Lake of the Arbuckles Fishing Report

[icuOklaCity]

Fishing a Open Night Tournament
Date July 21 2018
Time 8 pm - 3 am
Moon Phase Waxing Crescent (about week after new moon and week before full moon)
Air Temp low 90's
Water Temp as low as 87 high as 90.6
Water clarity was slightly stained (normal mid-summer Arbuckle)
Wind S -SE 5-7 mph
Lures used.  Norman Deep Little N
                   Norman Middle N
                   Mann's  12" Jelly worm Grape
                   Zoom    10" worm California 420
                   Zoom    Super Fluke (tandem rig) Pearl w/silver flake
              Strike King  Midnight Black Colorado Blade spinner bait
              Strike King  Midnight Black Buzz Bait.
To say the the fishing was tough is a understatement. 3 boats weighed fish (I was not one of the three) 1st 7.5 lbs on 2 fish, 2nd 1.3  3rd .88 lbs. Big Bass was 4.8 lbs.

During the evening I fished the Guy Sandy arm hitting the rocky points with crank baits which produced zero bites. as the sun started to go down I switch to throwing the Super Fluke tandem rig looking for active feeding fish on some secondary points and small pockets/cuts in the same area..While running a buzz bait in and around any weed beds I come up on. Again zero bites.

About 11 pm I move to the Rock Creek arm and hitting some of the rocky points and ledges near and around the Point Camp grounds, throwing black buzz bait, 12' Jelly worm, and black spinner bait and a black Deep Little N crank bait,  which produced a total zero bites...

Made the move back to the Guy Sandy arm about 1 am and the first rocky point I stopped at while slow rolling the spinner bait on the point, it gets hammered, I set the hook and the fights on. I know its a good fish, but then by the 3rd or so run I as know it has to be a big catfish. A sure enough it was about a 6-1/2 lbs channel cat. 4 cast later same thing, this time 4 pound channel cat.. So the slow rolling spinner baits for channel cats was on fire.. lol

Then about 45 mins before weigh in I flip a 10" Zoom Calf. 420 worm in a bush pile and missed the only good bite I got the whole night.

The 4 fish total where all caught on plastic in or near shallow weed beds between 11pm and 2:30 am   

         

[Capt. BassinLou]

Thank you for sharing that great report. 

[Lipripper]

That's a great report and you should of kept them catfish for the table.  Sorry you didn't catch any Bass but since your a new guy around here I will let you slide on getting skunked this time around and not print you out one of them skunk diplomas. 

[icuOklaCity]

I did pitch a shutout for the tournament, but at least I went home smelling fishy.... LOL And funny or stupid as this my sound, No catfish for me, I really don't like fish that much. esp. fresh water fish has to strong of a fishy taste to me... I like cod and some other white fish but not a big fish eater...

[Lipripper]

I did pitch a shutout for the tournament, but at least I went home smelling fishy.... LOL And funny or stupid as this my sound, No catfish for me, I really don't like fish that much. esp. fresh water fish has to strong of a fishy taste to me... I like cod and some other white fish but not a big fish eater...

Have you every tried eating some nice pan fried fresh Crappie fillets?

[Mike Cork]

Thanks for the great report. Sounds like you did all the right things, but when it's that tough all you can do is keep swing and hope for the best.

I've been known to quit a tournament and fish for what's bitting. A 6-pound catfish puts up an awesome fight