Winter Fishing Report: Bass, Cats, and Crappie Bites on Lake Tenkiller, Oklahoma

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to fishin' guide here in the heart of Lake Tenkiller country, Oklahoma. It's a crisp winter mornin' on January 7th, 2026, with sunny skies ahead and highs pushin' near 52°F after last night's chill—perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the water. Sunrise was at 7:24 AM, sunset 'round 5:22 PM, givin' ya a solid 10 hours of daylight to chase bites. No tides here on this beauty of a lake, but the Illinois River feedin' in from upstream at Chewey is runnin' steady at about 393 cfs with a gauge height of 3.08 feet, down just 2% from yesterday per USGS reports—stable flows mean fish are holdin' predictable.

Fish activity's pickin' up in this winter pattern; smallmouth bass, spotted bass, and channel catfish are active in the clearer shallows, with recent reports from local anglers haulin' in limits of 2-4 pound smallies and strings of cats up to 10 pounds. Striped bass are schooled deep near the dam, and crappie are stackin' in brush piles—folks been limitin' out on 'em last week. Best lures right now? Jerkbaits and small swimbaits in shad patterns for bass, or hair jigs under a bobber for crappie. Live bait shines too—minnows or cut shad for cats and stripers, worms for panfish. Water temps hoverin' low 40s, so slow your retrieve and target 15-25 feet.

Hot spots? Hit the bluffs near Burnt Cabin Point for smallmouth—drop a jig off those rocky points. Or try the Standing Rock area by the Illinois River inlet; catfish are prowlin' there with the steady inflow. Boat ramps at Stray Dog Landing and Chicken Creek are prime launches.

Y'all stay safe out there, watch for cedar fever pollen spikin' this time of year, and respect bag limits.

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more Tenkiller tips! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI