The Best Fishing Spots in Oklahoma
Oklahoma offers great recreational fishing across clear lakes, flowing rivers and large reservoirs, with something for shore anglers and boaters alike. Popular targets include trophy largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass, plus strong fisheries for striped bass/hybrid striped bass (notably on Lake Texoma), abundant white bass, and plentiful crappie and bluegill. Catfish anglers will find healthy runs of channel catfish and flathead catfish, and northern reservoirs and river systems produce walleye. In southeast Oklahoma the clear tailwaters and mountain streams around Broken Bow and the Mountain Fork can hold stocked trout, while areas like Grand Lake, Eufaula and Keystone are well known for bass and panfish action.
Top Cities For Fishing
River Fishing
Lake Fishing
Lake Texoma
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Mountain Fork
The lower river below Broken Bow Lake offers classic tailwater trout fishing for rainbows and browns with clear, cold flows; target pocket water, seams, and deep runs in the Beavers Bend area using nymphs, streamers, and small spoons.
Arcadia Lake
Convenient to Edmond , this lake offers reliable channel catfish, bankable crappie, and seasonal white bass near the Deep Fork arm; fish windblown banks, fishing piers, and mid-depth brush.
Broken Bow Lake
A scenic deep reservoir known for spotted bass, quality largemouth, and seasonal smallmouth, with bonus walleye; finesse presentations shine on rocky points and timbered coves near Bee Branch and Stevens Gap .
Canton Lake
Well-known for spring walleye along the dam and points, with solid white bass and crappie; troll shad-imitators and work rocky structure near Big Bend and the North Canadian inflow.
Lake Eufaula
Oklahoma’s largest lake offers stellar crappie around timber and brush, quality largemouth bass and spotted bass on rocky banks, plus excellent blue catfish; fish the North and South Canadian arms and flats near Longtown and Porum Landing .
Fort Gibson Lake
A versatile lake for largemouth bass, slab crappie, spring white bass, and catfish; fish docks, brush, and current breaks around Flat Rock Creek , Taylor Ferry , and the upper river.
Grand Lake o' the Cherokees
A tournament staple with abundant largemouth bass, slabs of crappie, hard-fighting white bass, and giant paddlefish; target docks, gravel points, and spring tributary runs around Duck Creek , Honey Creek , and Bernice .
Illinois River
Below Tenkiller Dam the tailwater supports year-round rainbow trout with seasonal browns, plus smallmouth and sunfish in free-flowing sections; work riffles, runs, and pools near Gore and Watts with jigs, flies, and inline spinners.
Kaw Lake
Renowned for spring white bass and crappie runs, with heavyweight blue catfish and solid largemouth bass; work the Washunga area, rocky shorelines, and the Arkansas River inflow near Newkirk .
Keystone Lake
Strong populations of white bass, largemouth bass, and big blue catfish, plus access to the tailrace bite that fuels the Arkansas River ; concentrate on river-channel swings, riprap, and windblown points near Appalachia Bay .
Lake Hefner
An urban favorite in Oklahoma City for bank-friendly largemouth bass, feisty white bass, and good channel catfish, with seasonal walleyes at night; riprap, points, and the dam face are prime.
Lake Hudson
River-run character supports strong spring white bass runs and excellent paddlefish opportunities, plus steady crappie; focus on current breaks and creek mouths near Pryor and Strang .
Lake Murray
Exceptionally clear water holds smallmouth and spotted bass with good largemouth and sunfish; finesse tactics shine on rocky points and bluffs near Marietta Landing and Tucker Tower .
Lake Texoma
One of America’s premier inland striper fisheries, Lake Texoma is famous for trophy striped bass along with quality smallmouth bass, blue catfish, and seasonal white bass runs; work windy points, creek mouths, and main-lake humps near Kingston and Catfish Bay with live shad, topwaters, and slabs.
Oologah Lake
Consistent action for crappie on brush piles, roaming white bass, and hefty blue and channel catfish; target windblown shorelines, standing timber, and the Verdigris arm near Hawthorn Bluff .
Sardis Lake
A sleeper for big largemouth bass, dependable crappie, and strong catfish; target flooded timber, creek channels, and the Jackfork arm near Clayton .
Skiatook Lake
Clear, rocky banks favor smallmouth bass with solid spotted and largemouth populations, plus seasonal hybrid striped bass schooling; key areas include Osage Park , Hominy Creek , and main-lake points.
Tenkiller Ferry Lake
Exceptionally clear water favors smallmouth bass and deep-structure spotted bass, with good crappie and summertime stripers roaming the river channel; focus on bluffs, points, and humps near Cookson and Snake Creek .