As the seasons turn, all things turn. Life springs forth, grows, evolves, flowers and decays to repeat again yet, in a different way. Each cycle is unique. Everything we know is shaped in some way by this turning, the fish are no exception. Having fished my entire life on Lake Texoma I have watched many seasons come and pass, following the fish in their response all along the way. The fish are great teachers for me, they teach me patience and to listen to them, to be aware of the conditions, to know when to move and when to wait, and where to look. They teach me compassion in taking their lives in a peaceful way, and they are always teaching me humility, in all that I learn, there are always days that the fish remind me of how little I really know.


It is now autumn, all the familiar patterns of the season are showing, its getting cooler, some leaves are turning and falling from the trees, and the birds have arrived at Lake Texoma in great numbers. The birds have been one of the more reliable patterns to watch for in locating the fish but are not always reliable as they sometimes point only to loons and cormorants. Seeing thousands of seagulls worked into a feeding frenzy along with the fish adds a new layer of excitement to the experience. Once found, you can use slabs, swim baits, or live bait to catch fish. We have been using mostly slabs and catching a great number of fish on the majority of trips. Though most of the fish we are bringing in are small, there are a still a good number of nice sandbass and medium sized stripers to fill the box with the occasional larger striper to be found here and there. These feeding frenzies usually take place of a morning and again of an evening though you may encounter one at anytime throughout the day. Using a fish call (beating the water with a broken rod) may work to get them worked up into a feeding frenzy if you do not find any actively feeding.







What makes this autumn unique is that we are following a flood from last year which has turned over the populations of fish in the lake. Not all but a lot of our larger fish made their way out to sea (aka the Red River and surrounding waterways) while they left behind a bountiful population of their offspring which are now getting to a harvestable size. We also got a large influx of sandbass which we received from lakes that overflowed in our watershed. To add to that, we have had and explosion in the shad population after laying their eggs in the tree tops last year and having plenty of room to hide to avoid predators. It was not long ago when our shad were all but eliminated in cold weather die off in the early part of 2014. Lake Texoma has been through a lot of changes since then with the flood and it is poised for some really abundant fishing in the coming years. It is amazing to live the ebb and flow through the cycles and turning of the seasons from abundance to scarcity and back again. It is quite the journey and I am blessed to have opportunity to make a career out of something I greatly enjoy. I am grateful for the fish and I am grateful for all of the people who choose to come out with me to share in the experience.


With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner it is a great time to get on the water while the kids are out of school, family is in town, and the fish are biting. With the populations I'm seeing, we should experience some really good fishing all through fall and winter. You can check availability and book your trip online at www.stripersinc.com or give me a call at (903)815-1609 and I'll be happy to get you setup to schedule a trip or to purchase a gift certificate for a Christmas gift. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Your Lake Texoma Fishing Guide,
Brian Prichard
Stripers Inc.
www.stripersinc.com
(903)815-1609

Good post Brian.

Awesome post. Thanks for sharing.

Best post I've read today. Nice write-up and photos. Thanks for sharing.