Tenkiller Trifecta: Bass, Crappie & Catfish Abound in August's Hot Bite

This is Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report for Wednesday, August 13, 2025. Sunrise came at 6:37 a.m., and you can expect sunset tonight at 8:17 p.m.—plenty of daylight left for chasing that next big catch. The day started off mild and clear; it’s shaping up hot and humid, with a gentle southwest breeze picking up by afternoon. No rain on the radar, and the lake is holding about a foot above normal pool at 632.97 feet, with light releases from the dam overnight according to the Army Corps of Engineers. With water temps warming up, those classic August patterns are in play. Bass are keying on early morning and late evening bites, especially near deeper points and the edges of submerged channel swings. Just a week back, the Bassmaster Elite Series wrapped up here with some razor-thin finishes, and chatter around the ramp says those pros hammered largemouth and spotted bass with soft plastics and crankbaits dragged deep, and topwater walking baits over shallow flats at dawn. For today and the coming days, best bets are early and late—think topwater poppers or walking baits at first light, especially around Snake Creek and Chicken Creek. Once the sun’s high, switch to deep-diving crankbaits and big ribbon-tail worms in green pumpkin or plum. If you’re a finesse angler, wacky-rigged Senkos pitched into brush piles off Blackgum Landing are getting quality bites. Crappie are stacking up along deeper brush and standing timber in 15 to 20 feet, with minnows topping the ticket. Drop a small jig if you’re into plastics—white/chartreuse remains the go-to. Catfish reports from below the dam remain steady, Oklahoma Wildlife Department notes that punch bait and cut shad are producing channel cats and the occasional flathead—try baited holes on the upper end at dusk. If you’re chasing striper, hit the tailwaters early: live shad fished behind the dam are scoring some nice fish, and the odd topwater hookup is possible when they push bait to the surface just after sunrise. Don’t overlook those bluff drop-offs around Burnt Cabin for smallies—jigging spoons and small swimbaits worked along rocky ledges will put you in the game. Panfish action is solid—bluegill and sunfish are tight to shallow structure, hitting bits of worm floated under a cork. Great way to get the kids on the water and make some memories. A couple of hot spots worth your time: Chicken Creek for early topwater bass action, and the standing timber near Standing Rock for mid-morning crappie. For a mixed-bag, hit Strayhorn Landing and drag a nightcrawler—everything bites there this time of year. With National Fishing Month kicking off, there’s no excuse not to get out—Oklahoma’s variety is on full display at Tenkiller this August, from catfish to bass, stripers to slabs. Thanks for tuning in to the Lake Tenkiller fishing report with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe and stay hooked for more up-to-date reports. This has been a quiet please production, f This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.