Lake Tenkiller Spring Bass and Crappie Bite Heats Up This Week

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya with your Lake Tenkiller fishin' report for April 17, 2026. Water's sittin' clear at about 3 feet visibility down in the tailwaters, thanks to steady dam releases holdin' at 1800 CFS through tonight—perfect for wadin' in careful-like. Weather's got some early mornin' showers taperin' off, cloudy with a low around 49°F and light winds shiftin' NNW at 5-10 mph by afternoon. Sunrise at 6:52 AM, sunset 8:01 PM, givin' ya a solid 13 hours of daylight to chase 'em. No tides here in these hills, but that steady flow's stirrin' the bass and crappie into spring mode. Fish activity's pickin' up nice—locals report limits of largemouth and smallmouth bass hittin' 2-5 pounds, plus crappie stacks up to 2 pounds and some feisty stripers in the mix. Recent catches include a bunch of 3-pound browns and steelhead-lookin' fighters near the dam, with fallfish mixin' in for fun. Best action's been on points and submerged brush in 10-20 feet. Go with **jerkbaits** or **spinnerbaits** in shad colors for bass—they're tearin' it up right now. Crappie lovin' **minnows** or **jigs** tipped with wax worms. Live shad or nightcrawlers on bottom rigs for stripers and cats if you're bait fishin'. Hot spots? Hit **Burns Run Cove** for crappie beds and **Juniper Point** for bass ambushin' shad—park early, it's gettin' popular. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn