Since fishing Texoma on veterans day in 2017 as one of several veterans treated by Chris of Striper Express, I have wanted to go back in my boat to see how I could do. That day with Chris we found several schools of surfacing stripers and then found more along the banks and in some coves. Recently, friend Larry (TFF Lenahorse) has been fishing there frequently with a guide friend and been doing well on surfacing stripers at dawn and then catching more on deep structures after the early morning surface action stopped. So, my friend Paul and I headed out from our Cedar Creek Lake homes at 4:15 AM yesterday with high expectations.

We launched at Little Mineral boat ramp at 7:30AM and headed toward the shoreline at south end of the dam, but we quickly saw a boat show in that direction out in the middle of the lake, so we joined in. But we didn’t see any surface action – in fact we didn’t even see anyone catch a fish. Larry, who was also on the lake yesterday, later told me there was some surface action there, and it was some large white bass. Obviously, it was over by the time we arrived. Since we were in 30 + fow with a big drop-off on the east edge, we looked for fish down on the bottom using sonar and side-scan, but found none. Well, that was exemplary of what most of our day was like – searching countless structures and finding no fish.

I am a white bass structure fisherman, and, looking at a topo map of Texoma, it is loaded with good-looking structures. After searching until about 1 PM, I called Larry and asked if he had found fish. He had, but much farther up the lake. We went up there and managed to find a few (Larry was gone having already quit for the day). We ended up with 6 legal stripers to 22 inches, 2 white bass, a drum and a short striper up there. We caught them on #4 Mepps, 2/5 oz Little Cleo and white 2 oz. slab. I caught 2 of the stripers and had another pull off just before we quit. Most of the day we were burning the Mepps up on long drags and then letting it fall to the bottom. On these last two I tried reeling it up 3 turns medium speed and stopping, letting it fall back to the bottom, wait for 3 seconds and repeat. That’s when I caught two and had a 3rd one pull-off.

By this time my back was killing me having spent so much time bending over to watch and adjust the electronics, so we headed back to the ramp stopping to check a couple of more structures on the way.

One more good thing to report is that after going to the boat show at start of day, we headed to the south side of the dam where Larry had said the early morning surface action had been (But according to Larry, was not there yesterday). We fished along the shore there and would occasionally see a good fish chase a shad to the surface. In one of those instances I happened to be ready to cast and cast the #4 Mepps right on top of the splash. Immediately I had a good fish on the line. I worked it in thinking for sure it was a nice striper only to see a beautiful smallmouth bass appear. It measured 20 inches and was my 1st ever smallmouth. We fished there a little longer and I had a nice one on that pulled off.

For the day we had just 12 countable fish (we had caught a few 7 inch stripers and a small perch) – not the hundred I had pictured in my mind.

Learnings: Texoma is MUCH bigger than you realize looking at a topo map, and it has countless structures that look like they ought to hold fish. There are obviously enormous amounts of dead water – where you will not find fish. So, to be able to get proficient there on your own, you will need many trips there to learn all the spots where fish typically are. Since I don’t live close enough to do that, when I go again, I will either go with a guide or a local fisherman who knows the lake well. Nevertheless, we had an enjoyable trip just to be outdoors and on the water.

Here are a couple of pics (My apologies to Paul for not getting a pic of him with fish)

The 22 inch striper


The 20 inch smallmouth

Hey was thinking of going up there myself, the fishing show this morning Jacob Orr said they were using 2 oz slab's .

Nice post Dennis. You experienced the same thing Rob, Greg and I did Tuesday. We were able to join in a drift between two guide boats down by the RR bridge. We were using similar slabs and working them the same way but we only caught one while they caught 8-10. Between Rob and I we have been fishing Texoma for over 20 years and felt we could find them, but we didn't this last trip. DIdn't know Larry had been fishing Texoma lately or would have given him a call. From what I have been told the surfacing is at different locations from day to day and you just have to be in the right place at the right time.
Congrats on getting a smallie, I got my first one Tuesady.

Big Tex kicked my butt today too ! I was watching the live scope when slabbing and watched the stripes follow it up and down. Had live bait going as well and caught 1 14 incher on shad. All of this fantastic action was over at the dam for me too. What a morning! I hope that it is this incoming hurricane making it tough, and not that I am just a awful fisherman LOL !

Just dreaming on what days next week I can go back! It's an addiction going there to me.

Awesome post and some nice fish. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful smallmouth ! That was almost worth the long drive.

That's a nice smallie, DC. Congrats! Smallie pulled drag like they say... Pound for pound one of the hardest pullers?
1P striper fishing humbled me many times cuz they roamed too much and don't resort to structures much. Top water is pretty exciting but often more lucky than skills imo lol.

Awesome report DC, and great looking smallie. Your guaranteed a boat show every Saturday and Sunday of the summer on Texoma this time of year. My advice would be to stay away from them. Typically it's surfacing action, and with that many boats they head back down pretty fast. The great thing about Texoma is there is structure all over the lake to fish. Here's one of my graph pics from this past Thursday. Don't be afraid to look deeper then you'd expect to find them especially later in the day.

Congrats on the smallie, DC

great report D.C. Texoma can be tough if you don't go there very often. Nice small mouth bass

Nicely done Dennis. Congrats on a nice small mouth!

Great post Dennis,