Crisp Autumn Fishing on Lake Tenkiller - Bass, Crappie, and Walleye Hotspots for a Stellar Fall Bite

Artificial Lure here with your Friday, November 14, 2025 Lake Tenkiller fishing report—coming to you just after sunrise at 8:30 a.m., local time. We’re rolling right into that classic crisp Oklahoma autumn, and the lake’s showing her November colors with cool mornings and brilliant clear water. Weather-wise, anglers woke up to a morning low in the mid-40s, climbing to a forecasted high near the 60s with light winds and mostly sunny skies according to local updates. Water level’s slightly above normal; the latest from the Tulsa District Water Control puts reservoir elevation just over 633 feet, with steady releases keeping things stable and clarity running good for mid-fall. No tidal influence here—Lake Tenkiller is a landlocked beauty—but changing daylight is absolutely shifting fish patterns. Sunrise hit at 6:57 a.m., sunset’s expected at 5:18 p.m., which means your best action will be right at first and last light. Fish activity is solid, especially with water temperatures hanging in the upper 50s to low 60s. This week’s reports saw black bass making a strong showing—both largemouth and smallmouth—pushing shallow early before holding at secondary points and steeper banks mid-morning. Several local sticks reported limits of 2- to 3-pounders, with the occasional kicker near 4 pounds hitting crankbaits and jigs. Crappie anglers are also cashing in: look for good numbers of slabs around brush piles in 10 to 15 feet, especially near Snake Creek and Chicken Creek. Jigs and small minnows have been the ticket. Don’t ignore the walleye either, which are moving deep around the dam and river channels, most coming in on crawler harnesses and blade baits. Bait and lure selection for today: - Black bass are chompin’ on shad-imitating crankbaits—think sexy shad or ghost minnow colors—and green pumpkin finesse jigs worked around rock piles or flooded timber. Soft jerkbaits thrown parallel to bluff walls have landed a few of the better fish. - Crappie want bright 1/16 oz. jigs (chartreuse or Bobby Garland “Monkey Milk” is popular) paired with a minnow, moved slow and steady. - Catfish have been picked up using fresh cut shad and punch bait near flats and channel drops. - For walleye, stick with bright spinners or a jig-and-grub tipped with a nightcrawler, slow-rolled in 18-25 feet. Where to go? Hot spots this week are Snake Creek’s brush piles—crappie are stacked up there right now. For bass, try the main lake points near Standing Rock and Pine Cove where the drop-offs hold baitfish and draw strike after strike. If you’re after walleye or a mixed bag, the riprap near the dam and the mouth of the lower Illinois arm is a proven pattern. Overall, numbers and quality are up this week, with locals reporting some of the best fall action of the year. There’s still some leaf debris, so watch for floating cover, but conditions are prime for both boaters and shore anglers. The bite will slow as the sun gets higher—so get out early or wait for that magic window at This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.