Lake of the Arbuckles Fishing
ODWC-sized 2,350-acre reservoir spread over Murray County.
Pick for smallmouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo: Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0
Facts first on Lake of the Arbuckles
Lake of the Arbuckles is a reservoir of Murray County; its ODWC page lists 2,350 surface acres. ODWC also prints a deepest point of 82 feet. The shoreline runs 36 miles and the pool holds 72,400 acre-feet. On the ODWC page, Bureau of Reclamation is the operator. Older lists print it as Arbuckle. Allow about 4 miles on the map to Dougherty.
Read its ODWC area rules before keeping fish. Biologists of the ODWC Southeast Region look after it.
Acres, depth, shoreline and volume as printed on the ODWC Where To Fish page. ODWC Where To Fish page, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026. Census 2023 places.
Park and lake notes for Lake of the Arbuckles
- Location (ODWC)Lake of the Arbuckles is located 6 miles southwest of Sulphur in between SH 7 and US 177 within the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
- Facilities (ODWC)The National Park Service manages campgrounds with full RV hookups, boat ramps, covered fishing piers and designated swimming areas.
- Campgrounds ODWC listsChickasaw National Recreation Area, Lake Murray State Park
- ADA fishing accessAppears on the ODWC accessible-angler list
- Lake map: The OWRB map of the lakeOklahoma Water Resources Board
ODWC wrote the text above for Lake of the Arbuckles; check the page before a trip in case it changes.
ODWC Where To Fish page, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026. OWRB lake map PDF.
Fish ODWC lists for Lake of the Arbuckles
Every name here has an ODWC source for Lake of the Arbuckles: the page, a stocking row or a record.
ODWC Where To Fish page (Fish Species of Interest), ODWC stocking reports 2024-2025 and the ODWC record table; read November 3, 2026.
For the smallmouth bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Launching at Lake of the Arbuckles
No mapped ramp exists for Lake of the Arbuckles; the ODWC text lists the ones below.
- Lake of the Arbuckles boat rampsNational Park Service
Launch as described on the ODWC page, read November 3, 2026; USACE Tulsa District recreation features (fishing feature layer), read November 3, 2026.
Lake elevation at Lake of the Arbuckles
USACE logged Lake of the Arbuckles at 871.56 feet on 03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT; 872.0 feet marks a full conservation pool.
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 at Lake of the Arbuckles
| Year | Species as printed | Number | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Florida LMB | 85,504 | Fingerling |
| 2024 | Florida LMB | 100,138 | Varies |
Rows come from the ODWC annual stocking reports for 2024 and 2025.
ODWC Fisheries Division Public Stocking Reports 2024 and 2025 (2025 report, 2024 report), species abbreviations as printed (LMB = largemouth bass), read November 3, 2026.
Fish that can ride home from Lake of the Arbuckles
| 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 |
Start from the statewide table for Lake of the Arbuckles, then apply any area rule.
Rules that apply only on Lake of the Arbuckles
- Daily/size LimitsCrappie: 15 combined per day, must be 10 inches or longer.
Area Specific Fishing Regulations on the ODWC page, as printed, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026.
Anglers 18 and older carry an Oklahoma fishing license ($31 annual for residents, $81 for nonresidents in 2026).
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. ODWC License Options and Fees, read November 3, 2026.
The heaviest fish logged at Lake of the Arbuckles
| Species | Weight | Division | Angler | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carp, Grass | 77 lbs | unrestricted | Brandon Taber | July 30, 2002 |
| Gar, Spotted | 11 lbs 10.50 ozs | unrestricted | Tylor Lampkin | March 27, 2020 |
ODWC state record fish list (keeper: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation), read November 3, 2026.
Reservoirs within a short haul of Lake of the Arbuckles
If you want room to roam, Lake Murray offers around 5,930 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth (ft) | Corps ramps | Piers and areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake of the Arbuckles | 2,350 | 82 | 0 | 0 | |
| Veterans Lake | 4 miles northeast | 64 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mountain Lake | 15 miles west | 215 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| Ardmore City Lake | 17 miles southwest | 159 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| Pauls Valley Lake | 25 miles north | 750 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Murray | 26 miles south | 5,930 | 103 | 0 | 0 |
ODWC Where To Fish pages (acres, depth) or NHD outlines; USACE Tulsa District ramp and fishing layers; read November 3, 2026.
Inside the Lake of the Arbuckles orbit
More Oklahoma lakes near Lake of the Arbuckles
- Veterans Lake4 miles northeast
- Mountain Lake15 miles west
- Ardmore City Lake17 miles southwest
- Pauls Valley Lake25 miles north
- Lake Murray26 miles south
Bait shops ODWC lists by Lake of the Arbuckles
- Arbuckle Bait Box1719 Cedar Blue Rd, Sulphur, OK 73086, (580) 622-5359
- Buckhorn Bait199 Buckhorn Rd, Sulphur, OK 73086, (405) 487-8180
- Point Bait Shop774 Cooper Memorial Rd, Sulphur, OK 73086, (580) 622-6338
- Walmart Supercenter (Sulphur)2705 W Broadway Ave, Sulphur, OK 73086, (580) 622-6146
- Walmart Supercenter (Ardmore)1715 N Commerce St, Ardmore, OK 73401, (580) 226-1257
- Academy (Ardmore)1605 12th Ave NW, Ardmore, OK 73401, (580) 768-6429
- Jones Wholesale Bait Inc5799 E Prairie Valley Rd, Ardmore, OK 73401, (580) 224-9944
- Lake Country Store18550 Scenic, State Hwy 77, Ardmore, OK 73401, (580) 226-0030
Stores selling tackle around Lake of the Arbuckles
- Bait Boxbait and tackle shop, Sulphur, 3 miles
- Buckhorn Baitbait and tackle shop, Sulphur, 5 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Ardmoresporting goods store, Ardmore, 19 miles
- The Anglers Spotfly shop, Ardmore, 20 miles
- Point Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Sulphur
A guide boat for Lake of the Arbuckles, by phone
- Brother's Keeper Guide Servicefishing guide, (580)221-4755
- Crappie Days Guide Servicefishing guide, (405)471-3254
- Drew & Co. Guide Service, Llcfishing guide, (580)993-0462
- Duck Life Outfittersfishing guide, (405)305-4923
- Swampdonkey Guide Servicefishing guide, (580)301-3879
- Zac Horton Fishing And Guide Servicefishing guide, (405)220-5742
Pillows and diners close to Lake of the Arbuckles
- Sulphur5 miles
- Davis8 miles
- Wynnewood15 miles
Courthouse towns and county pages for Lake of the Arbuckles
- Murray Countyseat: Sulphur
Bait & Tackle Nearby on the ODWC page, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026.
Piscifun reels sized for a Lake of the Arbuckles outing
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Prairie, timber and water around Lake of the Arbuckles through a camera
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Thomas & Dianne Jones, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
Before you drive out to Lake of the Arbuckles: common questions
Where in Oklahoma is Lake of the Arbuckles?
Lake of the Arbuckles is located 6 miles southwest of Sulphur in between SH 7 and US 177 within the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Aim for Murray County, about 4 miles from Dougherty.
How many surface acres does ODWC give Lake of the Arbuckles?
2,350 acres, per ODWC, with a maximum depth of 82 feet.
What is the nearest boat ramp to Lake of the Arbuckles?
Mapped ramps are not nearby; check with the city or park.
Which fish does ODWC tie to Lake of the Arbuckles?
ODWC sources name largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, black crappie, white crappie and channel catfish.
Does ODWC hold a length line on Lake of the Arbuckles fish?
Largemouth and/or Smallmouth Bass: 6 (combined) a day; size rule 1 (one) over 16 inches. See the area rules printed above.
Can a nonresident fish Lake of the Arbuckles?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Oklahoma fishing license ($31 annual for residents, $81 for nonresidents in 2026).
Does the Corps keep a fishing pier at Lake of the Arbuckles?
Bank access is listed by ODWC (ADA), with this facility note: The National Park Service manages campgrounds with full RV hookups, boat ramps, covered fishing piers and designated swimming areas.
Where are shiners and worms sold close to Lake of the Arbuckles?
Try Arbuckle Bait Box, 1719 Cedar Blue Rd, Sulphur, OK 73086, from the ODWC list.
What did the Corps report for Lake of the Arbuckles?
On 03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT the Corps logged 871.56 feet and 98.4% of the conservation pool in use; check the daily report for today.
Does the ODWC record table mention Lake of the Arbuckles?
Carp, Grass, 77 lbs in the unrestricted division, landed by Brandon Taber on July 30, 2002.
Are Lake of the Arbuckles and Arbuckle one water?
Arbuckle and this page are one water.
Spend a spring morning on Lake of the Arbuckles
Buy your Oklahoma license online before leaving.