(No fish in the water is safe from me!)

Today was TFF member Mike, SN- HereFishy's Birthday. So we decided to go on a road trip for something new for him, and me. We wanted to go somewhere that we had not been to. So, it was either go to Cedar Creek and load up on some slab crappie, or, Lake Texoma for some Striper, then Crappie. The Crappie never crossed our minds after today's epic expedition. I chatted with the Striper Whisperer Chris Carey (StripersExpress.com) via text. -He is all about artificial lures, and when I asked what they are hitting, he said Chartreuse Sassy Shads and fish deep. Well, the sassy shads are right up my alley and I love throwing them, especially at Hubbard for the Hybrids.

After we decided to go to Texoma, my video guy, Corey called and asked if I was going fishing today. Long story short, I picked him up on the way out there and all three of us got to the lake at 645 and were idling out to the main lake.

This is the first time I have taken my boat out to Texoma. Man, did I forget how much deeper it is than my surrounding lakes near Dallas. I had to figure out my Humminbird all over again. Everything on the screen is much smaller when it's 50-60 ft deep. I think it took me 15-20 mins of driving around to tweak the unit and figure out what I was looking at, then it was game on!

At 715 am all three of us had an over in the boat at the first stop. Within 6 casts total.



The birds helped us out sometimes by locating the schools of shad and fish busting through them. There was a lot of topwater action the first 30-45 mins. Then all the fish dropped to 10-35 ft. Only bad thing was waiting for the lure to hit the 35 ft mark. But when it did:











By 9 am we had boated over 30 OVERS!

I have to say, for the first time on the lake in my boat, it was a great day. If we got out of 50 ft of water, after 9 am, the fish were not there ( at least where we looked and fished ). 50-60 ft of water from 0 ft- 35 ft of water was key.

For Mikes birthday, I put him on his personal best Striper 28 inches. For Corey, I put him on his personal best Striper 29 inches. For me, I put myself on my own person best, 32 inches! Out of respect for these huge & beautiful fish, all 25 plus inch fish are still swimming as we speak.

Sounds like a good day huh? Well, it only got better!

At 10 or 11 am, the fish disappeared, but we would find some here and there, but it got boring, action wise. So, I asked Mike, if he had ever caught a Smallmouth Bass...? He said no. And, I knew Corey had never caught one. Well, I pretty much knew where they lived and how to catch them from beating the banks and fishing out of my One Man Pontoon boat.



About noon, we re rigged for smallmouth and largemouth. Big Big boulders next to a severe drop off and I'm talking about 6 ft dropping to 20+ ft almost instantly. However, we did catch a few on some flats, but they were smaller and more scarce. Biggest was just over 4 lbs. I think we landed close to 20 quality smallies.













( I do not guide at Lake Texoma, so please dont ask. Its to far to tow a boat and not logical in a 18 ft boat with the waves the lake makes. If you are looking to hit up Texoma, IMO, StriperExpress.com is my 1st choice. Prob because I have never gone out with anyone else... -no need to)

Wow!!!....I've got to get up there. Nice report.

Great report and awesome job. Not very many people can figure out a lake and produce fish like you did on the first outing.Congrats on yalls PB and smallmouth. Im just glad that my birthday is coming up!!

Nice job Carey. No fish can hide from you!

Very nicely done, Carey!! The water looks calm on the big pond

I tought him everything he knows!!! LOL..

Happy birthday mike and Hell of a job to you guys. Looks like a great trip! Hats off to Carey!! Can't give someone a better birthday gift!!

Very nice report of a great day on the lake

Nice bunch of fish especially for the first time. Will be out with Chris next week fishing with my brother, hope the catching holds up.

Nice trip Carey, Mike and Corey. Ya'll had a heck of a time. Texoma is GOOD right now. Blue and white or Blue and silver 2 oz slabs are what we got ours on. Didn't get but a few with the chart slabs. . Nice looking smallmouths too.
Didn't happen to hook a ABU 7000 rod and reel combo up there that my bro dropped in the lake did you? LOL

Thanks for the report.

dont listen to any of this people there are no big stripers biting, algae has killed the lake and most of the guides so dont bother coming here go to twok nice report and due to your report i'm going smallie fishing today!

"EPIC" trip for sure. I didn't think there were that many smallies total in the lake.

Great report and catch!!! I was out there yesterday as well, think I saw you guys. Three of us caught our overs before 8:30. Couldn't get our limits on unders because every fish we boated was over. Small fish of the day was 22" and largest 29". Great day yesterday.

Good job!

You know, my birthday's coming up! lol Very nice, Carey.

It was fun being out there, but he forgot to mention that it felt like a 5 degrees on the water. I think I just thawed out.

Awesome day! Epic is right.
Great picts and report.
WTG Corey, Mike and Carey

Love those smallmouth

nice smallies. look pretty big.

Oh Yeah? My birthday is next Wednesday! so there!

Wow! Looks like the trip of a lifetime. Thanks for the report and pics.

Nice!! ..no Bday here but Christmas is right around the corner.

My My My what more can a young man ask for,when I got to go out with the best guide for multi-species of fish on my birthday. The morning was burrrrrrr cold but the fishing was super fantastic. I have never been fishing and had to throw over 90% of the fish caught back because they were over the size limit. Carey is the man!!! I am so thankful to have a friend with such great skills @ fishing. We had a blast catching huge stripers and watching our lines double over while listening to the fish rip drag off our reels.Then we shifted gears and fish the bluffs and cliffs targeting Smallies,and the high flying action was on as these aggressive fish displayed their air born head shaking skills trying to toss that hook.What a awesome heart racing,head shaking,mouth dropping,eye bucking good time we had. Although he is not guiding Texoma he sure knew how to figure the lake out quickly. Be sure to book other trips with him because you wont be disappointed. Thanks for a such an explosive fishing experience Carey.

Nice pics and write up, Carey. Looks like everyone had a blast...