnerbaits fairly deep also works at this time.

Spawners react to lizards and jigs n' pork. Cast the shallows of Pettit Bay, Sixshooter Cove, Chicken Creek, and the upper river.

May is a great time for top-water action. Cast Pop 'Rs and Spooks off the previously mentioned shallows and over brush piles.

SAND BASS

Sand bass make an exciting run to their up-river spawning areas each spring. Numerous anglers pursue the fish during this annual trek. Since sand bass feed heavily on shad, any lure that mimics threadfin works well. Top-rated baits at this time of the year are Road Runner jigs tipped with a twister tail, small short-lipped crankbaits and Rooster Tail spinners. Silver/black and white/black are killer colors.

Summer finds sand bass feeding on the surface during low-light periods and as deep as 30 feet when the sun is high. Top-water feeders will hit Tiny Torpedoes in solid chrome and chrome/blue combinations.

Deep-schooling bass will strike deep-running crankbaits, particularly silver Rebels. Silver slabs and spoons also work. Other lure options include red/white and black/white spoons.

In fall, white bass roam the lake relating to humps and points. Lures that worked during summer also pay-off later in the year. Standing Rock Point provides sand bass action for bank fishermen during early mornings and late evenings. Try a pearl or red/white tube jig suspended from a bobber.

SMALLMOUTH BASS & SPOTTED BASS

These cousins of largemouth are taken with much the same techniques as their larger relatives. If you wish to concentrate on smallies or spots, scale down your lures a size or two and fish deeper. While largemouth relate closely to weeds and soft bottoms, the other two bass prefer rocks and sand.

CRAPPIE

Crappie tend to stay in fairly deep water, relating closely to brush piles and fish attractors. Jigs work well in these areas. Favorite colors include red or white with a blue twister tail when the water is clear. If it's cloudy, try a white tail with either a red or white head. The lake offers five heated fishing docks where anglers can fish crappie in comfort.

CATFISH

The heat of summer drives catfish deep into depths of 35 to 40 feet. They are quite catchable at that level with Charlie's Catfish Bait or Catalpa worms on a treble hook. Drift fish deep areas, and use heavy sinkers to make sure the bait is on the bottom.

In May and June, catfish spawn in two basic areas -- up river and along rocky points in the main lake. This is an excellent time of the year, as catfish are ready biters. If you cannot find Charlie's, try cut shad, chicken livers and blood bait.

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