Fishing in Washington County, Oklahoma
County seat: Bartlesville. Population 52,455.
- 1lake pages
- 3Corps ramps
- 1river pages
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Facts first on fishing Washington County
At the 2020 Census Washington County held 52,455 residents, with county government seated in Bartlesville. Most of its ODWC Where To Fish waters and stocking lines fall under the ODWC Northeast Region.
By surface acres, Copan Lake tops the 1 lake pages for the county. The Close to Home list includes Lee Lake. The USACE recreation layer counts 3 Corps-listed ramps here. Shore access runs to 2 fishing piers and areas; 2 of those are piers. ODWC stocking reports for 2024 and 2025 carry 1 stocking row 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.
Plotting where Washington County anglers get wet
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.
Reservoirs inside Washington County
| Lake | Acres (source) | Max depth (ODWC) | Kind | Corps ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copan Lake | 4,850 (ODWC) | 33.5 ft | reservoir (U.S. Corps of Engineers) | 3 | largemouth bass, black crappie, white crappie |
Few lake pages fall inside Washington County, so the closest ones past its line are measured from Bartlesville.
| Lake | From Bartlesville | Acres (source) | Max depth (ODWC) | Kind | Corps ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Hudson | 8 miles northwest | 11,029 (ODWC) | 65 ft | reservoir (Grand River Dam Authority) | 0 | largemouth bass, black crappie, white crappie |
| Hudson Lake (Bartlesville) | 8 miles northwest | 268 (ODWC) | 38.3 ft | reservoir | 0 | |
| Hulah Lake | 15 miles northwest | 2,635 (ODWC) | 20.2 ft | reservoir (U.S. Corps of Engineers) | 0 | largemouth bass, white bass, black crappie |
| Lake Waxhoma | 15 miles southwest | 128 (ODWC) | 39.9 ft | reservoir | 0 | |
| Sunset Lake | 16 miles west | 10 (ODWC) | reservoir | 0 | channel catfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout | |
| Birch Reservoir | 19 miles southwest | 1,137 (ODWC) | 52.5 ft | reservoir (U.S. Corps of Engineers) | 0 | largemouth bass, striped hybrid bass, channel catfish |
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.
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- Lee LakeClose to Home water
City partners and ODWC keep these Close to Home waters open to anglers.
ODWC Close to Home fishing page, read November 3, 2026.
Species roll call for lakes near Washington County
Bars show how many lake pages near Bartlesville (inside 50 miles) name each fish; channel catfish tops it.
ODWC Fish Species of Interest, stocking reports and state records, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
Lakes of Washington County still short of a full guide
A further 1 named lakes of Washington County are listed here only.
| Water | Acres (source) | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Lake |
ODWC Where To Fish pages and USGS NHD outlines, read November 3, 2026.
Moving water across Washington County
- Caney River3 USGS gauges
Streams of Washington County listed here only (1)
- Little Caney Riverriver
Creek and river levels in Washington County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Caney River Above Coon Creek At Bartlesville, Ok | 15 cfs, 2.99 ft gage height | Nov 13 12:00 am |
| Caney River Near Ramona, Ok | 14 cfs, 2.43 ft gage height | Nov 12 11:57 pm |
| Caney River At Tuxedo Blvd At Bartlesville, Ok | 5.21 ft gage height | Nov 12 11:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 12:34 am 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.
Trailer-friendly ramps inside Washington County
- Copan Point Boat RampCopan Lake, 2 lanes, concrete, courtesy dock, USACE use fee
- Osage Plains Boat Ramp on Copan LakeCopan Lake, 1 lane, concrete, courtesy dock
- Washington Cove Boat Ramp on Copan LakeCopan Lake, 2 lanes, concrete, courtesy dock, USACE use fee
Other public launches exist outside the Corps layer.
Piers anglers use in Washington County
- Copan Point Fishing Pierfishing pier
- Prairie Pond Fishing Pier on Copan Lakefishing pier
USACE Tulsa District recreation features (boat ramp layer, inventory year 2021), read November 3, 2026. USACE Tulsa District recreation features (fishing feature layer), read November 3, 2026.
Reservoir stage notes for Washington County
| Lake | Pool elevation | Previous reading | Top of conservation pool | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copan Lake | 708.97 ft | 708.86 ft | 710.0 ft | 03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT |
These are single morning readings from the Corps report, not live levels; the report prints no datum.
USACE Tulsa District Daily Morning Reservoir Report, reading of 03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT (one dated reading, not live; feet as printed, datum not printed).
Stocking in Washington County
| Year | Water | Species (as printed) | Number | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lee Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,235 | 9 |
ODWC Fisheries Division Public Stocking Reports 2024 and 2025 (2025 report, 2024 report), species abbreviations as printed (LMB = largemouth bass), read November 3, 2026.
Creel and length limits for Washington County water
Unless ODWC posts an area rule for a water, Washington County lakes and streams follow the statewide rows below. A year on Oklahoma water costs $31 with a resident license or $81 with the nonresident annual.
| 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 |
In rivers and streams: black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted): six combined per day, only one of which may be a smallmouth bass. Largemouth and smallmouth bass must be 14 inches or longer. No size limit on spotted bass.
Washington County waters that carry posted rules (1)
| Area | Limits | Methods and restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| Caney River | statewide limits | Prohibited methods: Bowfishing prohibited from Hulah dam downstream 1,200 feet to the reregulation dam, gigs, spears, spearguns, and snagging prohibited from Hulah dam downstream to the confluence of old and new river channels. (Also see “Tailwaters” regulations.) |
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.
Oklahoma record lines near Washington County
For Washington County, the closest record catches came from the waters below.
| Species | Division | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddlefish | rod and reel | 164 lbs | Keystone Lake | 06/22/2021 |
| Buffalo, Black | rod and reel | 42 lbs 8.00 ozs | W.R. Holway Reservoir (Chimney Rock Lake) | 11/17/2013 |
| Gar, Shortnose | unrestricted | 12 lbs 10.00 ozs | Fort Gibson Lake | 08/10/2022 |
| Goldeye | rod and reel | 2 lbs 8.00 ozs | Arkansas River | 04/27/1996 |
ODWC state record fish list (keeper: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation), read November 3, 2026.
Bait stores across Washington County
Bait and gear in Washington County
- Copan Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Copan
- Johnny's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Bartlesville
Hiring a guide in Washington County
- Bz Guide Servicefishing guide, (918)998-3474
- Paul’s Guide Servicefishing guide, (918)338-9106
- Ripnlip Guide Servicefishing guide, (918)693-2799
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.
Inside the Washington County orbit
Communities around Washington County
- Bartlesvillepop. 37,290
- Deweypop. 3,372
Counties pressed against Washington County
- Nowata County17 miles east
- Rogers County28 miles southeast
- Osage County28 miles west
- Craig County39 miles east
Piscifun reels sized for a Washington County outing
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Prairie, timber and water around Washington County through a camera
Photo: usacetulsa, CC BY 2.0
Photo: usacetulsa, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Nicolas Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Deborah Lee Soltesz, CC0 1.0
Settling the usual questions on Washington County fishing
Where does a bass boat hit Corps water in Washington County?
Count 3 ramps, Copan Point Boat Ramp among them.
Which reservoir is the giant of Washington County?
Copan Lake, at 4,850 acres by ODWC's figure.
What fish live in the lakes near Washington County?
Channel catfish top the count of lake pages within 50 miles, followed by largemouth bass, white crappie and black crappie.
Which shops in Washington County carry fishing gear?
2 listed, such as Copan Bait & Tackle.
Does any fishing guide work Washington County lakes?
3 guides turn up for its waters.
Which town houses Washington County government?
County government sits in Bartlesville.
What does it cost to fish in Washington County?
A year on Oklahoma water costs $31 with a resident license or $81 with the nonresident annual.
Which counties border Washington County?
Nowata County, Rogers County and Osage County lie closest.
Does ODWC post area rules in Washington County?
ODWC prints 1 special regulation for areas in or by this county, starting with Caney River; the table above shows each.
Which city ponds in Washington County are on the ODWC list?
Yes: Lee Lake.
What was stocked in Washington County recently?
The 2024 and 2025 reports carry 1 row; the newest lists 1,235 Channel Catfish at 9 in (2025) in Lee Lake, Bartlesville.
Spend a morning fishing Washington County
Each Corps ramp page lists lanes, dock and a directions link.