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Striper Fishing in Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma fishing guides and anglers that enjoy striper fishing should feel fortunate to know that if all inland fisheries departments suddenly quit stocking all lakes across the country with striper there would still be great striper fishing in Lake Texoma for a long time to come. The reason being is that Lake Texoma is one of only eight inland freshwater reservoirs worldwide where freshwater striper spawn.
Now we know fish stocking programs will continue and American lakes aren’t in danger of having the striper stock dry up anytime soon. But it is still nice to know that Lake Texoma striper species can sustain themselves indefinitely as long as the food is available without having to depend on government fisheries departments. That just gives more responsibilty to anglers and guides who love their Lake Texoma striper fishing to conserve where they can and practice catch and release if at all possible.
Lake Texoma Striped Bass Fishing
Around the month of February striped bass will migrate up the Red River and Washita River to spawn and can usually be found near the river channel in the vicinity of the Willis or Roosevelt Bridges. When they are done with their spawning run Lake Texoma fishing guides and recreational anglers interested in striped bass fishing should look near the river channel in the main part of Lake Texoma where striped bass can be taken with shad among other baits. Other lures and rigs that will produce include heavy jigs, plastic shad, live gizzard shad, and to a lesser extent some surface lures.
Striper fishing by trolling with deep running lures can also be productive. Stripers surface frequently in summer, fall, and winter, attracting diving sea gulls, who like to feed on threadfin shad. Surface baits can produce some big rod bending hits, and so can plastic shad retrieved rapidly just below the surface of the lake.
Although they are unable to spawn in most cases, freshwater stripers will still migrate into tributaries in attempts to spawn, most often in early spring. At these times, stripers are more easily found by fishermen in coves, dams, creek arms or the tributary itself. Lake Texoma striper prefer water temperatures between 60 and 68 F but can tolerate a wide range of temperatures as evidenced by their native and introduced range.
Striper fishing in Lake Texoma and other freshwater lakes and reservoirs can be a difficult task due to their nomadic nature. The use of live baits, cut bait, jigging, casting, and trolling can all bring success once the fish are found. Because stripers will roam open water in search of food, trolling is an often-used technique, and the use of electronic fish finding gear can give an angler or fishing guide a little help in finding not only stripers but also the schools of baitfish that they feed upon.
Interesting Facts about Lake Texoma Fishing:
- Lake Texoma all time record striper: Weight – 35.12 pounds caught by Terry Harber in Apr 25, 1984
- Total surface area of Lake Texoma is: 74,686 acres
- Lake Texoma’s deepest point is: 100 feet
| Striped Bass | |
| Other Names: | Striper, Rockfish, Lineside (Scientific – Morone saxatilis) |
| Physical Description: | Striped bass are the largest members of the temperate bass family. They are primarily anadromous, which means they live in a saltwater habitat and migrate to freshwater only to spawn. Landlocked striped bass introduced in freshwater systems are the exception to this rule. The body color of striped bass is olive-green, blue-gray or bluish-black on the top with silver sides and a white belly. It is easily identified by its seven or eight black stripes that run horizontally along its sides. Fins are dusky silver color, except for the white pelvic fins. Young striped bass may not have the horizontal stripes or they may be interrupted. Striped bass also have two distinct dorsal fins. The first has seven to 12 stiff spines, which make this fin taller than the second. The second dorsal fin has only one stiff spine with eight to 14 soft rays. Stripers also have a forked tail. Many freshwater anglers have difficulty distinguishing striped bass from white bass and hybrids. The stripes on the striper are solid, unbroken and most will extend all the way to the tail. On whites and wipers, the stripes are faint and only one will extend to the tail on each side. Striped bass also have a longer, sleeker body and a larger head than white bass and hybrid. In addition, striped bass have two tooth patches on the tongue, as opposed to one. |
| Range: | Just about all US Ocean waters are teeming with Striped bass. They are found along the East Coast, Gulf Coast, and West Coast. They can be found in the San Francisco Bay to the Chesapeake Bay which is almost 4000 miles away. There have been numerous attempts to introduce striped bass into inland waters of the United States. Some states, such as Texas, have had much success. One particular lake in Texas is the well known Lake Texoma where striper thrive. Survival and growth of stocked stripers depend heavily on an abundance of food species, primarily threadfin or gizzard shad, as well as plenty of deep water. Most inland waters lack the spawning conditions stripers require, so they must be maintained through continued stocking programs. The lone lake in the Lone Star State that striper can successfully spawn and sustain themselves in is Lake Texoma. All other Texas lakes must be restocked to maintain the striper population. |
| Feeding Habits: | Young striped bass favor zooplankton and move to freshwater shrimp and midge larvae as they grow. Adult striped bass are known for ravenous appetites and predatory feeding habits. In salt water, the bulk of their diet is small fish such as herring, menhaden, flounder, silversides, and eels. They also consume significant quantities of worms, squid, and crabs. Land-locked freshwater stripers feed almost exclusively on large shad and minnow species, although they will consume mayflies (where available) when hatching near the surface. |
| Sporting Qualities: | Striped bass can be caught using virtually every fishing technique known (casting, trolling, jigging and fly-fishing) using nearly any type of bait or lure. |
| Habitat: | The striped bass or “striper” is native to most of the East Coast, ranging from the lower St. Lawrence River in Canada to northern Florida, and along portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Stripers inhabit the whole coast surf, inshore bars, reefs, tide rips, bays and estuaries. Stripers are particularly active in areas with tidal and current flows and in the wash of breaking waves. Striper only venture into freshwater to spawn. But there are many lakes across the country where striper have been introduced or stocked. These are land-locked striper and the population must be restocked because a landlocked freshwater striper can not spawn. Lake Texoma has river and tributary access and striper move up river from the Gulf to spawn. But Lake Texoma is one of only 8 lakes where striper have successfully spawned. |
Contact Lake Texoma Fishing Guide
Fossil Creek Guide Service Contact Information
Rick Sproat (Guide) and Betsy Sproat
– 1-214-276-2961
– Use our Contact Form or our Reservation Form
Fri Jun 1, 112
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Fishing Reports
Rick will be updating his Lake Texoma striper fishing reports on a regular basis and you may read about all the exciting fishing he is doing. Fishing Reports will be up-to-date with a report on all the previous week’s great striper fishing.
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