This has always been an interesting thing I’ve wondered this lake. Texoma has the depth and the rocky structure to support Walleye, and it gets quite a bit colder up there so I think they would be able to spawn. They haven’t been stocked since the 70s, but several of the lakes in Oklahoma just north of there with spillways that eventually feed into the red River have Walleye and saugeye. We haven’t had a major flood event in a little while, but I’ve always wondered if there are remnants of spawning populations or if some have ever shown up after the major flood events in past years. Anyone ever run across one?

where it came from but TPWD shows lake record 3 lb walleye in 2021

1-2 occasional some years they are very rare

In the spring, after dark, they come real shallow among the rocks to spawn and feed. Up north, we would spotlight them. If they're there, you can see their eyes reflecting your flashlight/spotlight.

Oh I’ve caught plenty of them and I had done the exact same thing, they prefer rocky rivers with clear water to spawn in, sauger are a little different as they’re more accustomed to dirty water but I only run across them on rare occasions where I fish. I was just wondering what the case is on texoma. Seems they would show up with flood events, and it’s got the structure and depth for them to live. The issue when they tried to stick them way back in many Texas lakes is I don’t think it was getting cold enough for them to actually spawn. Gets a lot colder up on texoma than it does in the metroplex. They’re a slower moving fish, part of me wondered if they just turn into food for the hoards of big blue cats on that lake.

Way back in the 70's they were heavily stocked in Texoma. Shows over 10 million were stocked back then. Nothing since though.

On another note, I didn’t learn about smallmouth in that lake until I was in my teens. Was told by folks older than myself that they never heard of a smallie in the lake way back when they were younger. Haven’t checked smallie stocking records so I don’t know when they were stocked, I suppose smallmouth are more about the rocky structure and clear water than it is about the temps, but obviously when they stocked more northern fish, the smallmouth did great but the walleye not so much. The east end out there probably has more smallies than largemouth. They’re native a tad northeast of there in all those clear Ozark and ouchita mountain Rivers. I think sauger are native to Oklahoma but walleye aren’t. Id bet saugeye would do well because they tolerate the warmer temps a bit better, but there probably isn’t the need to commercially stock them with it already being a crappie, catfish, striper, and bass factory.