The Best Fish Worth Targeting in Oklahoma

Quick Take

• The catfish species most Oklahoma anglers overlook is widely considered the best-tasting of all three, and it's probably not the one you'd guess. See the flavor breakdown →
• When bass stop biting, the instinct to switch spots is wrong. There's a specific move that flips them into a feeding frenzy instead. Find the bass technique →
• Crappie is one of Oklahoma's most rewarding catches, but one common cooking mistake turns the meat completely inedible. Avoid the cooking mistake →
• Private ponds in Oklahoma's northeast may be the most overlooked crappie hotspot in the state, and most anglers would be surprised by how easy it is to get access. Discover northeast hotspots →

Basking in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, you’ll find Grand Lake. Officially called Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, it’s a famous fishing spot in Oklahoma. The waters produce some of the biggest fish you’ve ever seen, and it is nationally renowned for bass fishing tournaments. If you, too want to make brag-worthy catches, this article is for you. Explore the best fish to target, how they taste, and the best tips for catching them in Oklahoma.

Catfish

When you’re in Oklahoma this summer, you’ll be able to choose between the channel and blue catfish. Channel catfish have a silver underside with olive green or bluish gray backs and small, dark spots on their sides. Typical catch sizes for channel catfish range from 2 to 4 pounds. Blue catfish are silvery-gray to bluish-gray. Common blue catfish catches range from 3 to 15 pounds, although they can weigh 30 pounds or more. Flatheads are a mottled yellow, brown, or olive on their backs and sides with light-colored bellies. Common catch sizes are 5 to 20 pounds, but trophy fish can exceed 30 pounds.

Fish Flavor

You’ll either love or hate the way catfish taste. Channel catfish have a mildly sweet, clean flavor but aren’t as flaky as other fish. Wild channel catfish over 5 pounds can sometimes develop a slightly muddy taste. Blue catfish don’t have the same muddy flavor as channel catfish. Instead, they taste more like striped bass. Flatheads are widely considered the best-tasting catfish. They have a clean, mild, sweet flavor with a firm, meaty texture. If you love spicy flavors, try making a spicy oven-fried catfish recipe. A little lemon pepper and hot sauce on breaded catfish fillets is delicious.

Angling Tips

Do you feel like trying something completely new? Then try hand fishing for catfish. You can also use a rod and reel or a trotline. Channel cats like chicken liver and nightcrawlers, while blue cats favor skipjack herring or fresh cut gizzard shad. Flatheads tend to prefer live, active baitfish on the hook. The best times to fish are during the spawn from mid-May through early July. Lake Texoma, Lake Eufaula, and Arcadia Lake are all top hotspots for trophy-sized catfish of all three primary species.

Black Bass

You’ll have more choices when deciding what bass to target this summer. Oklahoma is home to smallmouth, largemouth, white, striped, and hybrid bass. You can quickly identify largemouths due to their jumbo-sized mouth that extends past their eyes. They also have a dip in their dorsal fin. Smallmouths don’t have a dip in their dorsal fins, and their jaw only extends to the middle of the eye. White bass have only faint striped lines, whereas striped bass have noticeable vertical markings. Finally, hybrid bass are usually shorter than striped bass and do not typically grow as large as striped bass.

Fish Flavor

Each species has a unique flavor. If you’re targeting largemouth bass, they tend to be mild and sweet with a flaky texture similar to bluegill or crappie. Smaller fish typically have a better flavor. Smallmouths are usually a little cleaner tasting with a mild, sweet flavor and a firm, flaky texture. Overall, freshwater black bass tend to have a mild taste with tender, flaky meat similar to other sunfish. Bass are normally prepared by pan-frying, pan-searing, or baking. This keeps the meat tender and flaky but makes the skin crispy.

Angling Tips

To catch the most fish, you’ll want to focus on using frogs, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Bass are aggressive feeders. If you notice they stop biting, it’s time to incite them with new bait. The goal is to trigger a feeding frenzy that makes your bait irresistible. One of the best lakes for bass fishing is Grand Lake. There are many large bass and high catch rates. You could also try fishing on the Hudson River. The best time for bass fishing in Oklahoma is late winter and spring from February through April. The fish move into shallow water to feed and prepare to spawn.

Crappie

Have you ever tried fishing for crappie? Oklahoma has both white and black crappie species, which are fun to catch. The black crappies are rounder and have non-uniform dark blots covering their sides. White crappies have uniform vertical dark bars on their sides. The white crappies also tend to be a little longer than the black ones. The typical adult crappie caught by Oklahoma anglers measures 9 to 10 inches long and weighs between 0.5 and 1.5 pounds.

Fish Flavor

Crappie has a mild taste, and they don’t produce a lot of meat. Their meat is almost white, and it is very flaky, light, and tender. Crappie does not have a fishy flavor. However, the meat can turn mushy if overcooked. Eating crappie can be good for your health since they have a lot of healthy fats and protein.

Angling Tips

You’ll catch the most fish by fishing from the shoreline of forested lakes. If you’re going out on a boat, look for downed trees that serve as cover. Some popular lakes for crappie fishing include Lake Eufaula, Hugo Lake, and Webbers Falls Reservoir. Focus on the northeastern part of the state. If you have a friend in the area with access to a private pond, fish in it! It’ll likely be a crappie haven. The best time to fish for crappie in Oklahoma is the middle of March through May during their annual spring spawn.

Sunfish

Sunfish such as bluegill, redear sunfish, and green sunfish are popular with anglers because they are abundant, and they are quick to bite. This makes them easy to catch with basic gear, so they are a great fish for first-time anglers and a fun fish to target for anglers of all ages. These fish typically have flat, round bodies, and they are a vibrant mix of colors, including blue, green, orange, or yellow. They also have a dark ear flap on the gill cover, often edged in red. Size varies by species, but fish like bluegill and redear sunfish typically reach lengths of around 6-10 inches, with larger specimens occasionally exceeding 12 inches.

Fish Flavor

Freshwater sunfish taste sweet, clean, and mild with a flaky texture. They are often compared to crappie or perch. Sunfish have almost no fishy taste when they are caught in clean water. Sunfish are generally prepared by pan-frying whole or filleted, or deep-fried with batter or cornmeal.

Angling Tips

As noted above, basic gear is perfectly fine to use when fishing for sunfish. You can use a light or ultra-light spinning rod with a 4-to-6 pound test line. Bait your hook with crickets or pieces of worms. Sunfish tend to favor shallow cover such as weed beds, docks, and fallen tree branches. The best time to fish for sunfish in Oklahoma is the late spring months of April-June when the warmer temperatures trigger their spawn. Some of the most popular hotspots include American Horse Lake, Lake Eucha, and Spavinaw Lakes. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation also actively stocks hybrid sunfish in lakes and ponds throughout the state.