"Tenkiller Fishing Report: Bass, Crappie, and Catfish Action on the Rise"

Artificial Lure reporting in for Lake Tenkiller, Oklahoma, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Today’s sunrise came at 6:45 AM, and sunset will be around 7:45 PM, giving us a long day to chase some fish. Weather’s treating us well with partly cloudy skies, highs expected near 68 degrees, and a light southeast breeze at 5-10 mph. Water temps are bouncing around 56 to 62 degrees, perfect for pre-spawn and active feeding. The lake level has been running above normal in recent weeks, and the water is a bit stained to murky, especially up in the creek arms. Bass fishing has been fair to good. Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass are all active. Largemouths are hanging off points and along the brushy shorelines, while smallmouths are favoring the clearer water down by the dam and lower lake. Most fish are hitting in 8 to 12 feet of water. Your best bet is medium-diving crankbaits in shad or craw colors, soft plastics, and spinnerbaits around rocky points and submerged wood. A few nice smallmouths in the three-pound range were reported caught on translucent shad-colored crankbaits this week near Snake Creek and Chicken Creek. Crappie are fair around the brush piles and docks in the main lake. Black and white crappie are both showing up, mostly hitting small hair jigs, tube jigs, and minnows. The bite’s been best early and late or during overcast patches. Look for fish around 10 feet deep on brush and standing timber. Main lake docks near Cookson and the Fisherman’s Point area have been productive. Catfish are doing well, especially blue and channel cats. Try cut shad or dough bait in the coves and creek channels. Look for bites to pick up as the water warms through the day. Flatheads are starting to move but should pick up as we move into May. White bass are fair on Alabama rigs and small jigs in the river channel and creek mouths. The river mouth by the dam and up the Illinois arm have produced some nice stringers. Top baits this week: Medium crankbaits (shad or craw), spinnerbaits, plastic worms, hair jigs, and live minnows. For catfish, stick with cut shad or dough baits. Two hotspots worth your time today are Chicken Creek for mixed bass and crappie action, and Snake Creek for smallmouth and some catfish on the flats. No tidal activity on Lake Tenkiller, as she’s a reservoir. Water clarity changes a lot with recent rains and wind, so look for stained water in the coves and clearer water towards the dam. That’s your report from Lake Tenkiller. Good luck and tight lines out there! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.