Tenkiller Fishing Report: Bumped Levels, Bouncing Bass and Crappie Crushes

Tenkiller’s got a little extra water this morning with the lake level sitting about 0.72 feet above normal—as of late last night, the pool elevation was 632.72 feet, and releases were moderate at 578 cfs, with fresh inflow keeping things refreshed according to the US Army Corps of Engineers. That small bump in water usually means fish are snuggling up in flooded brush and along shoreline cover, making today's setups a bit more of a bank-bouncer’s game. Weather’s calm if a touch crisp, with sunrise at 7:33 AM and sunset at 6:36 PM cranking out prime daylight hours. Winds are expected to be light out of the south-southwest, and temps will start cool, climbing into the high 60s by early afternoon, making midday the sweet spot for topwater action. No tidal effect here, being a reservoir, but that steady release and elevated pool should keep currents moving by the dam and deeper channel ledges. Recent angler reports from the marina dockside and nearby bait shops say the bite’s been good for **largemouth bass** and **smallmouths** early and late. The bass are hammering shad-imitating baits as schools push into coves and pockets. Some locals pulled solid numbers—up to 15 keepers per boat—on Tuesday evening using bone-colored Zara Spooks and medium-diving crankbaits. Fish have been coming off rocky points, especially near Cookson Bend and the entrance to Burnt Cabin. White bass are moving in schools around the upper end and main lake humps, with folks throwing Road Runners and chartreuse twister tails outfishing plain jigs. Crappie anglers are seeing decent action on brush piles off the main river channel at depths of 18 to 22 feet, pulling a few slabs using pink and chartreuse tube jigs with minnows tipped for extra flash—Cookson area docks report limits getting filled by late afternoon. For **catfish**, night is still king. Fresh cut shad and stinkbait fished off the bottom in the Pine Cove and Chicken Creek areas have yielded some hefty blues and channels, with a few said to top 10 pounds. The best setup seems to be slip rigs with 2/0 circle hooks and a light smattering of chum. Stripers have picked up, especially below the dam where current’s stronger. Anglers tossing heavy white bucktail jigs and live shad are fooling a fair number of two- and three-pounders. Early morning is best—try casting just before the sun cracks. Hot spots today are: - **Burnt Cabin point** for mixed bass - **Cookson Bend brush piles** for crappie - **Below the dam** for stripers and the occasional chunky cat Best baits and lures: - Zara Spook, bone and silver - Medium-diving shad crankbaits - Road Runner, chartreuse or white - Pink/chartreuse tube jigs tipped with minnows for crappie - Cut shad and stinkbait for catfish Overall, this week has seen steady numbers—not a bonanza but enough to keep the stringers lively. Try fishing early or late for bass surface bites, and if you’re after crappie or white bass, work those mid-morning brush piles and channel drop-offs. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.