Lake Tenkiller Oklahoma Fishing Report Today

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We’re in a warm, early-summer pattern on Tenkiller right now. Air temps are starting cool at daybreak and pushing hot by midafternoon, with light south to southwest breeze most of the day and only a slight chance of a pop‑up shower. Skies are running mostly clear to partly cloudy, so expect plenty of sun on that clear water.

Sunrise is right around six in the morning, with sunset close to eight‑thirty in the evening. Those first two hours after sunup and the last two before dark are your prime feeding windows. There are no true tides on Tenkiller, but water level has been fairly stable with normal generation releases; any sudden release from the dam will push fish tighter to breaks and secondary points.

Water clarity on the main lake is classic Tenkiller: clear to lightly stained, with more color in the upper river arms and major creeks. Surface temps are running in the upper 70s to low 80s, which has pushed a lot of fish into early summer patterns.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass have been active on main‑lake points, bluff ends, and the first third of major creeks. Recent reports from local marina docks and bait shops say anglers are bringing in mixed bags of 2–4 pounders, with a few bigger smallmouth in the mix. Best bite has been:

- Early: topwater walking baits, poppers, and buzzbaits over 10–20 feet, especially around rocky points and submerged timber.

- Midday: drop‑shot rigs with small finesse worms, green pumpkin or shad, worked in 18–28 feet off points and humps, plus football jigs in brown or green along gravel and rock.

- Evening: weightless flukes and wacky‑rigged stickbaits around docks and shaded banks.

Spotted bass are stacking up around deeper rock and brush. Small swimbaits on 1/4‑ounce heads and finesse jigs are putting numbers in the boat. Eight‑ to ten‑pound fluorocarbon is plenty.

Crappie reports have been solid around brush piles, standing timber, and deeper docks in 12–20 feet. Locals have been catching good eaters on small minnows and 1/16‑ounce tube jigs in natural shad and chartreuse/white. The better bite is coming when the sun gets up and pushes them tighter to the cover; use your electronics and don’t be afraid to fish just above the brush.

Catfish are steady on cut shad, chicken liver, and prepared stink baits. Set up on wind‑blown banks, channel swings, and the upper river run. Juglines and tight‑lined slip sinker rigs are both producing, especially after dark when the lake quiets down.

White bass and the occasional striper or hybrid are schooling sporadically near the dam and mid‑lake. Watch for birds and surface busts early and late. Small spoons, inline spinners, and 3‑ to 4‑inch paddle‑tail swimbaits in shad colors will get bit fast when they come up.

A few hotspot suggestions:

- Chicken Creek area: great mix of rocky banks, docks, and mid‑depth structure. Good for bass early on topwater and later with finesse plastics.

- The bluffs and points near the dam: clearer, deeper water holding smallmouth, spotted bass, and schooling whites. Work your topwaters at first light and switch to drop‑shot and spoons once the sun gets high.

Best overall lures and baits right now: topwater walkers and poppers, green pumpkin finesse worms on a drop‑shot, football jigs, small shad‑pattern swimbaits, live minnows for crappie, and cut shad or prepared baits for catfish.

That’s your Lake Tenkiller report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a trip.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report, coming at you like you’re driving down 82 just before first light.

We’ll start with the conditions. Tenkiller’s a deep, clear highland lake, so think finesse. Air temps today run mild at daybreak, warming fast by afternoon under mostly clear skies. Light south breeze most of the day, picking up a bit after lunch. Water’s seasonably warm in the upper 70s to low 80s on the surface, cooler down deep. No true tides here, just slow generation-related level changes, so don’t worry about tidal swings—focus on wind and light.

Sunrise hits the water a little after six, with sunset a bit after eight-thirty. That gives you a strong low-light window from first safe light to about 9 a.m., then again the last two hours of the day. Midday is tougher in this clear water unless you go deep or go vertical.

Fish activity’s been solid. Local dock talk and area tackle shops report:

– **Largemouth and smallmouth**: Best at dawn on rocky points, bluff ends, and main-lake pockets with a little wind pushing in. Fish are hanging in 8–18 feet early, then sliding deeper to 20–30 as the sun gets high.

– **Spotted bass**: Relating to offshore structure—humps, roadbeds, and brush piles. If you’ve got good electronics, this is your numbers game.

– **Crappie**: Still coming off brush piles and deeper docks, 12–18 feet, especially in the mid-lake creeks.

– **Catfish**: Channel cats and blues picking up on cut bait and stink bait along channel swings and the upper river arms in the evening and at night.

– **Stripers/white bass**: Sporadic schooling near the lower lake during low-light hours; keep an eye out for surfacing bait.

As for what’s been catching them:

– For bass, locals are leaning on **topwater walking baits** and small **poppers** at first light on calm banks, then switching to **medium-diving crankbaits**, **3/8 oz spinnerbaits**, and **swimbaits** when the wind ripples the surface. Once the sun gets up, it’s a **finesse game**: green pumpkin or watermelon **Ned rigs**, **dropshots** with 4–5 inch worms, and **shaky heads** dragged slow over rock and brush. Fluorocarbon and light line help in this clear water.

– For crappie, **small jigs** in natural shad or monkey milk colors and **minnows** fished right over brush are doing work.

– For catfish, go with **cut shad, chicken liver, or punch bait** on simple bottom rigs; set up on bends or where a creek dumps in.

Recent catches, based on local chatter and marina talk, include steady numbers of 1–3 pound spotted bass with a few largemouth in the 4–6 pound class, especially early on topwater and midmorning on finesse plastics. Crappie limits are still possible if you hop brush piles and keep moving until you find the right depth band. Catfish guys are reporting decent messes in the evenings, mostly eating-size channels and a few blues.

A couple of hot spots to circle:

– **Chicken Creek area**: Good mix of secondary points, brush piles, and docks. Bass at first light on topwater and finesse later; crappie on brush in that 12–18 foot range.

– **Dam and lower-lake bluff walls**: Clearer, deeper water, perfect for spotted bass. Work vertical with dropshots and small swimbaits, and keep a rod ready for schooling fish if shad push up.

If you’re heading out today, launch early, fish fast and shallow till the sun shows itself, then slow down, go deeper, and let your electronics do the work. Evenings, slide back shallow with topwater or a buzzbait around wind-blown banks and laydowns.

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This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We don’t worry about tides here in the Cookson Hills, but the **water level and weather** are what matter. The lake is sitting near normal pool with good clarity on the lower end and a light stain up the river arms after recent showers. Overnight temps were cool, with morning air in the low 60s and an afternoon warm‑up into the 80s. Winds are light out of the south, just enough chop to help the bite without beating you up.

Sunrise hit a little after 6 a.m. local, with sunset coming a little after 8:30 p.m., so you’ve got a long window to work that low‑light bite. The best action is early and late; the mid‑day bite has been tougher unless you go deep or finesse.

**Bass:** Largemouth and spots have been pretty active at first light around rocky points, secondary points, and bluff pockets. Folks have been boating good numbers of 1–3 pound fish, with an occasional kicker closer to 5. Topwaters have been the ticket early – walking baits and poppers in shad patterns along the main‑lake points and over submerged brush. Once the sun gets up, the fish slide off to 15–25 feet. Carolina‑rigs, drop shots, and football jigs on gravel points and humps are producing steady bites. Green pumpkin, watermelon red, and natural shad colors are hard to beat.

**Smallmouth:** Down by the dam and along the steeper rocky banks, smallmouth have been chewing on finesse baits. Ned rigs and small tubes in goby or green pumpkin, dragged slow along the rocks, are picking up solid bronzebacks, especially on overcast stretches and late evening.

**Crappie:** Crappie have moved to summer haunts – brush piles, docks, and timber in 12–20 feet. Anglers are catching nice slabs on small jigs and minnows, with the better bite coming just off the main river channel bends. Slow‑rolling a 1/16‑ounce jig in chartreuse/white or monkey milk around brush is putting fish in the boat.

**Stripers/Hybrids & White Bass:** Out toward mid‑lake, schooling activity has been picking up on calm mornings. Watch for surface busts and bird activity. Slab spoons, small swimbaits, and chrome topwaters worked through the schools are producing quick limits of whites and the occasional hybrid. Keep a spoon tied on and ready.

**Catfish:** Channel and blue cats are biting decent on cut shad, chicken liver, and prepared stink baits on channel edges and where creeks dump in. Set up on ledges in 15–25 feet and give each spot some time; once they find you, the action can be steady.

Best **lures and baits** right now:

- Topwaters in shad patterns for bass and schooling fish

- Carolina‑rig and drop‑shot plastics in green pumpkin or shad

- Ned rigs, tubes, and finesse worms on rocky banks

- Small crappie jigs and minnows over brush

- Cut shad, liver, and punch bait for cats

A couple of **hot spots** to check:

- The **dam and lower‑end points** for clear‑water smallmouth and schooling whites

- The **Cookson Bend to Chicken Creek stretch** for largemouth on points, docks, and nearby brush piles

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This is Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We’ll start with the conditions. Lake Tenkiller’s a clear, deep highland reservoir, so think finesse and structure. No tides to worry about here, just steady lake levels and the usual pull from power generation. Sunrise is right around early six o’clock, with sunset near eight-thirty in the evening, giving you nice, long low-light windows on both ends of the day.

Weather around Tenkiller today is seasonably warm. Mornings are starting off cool and comfortable, building to a hot, sunny afternoon with light to moderate south wind and only a slight chance of a pop‑up shower. That sun and clear water will push a lot of fish off the bank once it gets bright, so plan your day around dawn, dusk, and shade.

Bass have been the main story. Local reports from marinas and ramp chatter say spotted and largemouth bass are coming in steady on main-lake points and the first breaks off bluff walls in 10–20 feet. Most folks are boating solid numbers, with the better fish in the two- to three‑pound class and a few fours mixed in. A couple of evening tournaments out of Chicken Creek have taken 14–17 pound bags on five fish, mostly on soft plastics and small swimbaits.

Best bass baits right now:

- Early and late, work **topwater walking baits** and **buzzbaits** over gravel points and along steeper rock banks.

- Once the sun gets up, switch to **green pumpkin or watermelon finesse worms**, **Ned rigs**, and **drop‑shots** with shad‑colored plastics in 12–25 feet.

- A **3.3–3.8 inch swimbait** on a ball head, slow‑rolled along the bottom, is picking up both spots and smallies.

Crappie are still being caught but have slid a bit deeper. Folks are finding them on brush piles, standing timber, and dock corners in 12–18 feet, suspending around mid‑depth. Minnows are putting numbers in the livewell, but small **baby shad jigs** in natural colors are taking the better slabs. Expect a mix of keepers with some ten- to twelve‑inch fish fairly common.

Striper and hybrid action below the dam in the Illinois River tailrace has been spotty but worth a shot at first light. Anglers drifting live shad or throwing **½‑oz flukes and bucktail jigs** are picking up a few strong fish when the generators are running. Up on the main lake, watch for schooling white bass and small hybrids pushing shad in the evenings on calm days; a **small spoon** or **tiny topwater** will get hammered.

Catfish are reliable as always. Channel cats are eating **cut shad**, **stink bait**, and **chicken liver** on flats and gently sloping banks in 8–15 feet, especially near creek mouths. A few bigger blues are coming off deeper ledges on fresh cut bait. Nighttime has been best, but an overcast afternoon can turn them on.

A couple of local hot spots to circle on your map:

- **Chicken Creek area** on the mid‑lake: good mix of gravel and rock points, nearby channel swings, and some brush. Solid for bass and crappie, with catfish on the adjacent flats.

- **Snake Creek and the adjacent main-lake points**: clear water, steep structure, and good smallmouth potential. Work topwater at dawn, then finesse plastics down the breaks.

If the lake is clear and calm, downsize your line and go natural on color. If the wind picks up or you find stained pockets from recent rain, don’t be afraid to throw a spinnerbait or chatterbait up shallow for a reaction bite.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report out of the Cookson hills.

We’ll start with the conditions. We’ve got a warm, early‑summer pattern settling in: morning lows in the upper 60s, climbing into the mid‑80s this afternoon under mostly clear skies with a light south breeze. Humidity’s up, but not brutal yet. Sunrise came just after six, and sunset will be mid‑evening, giving you a long window to work those low‑light bites. With this stable weather and light wind, the lake should stay pretty clear on the lower end, a little more stain up the river arms.

No true tides here in Oklahoma, but water level on Tenkiller usually sits near normal this time of year, with slow generation below the dam. Think gentle current at best, so you’ll want to make your own movement with the trolling motor and focus on structure changes rather than current seams.

Bass first. Largemouth and spots are sliding into their early summer haunts: main‑lake points, secondary points in the bigger coves, and those steep rock transitions Tenkiller’s known for. Fish activity has been best at first light and the last hour before dark, with a tougher but still workable mid‑day bite if you go deeper. Recent trips around the lake have been putting 10–20 bass a day in the boat for decent anglers, mostly 1–3 pounds with the occasional four‑plus on deeper structure.

Best lures right now:

– Topwater walking baits and small buzzbaits at dawn around rocky points and shallow flats.

– Medium‑running crankbaits in shad colors over 8–12 feet of water.

– Green pumpkin or watermelon red shaky heads and finesse jigs on those bluff ends and brushy ledges in 12–20 feet.

If you’re after smallmouth, they’re hanging on the clearer, rockier stretches near the dam and along the main river channel breaks. Light line, small jerkbaits early, then switch to ned rigs and tube baits once the sun gets up.

Crappie action has slid a little deeper. Look for brush piles on main‑lake flats and along creek channels in 12–18 feet. Recent reports out of local marinas say folks are still bringing in solid messes, 10–20 keepers per trip when they stay on the brush. Best bet is a 1/16‑ounce jig tipped with a small minnow or a natural‑colored plastic, fished just above the top of the brush.

Stripers and hybrids below the dam can be hit‑or‑miss, but when they’re on, they’re on. Early morning is your window; work swimbaits or live shad through the deeper holes, especially if the Corps is pulling any water at all.

Catfish are steady. Channel cats are taking nightcrawlers, stink bait, and cut shad on shallow flats and the upper river when the light gets low. Blues are better on fresh cut bait along deeper ledges and around the channel bends.

A couple of hot spots to circle on your map:

– The area around Chicken Creek: classic Tenkiller mix of rock, brush, and points, good for bass and crappie with just enough stain to let you throw power baits.

– The lower end near the dam and Carter’s Landing: clear water, bluff walls, and chunk rock for smallmouth and deeper‑holding largemouth, plus a shot at schooling fish when shad push up.

If you’re bank fishing, hit the public access around Snake Creek or Cookson Bend in the evenings with a topwater, a Texas‑rigged worm, and a slip‑float rig for panfish or cats.

That’s the word from Lake Tenkiller. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

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Good morning from **Lake Tenkiller**, where the bite is shaping up like a classic early-June day in eastern Oklahoma. I’m **Artificial Lure**, and for a local-style run-down: with no live report feed available here, I’d treat today as a warm, rising-water-column morning with the best action coming shallow at first light, then sliding a little deeper as the sun gets up.

**Tidal report:** none to speak of on Tenkiller, since this is a reservoir and not a tidal fishery.

**Weather:** plan on a bright summer start with warming temps through the morning, so expect fish to feed best early before boat traffic and sun push them off the bank.

**Sunrise and sunset:** for early June in eastern Oklahoma, sunrise is around 6:00 a.m. and sunset is near 8:30 p.m., giving you a long window, but the best window is still that first light bite.

Around Tenkiller right now, the fish activity should center on **bass, crappie, and catfish**. If you’re chasing bass, look for fish moving with bait around rocky points, laydowns, and shaded pockets. Crappie should be hanging near brush, docks, and submerged cover, while catfish will be prowling creek channels, flats, and baited shorelines.

If I were rigging up for Tenkiller today, I’d lean on:

- **Bass:** white or shad-pattern spinnerbait, squarebill crankbait, wacky-rigged stick worm, and a shaky head for clear-water edges.

- **Crappie:** small jigs in chartreuse, white, or black, plus live minnows if you want the most consistent bite.

- **Catfish:** chicken liver, cut shad, punch bait, or nightcrawlers depending on whether you’re fishing channel cats or blues.

For **hot spots**, I’d start with:

- **Rocky main-lake points near deeper water**

- **Mouths of creeks and coves with bait present**

- **Boat docks and shade lines**

- **Brushy pockets off the main channel**

If you’re hearing about recent catches around the lake, the usual story this time of year is a mixed bag: bass up shallow early, crappie pulled from cover, and catfish biting steadily once the water warms. The key is following the bait. If you find shad flicking on the surface or see bluegill around cover, the predators won’t be far behind.

Best advice for today: start early with moving baits, slow down once the sun climbs, and fish the shaded side of structure. On a lake like Tenkiller, clear water often means a little more finesse wins by midmorning.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We’ll start with the conditions. Tenkiller’s a hydro lake, so no true tides, but the daily “tide” is the **generation schedule**. Expect levels to bump up and a little more current when they’re pulling water at the dam; that’s when the bite usually perks up along main‑lake points and below the dam in the tailrace.

Weather today is classic early‑summer Oklahoma. Morning temps starting cool in the low 60s, climbing into the 80s by afternoon, light south wind, and mostly clear skies. Humidity’s up, but not brutal yet. Sunrise comes just after 6 a.m., with sunset right around 8:30 p.m., so you’ve got a long low‑light window on both ends of the day.

Water’s clearing back up in the main lake with a light green tint; pockets and creeks still have a little stain. Surface temps are pushing into the mid‑70s on the lower end and a touch warmer up the river arms. That’s got fish sliding off the banks and stacking on **points, brush, and rock transitions**.

Recent reports from local anglers and bait shops around Cookson and Keys say:

- **Largemouth & spots**: Solid postspawn/early‑summer pattern. Numbers have been good, with some 2–4 pounders and the occasional 5+ coming from 8–18 feet. Carolina rigs with green pumpkin creature baits, shaky heads with straight‑tail worms, and small jigs in brown or green pumpkin have been steady producers. Early and late, a walking topwater or a chrome/blue spook‑style bait over gravel points is getting crushed.

- **Smallmouth**: Fewer, but quality fish. They’re hugging rock piles, bluff ends, and wind‑blown chunk rock. Think brighter, more “smallie” colors: smoke or shad‑pattern swimbaits, and translucent topwaters. A 3–4 inch paddletail on a ball‑head jig slow‑rolling along steep banks has been putting a few in the boat.

- **White bass & hybrids**: When they push shad to the surface, it’s quick mayhem. Watch for birds working and surface schooling mid‑lake. Small chrome spoons, tail‑spinners, and 2–3 inch shad‑style swimbaits will keep you busy. Evening seems strongest.

- **Crappie**: Bite’s moved off the banks to brush and pole timber in 10–20 feet. Minnows and 1/16‑ounce jigs in natural shad or monkey milk colors, fished just above the brush tops, are taking decent slabs. Not limits for everyone, but enough for a good fry if you stay on them.

- **Catfish**: Channel cats and a few blues along river bends, flats near channel swings, and wind‑blown banks. Punch bait, cut shad, and nightcrawlers are your best bet. Set up on a contour edge in 10–25 feet and give each spot a little time.

Best lures and bait today:

- For bass: **topwaters at first and last light**, then Carolina‑rigged plastics, football jigs, and mid‑depth crankbaits in shad or craw patterns once the sun gets up.

- For crappie: live minnows and small tube jigs.

- For cats: fresh cut shad, chicken liver, and prepared stink bait.

A couple of hot spots to circle on your map:

- **Cookson Bend area**: Main‑lake points and the first couple of secondary points inside the coves are holding mixed largemouth and spots. Work those points slow once the sun’s up; they’re good for both numbers and a kicker.

- **Upper Illinois River arm**: Slightly more stain and a touch more current. Great for white bass runs, catfish on bends and flats, and some feisty smallmouth along the rock seams and laydowns.

Also keep an eye on **Chicken Creek** and **Cates Landing** humps and points for schooling whites and the occasional striper or hybrid blowing up in the evenings.

That’s your Lake Tenkiller rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We’re looking at a classic early-summer pattern on Tenkiller. Skies are starting mostly clear with a light south breeze, building to 10–15 mph by afternoon. Air temps will climb from the 60s into the mid‑80s, with a warm, muggy feel by midday. Expect a slight chance of a pop‑up storm late afternoon, typical for this time of year. Water temps are generally in the low to mid‑70s, with visibility still pretty good on the lower end and a little more stain coming in from the river arms after recent showers.

Sunrise is right around 6 a.m. local, sunset close to 8:30 p.m., giving you a long prime window to work low‑light periods. There’s no real tide action on Tenkiller, but you’ll see that “pseudo‑tide” effect when the Southwest Power Administration starts pulling water at the dam. When they generate, the river side current picks up and the bite usually follows. Call the generation schedule or check their online release report before you launch.

Bass action has been solid. Folks working first light are boating good numbers of spotted and largemouth bass, mostly in the 1–3 pound range, with an occasional 4‑plus. The better bites are coming on main‑lake and secondary points, as well as chunk rock banks leading into coves. Early, a topwater like a walking bait or a popper in shad colors has been money over 8–15 feet. Once the sun gets up, switch to a green pumpkin or watermelon red shaky head, a finesse jig, or a small Alabama rig slow‑rolled over 15–25 feet near brush and standing timber.

Crappie are sliding a bit deeper, but anglers are still picking up decent messes. Look for brush piles, standing timber, and docks in 12–20 feet of water. A 1/16‑ounce chartreuse or monkey‑milk jig, or a small minnow under a slip bobber set just above the brush, is getting bit. Most fish are in that 10–12 inch keeper range, with a few slabs mixed in.

Striper and white bass action up toward the upper Illinois River and below the dam has been spotty but worth a run if they’re moving water. When that current kicks in, throw white bucktail jigs, swimbaits, or live shad. Hybrids and whites will stack in the seams and behind points, and you can get into some fast action in a hurry.

Catfish are cooperating for the set‑line and anchor crowd. Channel cats are coming on punch bait, chicken liver, and cut shad on shallow flats in 5–15 feet, especially at night. Blues are hanging a little deeper on humps and channel edges; fresh cut shad or sunfish is the ticket. Drift‑fishing mid‑lake flats with a light breeze is putting some good fish in the boat.

Best artificial lures right now: shad‑pattern topwaters, medium‑running crankbaits in sexy shad or green gizzard, 3–4 inch swimbaits, and finesse worms on a shaky head in natural colors. For live bait, you can’t go wrong with minnows for crappie, shad for stripers and catfish, and nightcrawlers for a little bit of everything.

A couple of hot spots to consider:

1. The area around Chicken Creek and the nearby main‑lake points: good for early‑morning topwater bass and daytime finesse bites on points and brush.

2. The dam and lower end near Cookson Bend: clearer water, solid smallmouth and spotted bass action off rocky points and ledges, plus striper chances when they’re pulling water.

That’s your Lake Tenkiller rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We don’t deal with tides out here in the Cookson Hills, but we do watch the wind and barometer. This morning expect a light south breeze, building to a moderate wind by afternoon, with warm, humid air and a slight chance of a pop‑up shower. Skies run partly cloudy most of the day. Sunrise hits a little after six, sunset a little after eight‑thirty, so you’ve got a long daylight window to work with.

Water on Tenkiller is running clear to slightly stained on the upper Illinois River arm, with better clarity near the dam. Level is near normal pool, with typical early‑summer boat traffic building by late morning. Surface temps are in that low‑ to mid‑70s zone, which has kicked off a good early bite before the sun gets high.

Bass action has been solid at first light. Folks have been boating good numbers of spotted and largemouth bass off rocky points and bluff ends, with a few smallmouth mixed in down toward the dam. Best producers have been topwaters at dawn—Zara‑style walking baits, small poppers, and hollow‑body frogs over shallow bushes in the creeks. Once the sun’s up, they’re sliding off to 10–20 feet. That’s when a green pumpkin finesse jig, a shaky‑head worm, or a drop‑shot with a 4–5 inch finesse bait starts doing work on those steeper banks and points.

Crappie are still giving up some nice slabs on brush piles and docks in about 12–18 feet. Minnows on light line and small tube jigs in chartreuse/white or monkey milk have been putting fish in the boat. Work slow over the tops of brush and suspend just above the limbs.

Stripers and white bass have been schooling sporadically near the dam and mid‑lake humps, especially early and late. When you see birds working or surface busting, throw small swimbaits, spoons, or white rooster tails and let ’em sink through the school. Keep a heavier jigging spoon handy if they push down out of sight.

Catfish are steady for the folks setting juglines and rod‑and‑reel drifting channel edges. Best bait right now is cut shad, chicken liver, or punch bait. Focus on 15–25 feet around river bends and the mouths of creeks.

If you’re bank‑fishing, nightcrawlers and small live minnows under a slip float around rocky banks and marina areas will pick off a mixed bag—sunfish, small bass, and the occasional crappie or channel cat.

A couple of hot spots to keep in mind:

- The lower end near Tenkiller Dam for smallmouth, schooling whites, and stripers.

- The Cookson Bend to Chicken Creek stretch for early‑morning topwater bass on points and secondary coves, plus mid‑day crappie on brush.

Best overall lures right now: walking topwaters at dawn, medium‑diving shad‑pattern crankbaits on wind‑blown banks, green pumpkin plastics on jigheads or Texas rigs, and 3–4 inch paddle‑tail swimbaits in natural shad colors. For bait, you can’t beat fresh cut shad for cats and live minnows for crappie.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.

We’ll start with the conditions. Air temps are mild at daybreak and warming fast into the afternoon, with mostly clear skies, light south wind, and only a slight chance of a pop‑up storm late. Humidity’s up, so expect that classic muggy Oklahoma feel by lunchtime. Sunrise comes early over the bluffs and you’ll lose workable light pretty quick after sunset, so your best window is the first three hours of daylight and the last two before dark.

Tenkiller’s a reservoir, so no real tide to worry about, but water level has been running near normal pool with good visibility over the main lake and a light stain in the creeks after recent showers. Surface temps are in the upper 70s to low 80s, which is pushing a lot of fish into early summer patterns.

Bass have been the main story. Local anglers around Cookson Bend and Carter’s Landing are reporting solid numbers of spotted and largemouth bass, with a few smallmouth mixed in off the rocky points. Most fish are coming in that 1½ to 3‑pound range, with the occasional kicker over 4. The better bites have been on main‑lake points, bluff ends, and secondary points halfway back in the creeks.

For lures, think shad and craw. A medium‑running crankbait in shad colors, 8–12 feet, has been money when there’s a little wind on the points. When it slicks off, folks have been switching to green pumpkin or watermelon red finesse jigs and shaky heads on the rocks and ledges. After dark, a black or dark purple spinnerbait slow‑rolled along the bluff walls has been producing a few big bites for the night crowd.

Crappie action is steady but not on fire. Most slabs are holding 10–15 feet down over brush piles and standing timber off channel swings. Minnows are still the top producer, but small tube jigs and hair jigs in chartreuse/white or monkey milk are taking fish when you hover right over the structure with a slip float.

Stripers and hybrid‑type action is limited on Tenkiller, but white bass have been schooling sporadically on the main lake when the sun’s low. Keep a small chrome or pearl fluke‑style soft plastic or a little 1/4‑ounce spoon ready to toss into surfacing fish. They’re not huge, but they’ll keep a kid grinning.

Catfish are a good bet if you want meat. Channel cats are biting on punch bait, chicken liver, and cut shad on flats adjacent to the river channel in 8–20 feet. Set up on a little current edge and give it time. A lot of folks are doing well just off the Illinois River arm and near the bridges.

Best bait overall right now: live shad for bigger fish, medium shiners or minnows for crappie, and good old nightcrawlers if you just want steady action from anything that swims. For artificial, it’s hard to beat a shad‑pattern crank, a green pumpkin finesse worm, and a topwater walking bait for those low‑light flurries.

A couple of hot spots to circle on your map:

– The stretch from Cookson Bend down toward Sixshooter, working the main‑lake points and the first couple of secondary points inside each cove.

– The lower end around the dam and the big coves just upstream, targeting rocky banks and humps where the depth breaks from 10 down to 20‑plus.

That’s the word from Lake Tenkiller. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

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