Tenkiller Fishing Report: Bass, Crappie, and Whites Biting on Crankbaits, Jigs, and Shads as Water Levels Drop

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report for Saturday, April 19, 2025. Folks, spring is treating us right out here. The lake is sitting about a foot and a half above normal but dropping, and the water temp is hanging steady around 58 degrees. Water is stained, so keep that in mind when you’re picking your lure colors. We kicked off the day with a mild morning, nothing too windy, and a sunrise right around 6:41 AM. Sunset will hit about 8:01 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to put something in the boat. There’s no tidal movement to speak of on freshwater Tenkiller, but that doesn’t mean the fish aren’t moving. White bass are biting fair on crankbaits, jigs, and spinnerbaits. Folks have been doing well working the creek and river channels, especially on smaller flashy lures. If you’re targeting crappie, they’re fair on hair jigs, tube jigs, sassy shads, and plain old minnows. Look for them around brush piles and docks. The main lake brush structure has held some decent slabs the past week. For bass, it’s a mixed bag: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass are all biting fair. Your best bet is to throw crankbaits, jigs, soft plastics, or spinnerbaits along points, shoreline brush, and channel edges. The stained water makes chartreuse or dark-colored baits a solid choice. Nothing huge has been reported, but a handful of nice keepers came in around Chicken Creek and Snake Creek arms. Catfish are slow to fair right now, but if you’re set on targeting them, try cut bait in the main lake or close to creek mouths as the water’s starting to warm and they’re getting more active. Hot spots worth a look today are the coves off Chicken Creek and the brush piles near Strayhorn Landing. Both spots have been giving up a mix of bass and crappie this week. Early morning and the hours just before dusk have been best for activity, especially as water warms up. In summary, stick with crankbaits, jigs, and spinnerbaits for bass and whites, and bring some live minnows or sassy shad for crappie. Keep an eye on falling water levels and try those main lake brush piles. Good luck, and I’ll see you out there—tight lines, neighbors![1][2][4][5] This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.