Seems like 99.99% of the fish are gone. Just shad and stick fish. The stick fish range from 6 inches all the way up to 200 pounds! Below is and average North American Stick Fish.



The only fish left are smallmouth. Throwing deep diving cranks in a multitude of colors.



The average size of the Smalleys is 2 pounds and the occasional 4+ pound fish.



On occasion will catch a black bass. Usually 2 pounds 4 pounds on average. They seem kind of rare compared to Smalleys.



Most of the black bass are coming off of sexy shad crank baits 3 to 6 foot divers.



We are also catching smallmouth on a drop shot crawfish soft plastic worms. I'm using 6 lb vanish for them most of the time.



Most of the Smalleys I've been coming from Rocky points and hanging around 3 to 18 feet of water. We've lost more than we have caught. Almost every single one of them will jump and try to spit the hook. It's a great fish when nothing else is going on. Pound for pound I think they pull harder than most of them.




After we get back to the dock and clean all the smallmouth and bag up the fillets, I will cast net some shad and let the clients fish for catfish off the dock. My rule is: I will only clean one blue catfish ranging from 3 pounds to 6 pounds. Anything else will be released. We will not clean the channel catfish. Due to their eating all the guts and they look like cantaloupes when they come out of the water. Their meat is all orange with fat deposits tainting The flavor of the fish. The big blue cats or trophies in our minds and will be released.

So anyways, Since the striper all went over the dam, we found a new species to fish for, called Striped Bass.



Some days we are using sassy shad. Main colors would be glow, white ice, and chartreuse.

Some days were using quarter ounce slabs or all the way up to 1 ounce slabs. Main colors or chartreuse or white. White has been the predominant color. Pay attention to your fishfinder and make sure you're putting the slab in their face. Most of the time they're hovering just off the bottom no more than 10 feet. In that case make sure you hit the bottom and make it thump the bottom every time. Then lift your rod tip straight up in the air and then let the Luer pull your rod tip down at the speed it wants to go. Do not slack out your line when dropping it.



Other days, were using paddle tail flukes in violet silver, silver, white, or watermelon red.



On Tuesdays, they seem to like Road runners anywhere from half ounce 2 ounce. Color of choice has seemed to be white and chartreuse. We are also throwing chartreuse, yellow, white and red, or Blue and white. Reeling this Luer back to the boat at all speeds produces fish. Stop retrieve twitch speed up, change it up till you figure out what they want.



Sometimes the fish want a smaller bait and we will throw Coho from MoesTackle. White ice seems to be one of the top colors. Sometimes they want it dipped in garlic chartreuse glow. Half ounce to ounce heads and color doesn't really seem to matter.




Doubles are very common.



These striped bass are very pretty.



The fish are ranging anywhere from 3 pounds up to 8 pounds on average.






Make sure when you hook up, you do not pump the fish back to the boat. Meaning you point your rod down and lift your rod up, then real down on the fish again then lift the rod up. Please don't do that. When you point your rod down you slack out about 2 to 6 foot of line in the fish will just spit the hook a lot easier. Keep your rod tip up and just reel!

We release 99.9% of our smallmouth so I was joking. The only reason I will cut a small mouth is if it gets gilled and won't swim away.



The bald eagles are starting to steadily show up. Pretty much every day I see the same one. I guess I'll try to get a picture next time.



When we start the trip out, we ask the clients to please release anything over 25 inches to let them go Spawn and make more. The clients catch the fish and they can do what they want with the fish. It's just a suggestion.



Having a box of fish like this coming out of the lake with no fish left, is amazing me. Where did they all go, George?



Make sure you bring a lot of lures. The lake is up from the drought, and all the weeds are submerged now. And they will steal all your gear. And roadrunners are not cheap.



I think these striped bass are a lot more fun, then those striper that used to be in the lake.




Make sure you overdress when you come out on the boat. You could always take layers off. It's no fun fishing when you're cold.



The fish are starting to really [censored] up. I pulled over 30 glass minnows out of one of the striper.



If I can put my clients or two overs, fish over 20 inches, I am a happy camper. Then all the boxfish come as a gift.



I have been fishing anywhere from 10 foot all the way out to 35 foot of water.

Sometimes the fish get really grouped up and very easy to catch and we will get close to a limit or even a limit and start releasing overs.



Then some days we only get 6 to 10 fish.



It seems almost every day they change their pattern a little bit. Sometimes they change their depth by over 20 feet the next day. We just have to go hunt for them. That's where the excitement comes from. Casting out then hitting a log. But then the log starts to run away.



Like Chris said, you need to run away from the muddy water and try to find something clear enough to see your lure a foot down minimum.



So since all the striper have gone over the damn, come on out and book a trip with us and let's go catch some Striped Bass.

Funny stuff man total t-fly! great post in the top 3 you have ever done imo!!!

I like your style!

Its easier for us amateurs to say all the fish went over the spill so thats why we don't catch fish

"The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated" - Big Tex

Looks like yall caught the heck out of the .01 % remaining fish. Great pics and report. Good job on tuff tuff condition!

Solid Post! Good job.

Happy 16th Birthday Cody!



It was a Road Runner Day. The weird shiny silver fish kept eating them.

One Birthday present that he will never forget! Nice fish.

Great job. Wish i had time to get on the lake

Lake Texoma is an amazing Striped Bass lake and obviously can handle all that Mother Nature can throw at her and then bounce back quickly with lots of nice stripers. Enjoyed the read and photos!