Fishing in Oklahoma
Corps and GRDA reservoirs from Texoma to Grand Lake, trout below Broken Bow and city ponds in every metro, with ODWC limits for each water.
Search a town, county, lake or bait shop
- 162lakes
- 27rivers
- 270ramp pages
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Oklahoma reservoirs, rivers and city ponds
Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than almost any state, most of them Corps of Engineers and Grand River Dam Authority reservoirs: Lake Texoma on the Texas line, Eufaula on the Canadian, Grand Lake, Hudson and Fort Gibson on the Grand (Neosho), Keystone and Kaw on the Arkansas, Tenkiller on the Illinois, Broken Bow in the southeast timber. Trout run year-round in the Lower Mountain Fork below Broken Bow and in winter on the Blue River, while ODWC and the cities run Close to Home ponds in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and a dozen other towns.
This guide holds 162 lake and pond pages, 27 river and creek pages, 270 Corps boat ramp pages, 224 bait shops, all 77 counties and 215 towns, each with the 2026-27 ODWC limits that apply.
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Eufaula Lake
105,500 acres, McIntosh County and 3 other counties
Lake pageLake Texoma
88,000 acres, Bryan County and 3 other counties
Lake pageRobert S. Kerr Reservoir
43,800 acres, Haskell County and 2 other counties
Lake pageGrand Lake O' the Cherokees
41,749 acres, Craig County and 3 other counties
Lake pageOologah Lake
29,460 acres, Nowata and Rogers counties
Lake pageKeystone Lake
23,610 acres, Osage County and 2 other counties
Lake pageKaw Lake
23,610 acres, Kay and Osage counties
Lake pageFort Gibson Lake
19,896 acres, Wagoner County and 2 other counties
Lake pageOklahoma rivers and the trout water
Blue River
Johnston County
River pageLower Illinois River
Sequoyah County
River pageLower Mountain Fork River
McCurtain County
River pageMedicine Creek
Comanche County
River pageThe ODWC daily and size rows at a glance
| Species | Daily | Size | Footnotes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and/or Smallmouth Bass | 6 (combined) | 1 (one) over 16 inches | A |
| Spotted Bass | no daily limit | no size limit | A |
| Channel and/or Blue Catfish | 15 (combined) | Only 1 Blue Catfish over 30 inches | B |
| Flathead Catfish | 5 | no size limit | B |
| White and/or Black Crappie | 37 (combined) | no size limit | – |
| Striped Bass | 5 (except Lake Texoma) | no size limit | C |
| Striped Bass Hybrids | 20 | Only 5 fish over 20 inches | C |
| White Bass | no daily limit | no size limit | – |
| Trout | See trout regulations | no size limit | C |
| Walleye, Sauger and/or Saugeye | 6 (combined) | 14 inch minimum | – |
| Paddlefish | See paddlefish regulation | no size limit | C, D |
| Alligator Gar | 1 | no size limit | D, E |
Limits as printed on the ODWC statewide daily and size limits page (2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations (ODWC); PDF), read November 3, 2026.
Oklahoma dates and permits worth a note
- Free fishing daysFree fishing days: June 5-6, 2027; ODWC printed no 2026 dates on the pages read.
- Paddlefish rulesODWC allows 1 paddlefish a day and 2 a year, and every paddlefish angler carries a free paddlefish permit required regardless of age or exemption status.
- Texoma and border watersLake Texoma License: $12 for both sides of the lake.
- Species of special concernAlligator gar: taking or trying to take one is prohibited statewide May 1 to 31.
Heaviest rod and line records on the ODWC list
- Alligator Gar, 254 lbs 12.00 ozsTexoma, 2015
- Paddlefish, 164 lbsKeystone Lake, 2021
- Bighead Carp, 118 lbs 10.00 ozsNeosho (Grand) River, 2025
- Blue Catfish, 98 lbsTexoma, 2004
- Flathead Catfish, 78 lbs 8.00 ozsEl Reno Lake, 2010
- Carp, Grass, 68 lbs 15.20 ozsChelsea City Lake, 2008
Hiring a guide and stocking up for Oklahoma water
- Fishing guides350 listings, most on Lake Texoma, Grand Lake O' the Cherokees and Eufaula Lake
- Bait shops224 shops and marinas
- Slab spoons on Amazonfor Texoma stripers under the gulls
- Crappie jigs on Amazonfor brush piles on Grand and Eufaula
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Oklahoma pages by water type and by place
- Lakes162 lakes and ponds
- Rivers and creeks27 streams
- Countiesall 77
- Towns215 cities and towns
- Species53 fish
- Tournamentsclub trails and winners
- Water levelsCorps pools and USGS gauges
- Close to Home24 city ponds with pages
Oklahoma rules, records and directories
- Every Oklahoma water, A to Zreservoirs, ponds, rivers, counties, towns and fish on one list
- Oklahoma license and limitsODWC fees, exemptions and the twelve statewide rows
- Special regulations by areathe 74 ODWC area rules plus tailwaters
- Paddlefish rulesthe free permit, snagging gear and E-Check
- Lake Texoma and border watersthe $12 Texoma license, Red River, Spring River
- Free fishing daysthe June weekend with no state license
- Oklahoma record fishrod and line plus unrestricted divisions
- ODWC stocking reports2024 and 2025 public stockings by water
- Pool readings and gaugesUSGS lake gauges and the Corps morning report
- Trout areasMountain Fork, Lower Illinois, Blue River and the rest
- Close to Home fishingcity ponds ODWC manages with towns
- Corps boat rampsUSACE Tulsa District launches by lake
- Fishing piersCorps piers and fishing areas
- Bait and tackle shopsstores and marinas by ODWC region
- Fishing guideslicensed guides by the water they run
- Tournamentsclub trails, BFL dates and posted winners
- Species of special concernthe 30 fish limited to one a day
A photo key to the fish in Fishing in Oklahoma
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: schizoform, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain
First-trip Oklahoma fishing questions, answered from ODWC
Which Oklahoma anglers buy a license?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Oklahoma fishing license ($31 annual for residents, $81 for nonresidents in 2026). Residents 17 and younger are exempt.
Which reservoir tops the Oklahoma acreage list here?
Eufaula Lake, listed at 105,500 acres.
How many striped bass may I keep in Oklahoma?
5 (except Lake Texoma) a day; no size limit statewide; Lake Texoma has its own rule printed on its lake page.
When are the Oklahoma free fishing days?
June 5-6, 2027, as printed by ODWC; no 2026 dates were printed on the pages read.
Who sets Oklahoma fishing rules?
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC), under the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Do I need a Texas license on Lake Texoma?
Not with the $12 Lake Texoma License, which covers both sides; Oklahoma residents fishing only the Oklahoma side can use their Oklahoma license.
Where do Oklahoma anglers find trout?
In the seven ODWC trout areas, led by the year-round Lower Mountain Fork below Broken Bow, plus winter trout in Oklahoma City and Jenks ponds.
Where are Oklahoma tournaments listed?
Club trail dates, BFL stops and posted winners sit on the Oklahoma tournaments page, lake by lake.