Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Tenkiller fishing report.
Tenkiller Ferry Lake is sitting a little below normal pool, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Tulsa District listing the conservation pool around 94–95% full and light release through the dam. That’s got the main lake clear to slightly stained, with a little more color up the Illinois River arm and the upper creeks.
We’re on a winter pattern now, so water temps are running cold, and the bite is best around the warmest part of the afternoon and the low‑light windows at first and last light. Sunrise is right around 7:20 a.m. and sunset just after 5:10 p.m., according to standard sunrise‑sunset tables for eastern Oklahoma this time of year. No real tide to speak of on Tenkiller, so think “solar tide” instead: that mid‑day sun bump has been kicking a few extra bites loose.
Weather today is classic December Oklahoma: chilly morning, light north to northwest breeze, and a dry, high‑pressure feel. That bluebird sky can make it tough mid‑day, so downsize and slow down once the sun gets up.
Recent reports from local anglers and area tackle shops around Keys, Cookson, and Vian point to:
• **Largemouth and spots** – Best on steeper chunk‑rock banks and secondary points, 8–18 feet. Alabama rigs with 3–4 inch swimbaits in shad colors, green pumpkin football jigs, and peanut‑sized finesse jigs have been putting a mix of keepers and some solid 3–4 pound fish in the boat. A few folks dragging Carolina‑rigged creature baits are picking up numbers.
• **Smallmouth** – Classic Tenkiller bronzebacks are coming off bluff ends and gravel transitions, 15–25 feet. Drop‑shots with small shad‑shaped worms, smoke or green pumpkin, and 3/8‑ to 1/2‑ounce spoons have been producing. When the wind gets up on the main lake, a tight‑wobble crankbait in craw or shad pattern along rock transitions is still catching a few.
• **Crappie** – Good numbers on brush piles and standing timber in 18–25 feet, especially mid‑lake. Electronics are key. Best baits are small tube jigs and 2‑inch paddletails in monkey milk, blue ice, or chartreuse, tipped with a crappie nibble. Minnows under a slip float are working for folks fishing from docks and marinas.
• **Stripers and white bass** – Below the dam on the Illinois River tailwater, bank anglers are catching a mix of schoolie stripers and whites when generation bumps up. According to recent local chatter out of Gore, 3‑inch flukes, small swimbaits, and 1/4‑ounce white jigs have been the ticket, along with live shad when you can get them.
Best overall producers right now:
• Lures: umbrella rigs, blade baits, spoons, football jigs, drop‑shot rigs, and small crappie plastics.
• Natural bait: shad and minnows for stripers and crappie; nightcrawlers still picking up some mixed bag off docks.
A couple of hot spots to focus on:
• **Cookson Bend area** – The creek channel swings, secondary points, and nearby brush have given up good bags of bass and a pile of keeper crappie the last few days. Work the channel edges with an A‑rig and then slow down with a jig.
• **Upper Illinois River arm and Chicken Creek** – Slightly stained water has the bass a touch shallower. Throw a medium‑diving crankbait or spinnerbait when the wind’s on the bank, then mop up with a shaky head or small jig. Crappie are holding on brush just off the main channel.
If you’re fishing from the bank, stick to the marinas, rocky points near the state park areas, and the tailwater below the dam when release is up a bit. Keep your retrieves slow and methodical; winter fish around here don’t like to chase far.
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