Crappie spawn coming soon

It’s a tough question. Which is more enjoyable: catching a stringer full of crappie or hosting a fish fry featuring crappie and all the fixings?

Crappie are arguably one of the tastiest of Oklahoma sportfish and crappie fishing is one of the most popular fishing opportunities available each spring. No matter what you enjoy more, catching or eating, the action will soon be heating up across the state.

"It won’t be too much longer and the crappie will begin moving into shallow water. The next few weeks should see crappie fishing really heating up," said Barry Bolton, assistant fisheries chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

According to Bolton, crappie can be found moving into shallow water to spawn once the water temperature reaches the upper 50s. Crappie spawning generally takes place in water only 18 to 36 inches deep.

“The best place to catch crappie prior to and during the spawn is around structure in shallow water,” Bolton said. “Anglers might try a little deeper water to find fish that are preparing to move into shallow water soon."

He added that a wide variety of lures can be used, including small spinners, jigs and minnows.

“Minnows are one of the most effective baits around, but it’s hard to beat a small, light-colored jig," Bolton said.

There is an abundance of places to catch a stringer full of crappie. Here are a few spots to try on your next fishing trip.

Kaw Lake, near Ponca City, is known for fast crappie action all year long. Standing timber near the Beaver Creek arm of the lake is a good place to catch a crappie worth bragging about.

Lake Texoma in south-central Oklahoma offers anglers the first shot at spawning crappie - the fish spawn earlier in the warmer waters of southern Oklahoma. Brush-filled coves along the north shore are excellent places to find crappie.

McGee Creek Lake, near Atoka, is worth the drive for the scenic beauty alone. The pine-covered mountains are a bonus to the good numbers of crappie that call the lake home. Anglers can find shallow water with plenty of structure in the north end of the lake.

Lake Eufaula, near Checotah, earned its nickname - the Gentle Giant. The lake has many sprawling coves along more than 600 miles of shoreline. Shallow coves with full exposure to the sun are good places to wet a line.

For a complete list of regulations, anglers should pick up a copy of the “2004 Oklahoma Fishing Guide” before heading out on any fishing adventure or log on to the Department’s Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com.

Blooming redbuds can mean red-hot fishing action

For many Oklahomans blooming redbud trees are just another welcome sign that spring has sprung. But for many anglers blooming redbuds are a signal to gather their fishing equipment and head to the nearest running water for an afternoon of sand bass fishing. White bass, or sand bass as they are called, spend most of the year in the state’s large reservoirs. However, in late March and through April they swim upstream into creeks and rivers on their annual spawning migrations.

"Sand bass should be beginning their run up creeks and rivers any time now,” said Jim Burroughs, northeast region fisheries supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

According to Burroughs, rising waters after a rain and water temperatures in the low 50’s are good signs that it’s time to grab a pole and friend and go fishing for white bass. Oklahoma's state fish, the white bass is an aggressive feeder, particularly during the spring spawn. White bass make excellent table fare and can be found in every large reservoir throughout the state.

"White bass can be caught on a wide variety of lures and baits,” Burroughs said. “Jigs, spinners and minnows are all excellent choices during the spring."

The spring spawning run of sand bass will begin first in the warmer southern half of the state. Southern Oklahoma anglers should find some good action at Gaines Creek above Lake Eufaula and upper Mountain Fork above Broken Bow Lake. Savvy anglers have long known that Hickory Creek above Lake Texoma can produce good stringers of sand bass if the time is right.

White bass fishermen in the northern half of the state can also find plenty of fast-paced action. Fishermen may find the Canadian River above Canton Lake, feeder creeks on Lake Ft. Gibson and the Horseshoe Bend area of Lake Tenkiller to be white bass hotspots.

Anglers can keep up on where the hottest fishing is taking place through the Department’s fishing report available at www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishrpt.htm

For a complete list of regulations anglers should pick up a copy of the “2004 Oklahoma Fishing Guide before heading out on any fishing adventure or log on to the Departments web site at www. wildlifedepartment.com.

Oklahoma Striped Bass Association gives back to the resource

For some Oklahoma striped bass fisherman the only thing they enjoy more than catching a big striped bass is giving back to the resource.

The Oklahoma Striped Bass Association recently donated $1,000 to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. These donations will be matched with federal Sportfish Restoration funds for a total project budget of $4,000.

“As a whole, striped bass anglers are a dedicated and generous group as is proven once again today,” said Bill Wentroth, northwest region fisheries biologist for the Department. “These funds will help us make the state’s striped and hybrid striped bass fishery even better.”

The funds will be used to purchase several pieces of much-needed equipment that will be used in the propagation of these popular sportfish. Truck-mounted water tanks will be purchased and used to haul striper brood stock from the lake to the hatchery where their eggs can be gathered and cultivated in hatchery ponds. Since water quality is very important in the raising of striped bass and hybrid bass fry, funds will also be used to purchase plankton nets and a dissolved oxygen meter to monitor water quality.

“The Oklahoma Striped Bass Association has certainly been a great partner with the Department over the years,” Wentroth said. “In recent years they have donated a 600-gallon hauling tank to restock threadfin shad in northern lakes and a large disk used to work the ground of dry hatchery ponds.”

The organization has also been generous in their guidance of new anglers often holding seminars for fishermen interested in giving striped bass fishing a try, Wentroth added.

For more information about the Oklahoma Striped Bass Association, send an e-mail to the organization’s president Mike Kelly at [email protected].

OUTDOOR CALENDAR - April

1: Oklahoma State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation Miami banquet. For more information contact Jeremy Radebaugh at (918) 542-6296.

2: Oklahoma State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation Altus banquet. For more information contact Jeff Burchill at (580) 379-4197.

3: Saturday morning birding at Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa. Meet in the Oxley parking lot promptly at 8 am. Bring binoculars if you have them. The program will run from 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. For program information call (918) 669-6644.

3: Butterfly gardening at Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa. Join Carol Eames to learn what kind of plants and other features you can use in your yard to attract butterflies. Meet at Oxley. Program costs $3 for general public and $2 for members. The program will run from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. For program information call (918) 669-6644.

3: Dutch Oven Cooking for beginners at Lake Thunderbird Nature Center, Norman. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. For more information contact (405) 321-4633.

4: Nature Tour - plants: Participants will take a guided walking tour to view the wide variety of plants that grow on the grounds of the Cherokee Heritage Center. History and medicinal purposes of each plant will be discussed with Cherokee emphasis. This $5 tour begins at 2 p.m. For more information, call (918) 456-6007, toll free at (888) 999-6007, or visit the Web site at www.CherokeeHeritage.org .

6: Spring turkey season opens statewide and runs through May 6 except in the eight S.E. counties where it runs April 6-28, 2004, S.E. counties: Atoka, Choctaw, Coal, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, Pittsburg, Pushmataha. Consult the 2003-2004 Oklahoma Hunting Guide for regulations.

8: Crappie Fishing 101. Crappie habits and habitat, lures, patterns and techniques. Presented by Todd Huckabee, Crappie Guide. Program starts at 7 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops, OKC.

9-11: Rattlesnake hunt. Annual event that helps control the springtime populations. Includes a carnival, flea market, thrill shows, butcher shop, queen contest and professional and amateur snake sacking contest. Waurika. For more information call (580) 228-2553.

10: Oklahoma State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation Cheyenne banquet. For more information contact Denise Parman at (580) 497-2751.

10: Butterfly walk at Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa. Meet in the parking lot for our first butterfly walk of the season. Bring binoculars if you have the. The program will run from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. For program information call (918) 669-6644.

13: Aquatic Education Instructor workshop at Tulsa Area Office, Jenks (300 Aquarium Dr.) From 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.. To register or additional information contact Mike McAllister at (918) 299-2334.

13: Aquatic Education Instructor workshop at ODWC Headquarters (1801 N Lincoln, OKC.) From 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.. To register or additional information contact Damon Springer at (405) 521-4603. STATEWIDE HUNTER EDUCATION COURSES Course locations are listed by town, followed by date, course location and time. If a phone number is listed, pre-registration is required. Courses are a minimum of 10 hours and are free. Students must pass an exam with a score of 70 percent. For updated information on upcoming courses, contact the Wildlife Department's Hunter Education Hotline at (405) 521-4650 or check our Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunted.htm. OKC: March 25; Home Study, Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum; (405) 521-4636; 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

Jenks: April 1; Home Study workbook or internet: ODWC Jenks Office; (918) 299-2334; 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

Walters: April 2 & 3; Cotton Electric Civic Center, Walters; April 2 (6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.) and April 3 (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.).

Westville: April 2 & 3; Westville High School; April 2 (6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.) and April 3 (8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.).

Owasso: April 3; Owasso Community Center (301 S. Cedar St); (918) 299-2334; 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

ODWC