Fishing in McClain County, Oklahoma
County seat: Purcell. Population 41,662.
- 2lake pages
- 0Corps ramps
Pick for crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Thunderbird: peggydavis66, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fishing McClain County on one screen
McClain County has Purcell as its seat and recorded 41,662 residents in 2020. County waters on the ODWC pages carry the ODWC Central Region label.
Wiley Post Memorial Lake heads a list of 2 paged lakes inside the county line. Crystal Lake Park and Veterans Park Pond (Newcastle) appear on the ODWC Close to Home roster. Recent ODWC stocking tables hold 6 stocking rows for the county.
Census 2020 population; ODWC Where To Fish pages and NHD lake outlines; USACE Tulsa District recreation features; ODWC stocking reports 2024 and 2025; read November 3, 2026.
Corps ramps and lakes of McClain County on one map
USACE Tulsa District ramp and fishing feature points; GNIS and NHD lake points; river points as noted on each river page; read November 3, 2026.
Picking a lake in McClain County
| Lake | Acres (source) | Max depth (ODWC) | Kind | Corps ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiley Post Memorial Lake | 302 (ODWC) | 18.4 ft | reservoir (City of Maysville) | 0 | black crappie, white crappie, blue catfish |
| Purcell Lake | 157 (ODWC) | 24 ft | reservoir (City of Purcell) | 0 | largemouth bass |
The next paged lakes for McClain County sit over the line; distances run from Purcell.
| Lake | From Purcell | Acres (source) | Max depth (ODWC) | Kind | Corps ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dahlgren Lake | 10 miles east | 22 (ODWC) | 19 ft | reservoir | 0 | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
| Griffin Park | 15 miles north | 4 (ODWC) | 15 ft | Close to Home water | 0 | bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish |
| Sutton Wilderness Park | 15 miles north | 14 (ODWC) | Close to Home water | 0 | largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish | |
| Lake Thunderbird | 17 miles northeast | 5,377 (ODWC) | 58 ft | reservoir (Bureau of Reclamation) | 0 | saugeye, largemouth bass, black crappie |
| Pauls Valley Lake | 19 miles southeast | 750 (ODWC) | 29.9 ft | reservoir (City of Pauls Valley) | 0 | black crappie, white crappie, flathead catfish |
| Rocky Lake (Hobart) | 20 miles northeast | 347 (ODWC) | 10.2 ft | reservoir | 0 |
Acres, depth, shoreline and volume as printed on the ODWC Where To Fish page. NHD outline acreage where ODWC prints none; ramps from the USACE Tulsa District layer; read November 3, 2026.
For the crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Neighbourhood fishing in McClain County
- Crystal Lake ParkClose to Home water
- Veterans Park Pond (Newcastle)Close to Home water
Close to Home waters are city ponds and park streams that ODWC helps manage and stock.
ODWC Close to Home fishing page, read November 3, 2026.
Fish most often listed around McClain County
Lake pages within 50 miles of Purcell were tallied by species, and channel catfish comes first.
ODWC Fish Species of Interest, stocking reports and state records, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
More McClain County lakes, listed by size
Another 2 lakes in McClain County carry a name but not enough facts for a page.
| Water | Acres (source) | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Park Pond (Newcastle) | 3 (ODWC) | |
| Crystal Lake Park | 1 (ODWC) |
ODWC Where To Fish pages and USGS NHD outlines, read November 3, 2026.
Creek fishing in McClain County
River gauges inside McClain County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Walnut Creek At Purcell, Ok | 3 cfs, 2.80 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:45 pm |
| North Criner Creek Near Criner, Ok | 0 cfs, 2.86 ft gage height | Nov 11 9:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 9:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
ODWC Where To Fish river pages, USGS GNIS names, USACE ramps and USGS gauges (live readings); read November 3, 2026.
Where ODWC hatchery fish landed in McClain County
| Year | Water | Species (as printed) | Number | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Crystal Lake Park | Channel Catfish | 60 | 9 |
| 2025 | Newcastle Veterans Pond | Channel Catfish | 100 | 18 |
| 2024 | Blanchard Crystal Lake | Channel Catfish | 60 | 16 |
| 2024 | Blanchard Crystal Lake | Hybrid Sunfish | 50 | Varies |
| 2024 | Newcastle Veterans Pond | Channel Catfish | 100 | 12 |
| 2024 | Newcastle Veterans Pond | Hybrid Sunfish | 200 | Varies |
ODWC Fisheries Division Public Stocking Reports 2024 and 2025 (2025 report, 2024 report), species abbreviations as printed (LMB = largemouth bass), read November 3, 2026.
Oklahoma keeper rules as they stand in McClain County
In McClain County, the statewide table holds except where ODWC prints a rule for a named area. An annual license from ODWC runs $31 for Oklahomans and $81 for visiting anglers.
| Species | Daily limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and/or Smallmouth Bass | 6 (combined) | 1 (one) over 16 inches |
| Spotted Bass | no daily limit | no size limit |
| Channel and/or Blue Catfish | 15 (combined) | Only 1 Blue Catfish over 30 inches |
| Flathead Catfish | 5 | no size limit |
| White and/or Black Crappie | 37 (combined) | no size limit |
| Striped Bass | 5 (except Lake Texoma) | no size limit |
| Striped Bass Hybrids | 20 | Only 5 fish over 20 inches |
| White Bass | no daily limit | no size limit |
| Trout | See trout regulations | no size limit |
| Walleye, Sauger and/or Saugeye | 6 (combined) | 14 inch minimum |
| Paddlefish | See paddlefish regulation | no size limit |
| Alligator Gar | 1 | no size limit |
Exceptions to statewide limits in McClain County (1)
| Area | Limits | Methods and restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| Purcell Lake | All crappie: no limit. | – |
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. Special regulations as printed on the ODWC Public Fishing Areas Special Regulations pages, read November 3, 2026.
Record-book weights near McClain County
The record waters closest to McClain County sit inside 70 miles.
| Species | Division | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpsucker, River | unrestricted | 11 lbs 4.48 ozs | Konawa Lake | 10/02/2021 |
| Bass, Hybrid Black | rod and reel | 8 lbs 5.60 ozs | Veterans Lake | 03/27/2006 |
| Carp, Grass | unrestricted | 77 lbs | Lake of the Arbuckles | 07/30/2002 |
| Gar, Spotted | unrestricted | 11 lbs 10.50 ozs | Lake of the Arbuckles | 03/27/2020 |
ODWC state record fish list (keeper: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation), read November 3, 2026.
Shops and guide services in McClain County
Buying bait in McClain County
- C & J Bait Cobait and tackle shop, Purcell
- Suchy Baitbait and tackle shop, Purcell
- Clifton Marinamarina, Wayne
Yellow Pages listings, ODWC Bait & Tackle Nearby lists and the ODWC licensed fishing guide list (guides matched by the waters they list), read November 3, 2026.
Close to the McClain County shoreline
Towns in McClain County with a bed and a diner
- Newcastlepop. 10,984
- Blanchardpop. 8,879
- Purcellpop. 6,651
- Goldsbypop. 2,694
- Maysvillepop. 1,087
Counties sharing a fence line with McClain County
- Cleveland County15 miles northeast
- Garvin County23 miles south
- Grady County25 miles west
- Pottawatomie County31 miles northeast
Reels from Piscifun lined up for a trip to McClain County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Reservoirs and river bends close to McClain County, in pictures
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ron Reiring, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0
Questions on the ponds and lakes of McClain County
How many boat ramps does McClain County have on the Corps list?
None of the Corps-listed ramps sit inside it; city or park launches may, and the map shows the nearest.
What is the widest reservoir reaching into McClain County?
Wiley Post Memorial Lake, at 302 acres by ODWC's figure.
Which fish do lake pages near McClain County name most?
Channel catfish top the count of lake pages within 50 miles, followed by largemouth bass, white crappie and bluegill.
Which McClain County stores sell fishing tackle?
3 shops, starting with C & J Bait Co.
Is there an ODWC-licensed guide working McClain County lakes?
No licensed guide lists water here.
In which town does the McClain County courthouse stand?
It is Purcell.
Is an Oklahoma license required on McClain County lakes and ponds?
An annual license from ODWC runs $31 for Oklahomans and $81 for visiting anglers.
Which counties touch McClain County?
Start with Cleveland County, Garvin County and Grady County.
Which McClain County areas have rules of their own?
ODWC prints 1 special regulation for areas in or by this county, starting with Purcell Lake; the table above shows each.
Which Close to Home waters are in McClain County?
Yes: Crystal Lake Park and Veterans Park Pond (Newcastle).
What do the stocking reports show for McClain County?
The 2024 and 2025 reports carry 6 rows; the newest lists 60 Channel Catfish at 9 in (2025) in Crystal Lake, Blanchard.
Choose a lake or creek in McClain County
Every ramp page starts with directions.