Fished it today and it looked about as good as I've seen it in a decade; you could actually see the bottom in the shallows. I didn't stay very long; about 2 hours, got wet and cold and couldn't feel my hands so I loaded up and went home without a bite. It used to be a DD producer and I still think it could be. As long as it stays like it is as far as water clarity, it ought to be worth some effort to see if it will produce again. Shoot me a message if you decide to go, you'll need some navigation instructions. Lots of stumps and shallow flats to avoid.

its been pretty dead for 4+ years. NO vegetation, muddy water... yuck. I live about 15 minutes from it. After the 5th biteless trip I gave up. I catch more bass in Lake Cooper.

I live about 15 minutes from it as well. I went 2 or 3 times last year and boated a 3 pounder out of it on one trip. I think everything you mentioned plus the predatory birds have put a dent in it. It’s just been so muddy that even if you put lures in front of fish it would be hard for them to find them. It has enough clarity now it might fish a little better.

I fished that lake first about 15 years ago. The first time I fished it I caught a 9.2. Since then I've drew blanks almost every time. It's a tough little lake to fish.

If I remember some guy from out of state.caught a 14 outa there few years ago. We fished it a lot but haven't been on it in a while

Cooper amazes me on the amount of white bass that are in it. Very untapped resource for fishing fun. My son loves going there... it's nonstop action on pretty much any hump or ledge you fish.

Yep, guy from MN. I fished it in late March 2004 and had a decent day. Caught a 7 and a few approaching 5 lbs. Sorry to hear it's declined. Nice little lake.

I kept hearing about that place and went ten years ago. Pulled up and it was a mud hole. Caught one fish all day. What happened to kill the grass and lily pads out there?

Always pass this place on the drive to OK and wondered if it was public. Sounds like a better place for ducks than fish.

It's the water supply lake for the city of Cooper and Delta County, they treated the weeds a few years ago to my understanding to help with the water quality. It still has weeds along the edges and that missing vegetation has probably affected the population, but personally I think the pelicans and cormorants have probably done most of the damage. They come over from Cooper Lake to rest or roost and I think they are feeding on the captive audience while they are there.
I saw some guys catch some crappie out of it yesterday, so I know it's holding that species.

The thing it I've noticed it is missing is a healthy population of shad, though I have seen a large gizzard shad washed up on the shore, so I know there has to be at least some bait fish present.
I think the mud is also affecting the microbial growth as well because sunlight can't penetrate the water very deep. It needs a healthy growth of hydrilla or something along those lines to help filter the water on the upper ends of the lake and it would clear up quite a bit.
It was one of the best lakes in this part of the country to catch a DD bass about 10 years ago. I know a lot of people that have caught DD's out of it, unfortunately I'm not one of them.

Oh back in the day. It was a fantastic little lake. Coon tail, hydroplane, Lilly pads and Big Bass. Then the drought and maybe over spraying killed virtually all the vegetation and the turbidity set up and boom. Fishing died. No oxygen. And it’s been terrible for years

I hope it will snap back one of these days. But not counting on it

Oh back in the day. It was a fantastic little lake. Coon tail, hydrilla, Lilly pads and Big Bass. Then the drought and maybe over spraying killed virtually all the vegetation and the turbidity set up and boom. Fishing died. No oxygen. And it’s been terrible for years

I hope it will snap back one of these days. But not counting on it

Me too!

How many of y’all are talking about Big Creek and how many are talking about Jim Chapman AKA: Cooper?

Big Creek used to be awesome, deep hydrilla and big bass