Lake Tenkiller Fishing Report - August 6, 2025: Largemouth, Catfish, and Crappie Action

Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Lake Tenkiller fishing report for August 6, 2025. It’s been another sweltering summer day with air temps topping 88°, matching the water, which is stained but holding steady at normal elevation according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If you’re pulling an evening run, sunset tonight is 8:22 PM; sunrise greeted us at 6:29 AM, giving anglers a decent window for topwater action. Lake Tenkiller’s largemouth bite has been front-page news. Local reports from just this week have folks boasting some nice green bass, with Susan Reeves pulling in a trophy largemouth last Thursday. The consensus around the dam and up the big coves is “good” for largemouth bass right now—plastic baits, crankbaits, and topwater lures are pulling their weight, especially around brush, weed beds, and rocky points. Early risers are finding bass tight to shallow structure until the sun gets high, then shifting out to deeper brush or ledges. Crankbaits in shad patterns and big soft plastics in green pumpkin or watermelon colors are the ticket, and spinnerbaits are still getting attention around docks and shade lines. Catfish are biting fair to good, heating up after dusk as they do this time of year. Cut shad and stinkbait fished off steep banks or near creek mouths are the old standbys. Channel cats are the most common, but don’t be surprised by a blue or two. Night fishing is steady, especially near the mouth of the upper Illinois. Crappie have been slow to fair, mostly small ones chasing minnows and small jigs around brush piles in 12 to 18 feet. Bridge pilings and deep timber are also decent bets, but it’s a grind with so much warm water. Stick to early mornings to beat the boat traffic. This summer’s sun keeps the striper and white bass deep during the day, but look for schooling fish busting shad at first light between Pettit and Standing Rock. Small spoons and swimbaits imitating threadfin will work if you can get there quick when fish come up. For those looking to maximize their time, the solunar forecast from SolunarForecast.com says today’s major fish activity is peaking between 1:21 PM and 3:21 PM, with a strong minor window just after sunrise. With warm and stable weather—lows in the 70s, highs upper 80s—fish are pushing into heavy cover by mid-morning. If you’re searching for a true honey hole, the upper end near Elk Creek stands out this week for bass, and the bluffs by Burnt Cabin for those after big cats. Blackgum Landing is also seeing plenty of bass, especially around submerged timber. Best baits for Lake Tenkiller right now: - Largemouth: deep-diving crankbaits, Texas-rigged plastics, and early morning poppers - Catfish: cut shad, punch bait - Crappie: small live minnows, electric chicken and white tube jigs Water’s a little stained, so don’t be afraid to size up your lures and use dark profiles for extra visibility. And make sure your line is fresh—there’s plenty of brush to get hung up on. That wraps up to This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.