Fishing near Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa County, population 413,066.
- 8 milesto nearest lake page
- 1Corps ramps nearby
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Water around Tulsa
The 2020 Census put 413,066 residents in Tulsa, a city of Tulsa County. Veterans Park Pond (Jenks) is the closest lake with a page, roughly 8 miles to the southwest. By surface area, Shell Lake wins at around 573 acres. The nearest USACE ramp is Rogers Point boat ramp at 12 miles.
City fishing is 8 miles away at Veterans Park Pond (Jenks).
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Tulsa; miles are straight lines.
Lakes around Tulsa
| Lake | Distance | Acres (source) | Max depth (ODWC) | Kind | Corps ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans Park Pond (Jenks) | 8 miles southwest | Close to Home water | 0 | channel catfish, rainbow trout | ||
| Kelly Lane Park | 15 miles southwest | Close to Home water | 0 | channel catfish | ||
| Sahoma Lake | 16 miles southwest | 277 (ODWC) | 35.7 ft | reservoir | 0 | |
| Shell Lake | 16 miles west | 573 (ODWC) | 47.2 ft | reservoir (City of Sand Springs) | 0 | largemouth bass, white crappie, black crappie |
| Bixhoma Lake | 17 miles south | 97 (NHD outline) | reservoir | 0 | ||
| Lock and Dam 18 | 20 miles east | 274 (NHD outline) | lake | 1 |
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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Live flow data near Tulsa
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Coal Creek At Tulsa, Ok | 3 cfs, 4.59 ft gage height | Nov 4 4:45 pm |
| Joe Creek At 61st St At Tulsa, Ok | 3 cfs, 0.57 ft gage height | Nov 4 4:55 pm |
| Arkansas River At Tulsa, Ok | 10,200 cfs, 4.48 ft gage height | Aug 21 4:30 am Not updated since Aug 21, 2026. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 4, 2026 5:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
ODWC Where To Fish river pages, USGS GNIS names and USGS gauges (live readings); read November 3, 2026.
Mapped fishing spots near Tulsa
- Rogers Point boat ramp2 lanes, concrete, 12 miles
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.
Neighbourhood ponds by Tulsa
| Water | Kind | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Park Pond (Jenks) | Close to Home water | 8 miles |
These are small urban waters on the ODWC Close to Home list.
ODWC Close to Home fishing page, read November 3, 2026.
Bait and tackle around Tulsa
Bait and line around Tulsa
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Tulsa, 6120 E 41st Stsporting goods store, Tulsa, 2 miles
- Jumbosportsbait and tackle shop, Tulsa, 4 miles
- Jack's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Tulsa, 5 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Tulsa, 10021 E 71st Steetsporting goods store, Tulsa, 5 miles
- North Harvard Baitbait and tackle shop, Tulsa, 6 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Tulsa, 7850 S 107th E Avesporting goods store, Tulsa, 6 miles
- Bass Pro Shops Broken Arrowsporting goods store, Broken Arrow, 7 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Tulsa, 7523 S. Olympia Avenuesporting goods store, Tulsa, 8 miles
Yellow Pages listings and ODWC Bait & Tackle Nearby lists (miles only for shops with an exact point); ODWC licensed fishing guide list; read November 3, 2026.
ODWC record-book fish caught by Tulsa
| Species | Division | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddlefish | rod and reel | 164 lbs | Keystone Lake | 06/22/2021 |
| Goldeye | rod and reel | 2 lbs 8.00 ozs | Arkansas River | 04/27/1996 |
| Sturgeon, Shovelnose | rod and reel | 1 lbs 10.00 ozs | Arkansas River | 05/07/1996 |
| Sturgeon, Shovelnose | unrestricted | 2 lbs 15.50 ozs | Arkansas River | 10/12/1997 |
| Channel Catfish | rod and reel | 35 lbs 15.00 ozs | Taft Lake | 09/11/2005 |
ODWC state record fish list (keeper: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation), read November 3, 2026. Waters within 40 miles.
Oklahoma limits on a Tulsa outing
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 |
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. Lake and river pages print any ODWC area rule.
Inside the Tulsa orbit
More base towns around Tulsa
- Catoosa8 miles
- Turley9 miles
- Broken Arrow9 miles
- Jenks10 miles
- Owasso12 miles
County page that holds Tulsa
- Tulsa Countyseat: Tulsa
Piscifun reels sized for a Tulsa outing
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Prairie, timber and water around Tulsa through a camera
Photo: Robert Nunnally, CC BY 2.0
Photo: JustTulsa, CC BY 2.0
Photo: usacetulsa, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Michael Karl Witzel, CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions from visitors who stay in Tulsa to fish
How many miles from Tulsa to a paged reservoir?
Veterans Park Pond (Jenks), 8 miles southwest.
Which Corps ramp is nearest Tulsa?
Closest: Rogers Point boat ramp, 12 miles.
Which Corps fishing area is nearest Tulsa?
Veterans Park Pond (Jenks), a Close to Home water, 8 miles away.
Who sells live bait around Tulsa?
Academy Sports + Outdoors Tulsa, 2 miles away.
Which Oklahoma county includes Tulsa?
Tulsa County covers it.
Which ODWC license fits a weekend in Tulsa?
ODWC charges $81 for the nonresident annual license.
Which reservoir near Tulsa covers the most acres?
Shell Lake, about 573 acres, 16 miles away.
Which towns are near Tulsa?
Catoosa (8 miles), Turley (9 miles) and Broken Arrow (9 miles) lie closest.
Where can kids fish in town near Tulsa?
Veterans Park Pond (Jenks), 8 miles away.
Which ODWC records came from reservoirs near Tulsa?
Paddlefish, 164 lbs (rod and reel), from Keystone Lake.
Fish the reservoirs around Tulsa
Open a ramp page for lanes and directions.