About a year ago I made a post about Texoma beating me up. Friend Paul and I had spent a day there trying to find and catch stripers. We caught just 12 total fish, I was exhausted from looking at structures, and I hadn’t scratched the surface of inspecting structures on that monster lake. I determined then that I needed to go back and spend a week learning the lake. Well, I spent this past week doing my best to do that. I’ll give you a summary of the results then give a day to day account.

Summary: In the 5 days we caught about 425 fish – mostly stripers, one smallmouth, several drum, quite a few white bass, 2 short hybrids, and a 2 lb channel cat. At Texoma, the striper categories are “overs” – meaning 20 inches or longer, and “box fish” – which are all stripers under 20 inches and big enough to keep and eat. For the week we had 77 overs and the number trended upward through the week as we learned where and how to catch them. Clearly, the goal is to find and catch overs. Our best overs day was Friday – 30 overs with biggest at 26 inches. The biggest one of the week was etu’s friend Bob’s 28 inch striper caught on Thursday and shown here:


I went geared up with all sizes of Mepps to entice the stripers, but we got surprised. The lure that worked for us was NOT the Mepps. I’ll wait to the end of this report to share that interesting news.

Monday
Friend Cliff and I started from Lighthouse Marina in Little Mineral cove (where I rented a cabin and boat slip). Searching structure there we found some down in 30 fow and caught 2 overs and a big drum. He caught a few that day on a Little George, and I caught mine on a Magnum Mepps. We saw a lot more down on the bottom, but they would not take the various Mepps I was throwing at them. We went west to north island and caught a few box fish and one more over. We came in at 1:15 PM and went back out at 4 PM (too soon for fish and too hot for us). About 6 pm other anglers started showing up north of north island. We caught 17 fish mostly surface schooling fish. We finished up at a nice structure just east of north island where the bottom drops off into the deep. It was there we saw fish on sides-can but couldn’t get fish to bite. After trying various lures, just before we had to leave, we found a lure that would catch them. We caught one more over - 4 for the day. We worked the lure up from the bottom if fish were under us and cast out to them if they were to the side. We’d let the lure fall to the bottom or most of the way down, then retrieve it up in short and long bursts. We left at 8:20 PM.

Tuesday
Cliff and I started south of the RR Bridge. A lot of guide boats showed up - on the west bank, so we joined them – very close to shore. We caught 4 overs there then spent the last hour near the east Bank south of RR bridge, where we found them surfacing. Caught box fish on top and sandies and one hybrid on bottom under them. Total morning haul was 4 overs, 14 box, 8 sandies, a 19 inch hybrid, and 2 nice size drum. Started at 6:30 and stopped at noon.
Went back out from 5:30 to 8:15 PM and caught 32 more: 8 overs to 24 in, 22 box, a white bass and a short hybrid. All just north of north island. The last hour was on the drop-off east of north island. We caught 7 overs on that structure.

Wednesday
Cliff and I started at 6:30 at the dam, but no action. So, we went back to the south of the RR bridge, and the guide boats were back along the west shoreline. Caught some there and then followed the congregation of guide boats as they followed the fish 30 ft deep in 40 to 60 fow. Chris Carey called and said he was on schooling fish out west, so we went there and caught the last few for the morning. We caught 36 that morning with 8 overs. Back out at 5:30 PM at that same spot and found them schooling. Caught several there, then finished the evening at north edge of north island where we also found schooling fish. Caught 55 that afternoon including 11 overs. Ninety one fish and 19 overs for the day for the two of us.

Thursday
Friend etu Ed and his friend Bob fished with me that day. On the way out of Little Mineral cove we ran into schooling fish. We caught only a few box fish then headed for south of RR bridge again – on west shoreline. Caught mostly box fish and sandies there plus a smallmouth bass, then followed boats straight across to the east side south of the RR bridge. No surface action at first – but found fish down on structure and caught some. Then saw boats going into the cove on the east side so we joined the crowd. Fish were deep and boats were leap-frogging one another trying to keep up with them. When we were on them (sonar and side scan) we caught fish. That went on for an hour then panned out. We went back to the place on east side I had caught them on Wednesday, and they were there. Caught mostly sandies and box fish there. Ended morning with 107 with 3 overs. Went in for lunch break at Highport and got back out about 5 PM. Found them schooling north of north island at 5:30. Caught 17 box fish, 9 overs including the 28 inch one. For the day we had 171 caught: 120 box, 12 overs to 28 in, 34 white bass, 3 drum, a short hybrid, and a smallmouth bass.

Friday
Friend Larry Lenahorse and his friend Guy fished with me. Like the day before we ran into some schooling fish in the mouth of Little Mineral. Guy caught an over right off. Caught several more then headed straight to the west side south of RR bridge. A number of guide boats were there, but no one was catching. Gradually they all went to the east side. I went there too to the place where we had seen them schooling the previous 2 days. Stumbled into a small school and caught a few including an over of two. We kept seeing boats go into the cove on east side, so we followed them. Like the day before the fish were deep with an occasional surface break. We followed the fish and caught multiple overs and box fish. Headed toward the islands and found fish schooling on Washita Point. Caught overs and box fish there. Ended morning at 11 am with 54 fish including 23 overs. Went back out at 4 PM and fished til we got too hot at 6:15 PM. We never saw any surface fish but found them on the same structure as the day before north of north island. We caught 33 more including 7 overs. For the day we had 87 fish with 30 overs.

The surprise lure
Near the end of Monday, we finally found the lure that would catch fish when we were on them –a nickle-colored Little Cleo spoon. Size 2/5 oz was the best, but we also caught them on 1/3 oz and 2/3 oz sizes. I cannot explain why Mepps would not work. The shad were small, so after trying #4 Mepps, I tried #2 and never got a bite. Never caught a fish on a 4 or a 2. Maybe it is just the species of fish. I have had good success with Little Cleos in the past at Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Livingston – for sand bass. My guests quickly switched to Little Cleos after I kept catching them on it – even Larry’s friend Guy, who is a regular at Texoma. So, you guys who fish primarily for stripers, I offer this new bit of intel. Let me know if you have similar results.
My thanks to Chris Carey and to Lenahorse Larry for their suggestions prior to the trip.




This one caught on a Magnum Mepps:

Thanks a lot for the invite to be a part of your week one of my best trips, I have letdowns today! We all need to do another ASAP

Good way to spend a week, and a great post.

Just goes to show you…………..you can’t keep a good man down !

What a great week and congrats! You are so creative and determine and a heck of an angler, DC
Sorry I can't make it.

Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for the intel on the little Cleo! I’ve had trouble catching them on the Mepps as well. Have used slabs, cranks, swim baits and Mepps. Looking forward to giving the little Cleo a try.

Dennis, I can't express enough thanks for letting me fish with you Monday thru Wed. I had a great time and as usual learned a ton from you. My first time on Texoma, but I'll be back !

Maybe we should all try and put a multiple boat trip together during one of the "better months" as we were told that last week was "not an opportune" time of the year.

Dennis C is one of the best guys I have ever known. Not only can he fish, but he is a fine man of God and always willing to give himself for others. May the Lord continue to bless him and and pour out His abundant Grace upon Dennis for many years to come.

With greatest admiration and thanks Dennis.

Sincerely,

cliff

Double all that Cliff!
Glad you like Texoma it is my #1 place to fish and I have been going all my life there


Picture from 1956 then Preston Fishing Camp now Lighthouse , this was to the left in the main driveway from Dennis's cabin.

Cliff I would love your idea of a multiple boat trip this fall.

Awesome report thank you! I have never found a lure that works great at Texoma all year. I will definitely add that to my Arsenal…

I would love to be part of a multi boat trip and have a chance to meet you all. I had a trip planned years ago (2016) to fish with Dennis and it never got around to it. Then moved to Michigan. I’m back in Texas now and would love to fish a fall day.

Lets duit this Fall. I love Nov and December at bigT.
Larry you were a puppy in 1956? I am sure you meant 1966 or 1976 1986.

Here's a strawman idea for multi-boat trip. Sandwich it around Nov 11, which is Veterans Day. That's when Striper Express has special trip out for veterans. Perhaps we could take some out as well on the 11th, and fish with one another on the day before or/and after. Rent a cabin that will handle all of us and stay 2 or 3 days - Wed -Fri Nov 10 -12. Add your thoughts and improvements.

My thoughts are go!

Solid post and solid fish. Good job.