Sport Fish Of Oklahoma
Sep 03, 2014
Sport Fish Of Oklahoma
Sunfish Family (Centrarchidae) Contains Three Black Bass Species
Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Three Sunfish
Bluegill, Redear, and Green Sunfish Two Crappie Species
Black and White Crappie
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmonoides) Most sought after game fish in N.A. Description
Mouth Hinges Behind the Eye State Record 14 lbs. 12.3 ozs.
Habitat Found near cover at different depths dependent on time of year
Food Source Crustaceans, insects, crayfish, frogs and fish
Spawning Start when water temp. is about 65oF Male builds nest Female deposits eggs between 2,000 and 7,000 per pound the male drives the female and any other intruders from the nest until the
eggs hatch and the fry leave. Fry swim in schools until reaching a length of approximately 1 inch.
Small Mouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) Description
Mouth hinges in front of eye State record 8 lbs. 7 ozs.
Habitat Clean clear water with rocky substrate, weedy areas along shoreline, etc.
Food Source Crayfish, aquatic and terrestrial insects, worms, small fish, etc.
Spawning Water temp between 60 to 75O F Males build nests along gravel bars Males drive multiple females onto nests Females lay between 2,000 to 7,000 per pound Little to no parental care after hatching
Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus) Description
Mouth hinges with back edge of eye Rough tongue patch State record 8 lbs. 3 ozs.
Habitat Flowing streams, Deep water in lakes with rock substrate and along bluffs
Food Source Crayfish and immature insects, some small fish
Spawning Water temp from 63 to 68oF Males build nest on gravel or rock bottom Same as Largemouth
Bluegill (Lepomis machrochirus) Important forage species
Description small mouth, black opercular (ear) flap, and a black spot at the rear base of the
dorsal fin State record 2 lbs. 6 ozs.
Habitat Shallow weedy areas morning and evening: deeper during day
Food Source Insects, crustaceans, snails, sometimes aquatic plants
Spawning Very prolific After water temp. 75oF Colony nesters Males excavate nest in sand or gravel 1 to 3 feet deep Females lay eggs (average 40,000 per season) Males drive away females and guard nest until a few days after hatch
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis michrolophis) Description
Bright red spot on opercula flap State record 2 lbs. 1 oz.
Habitat Usually clear vegetated water
Food Source Insects, crustaceans, snails
Spawning Similar to bluegill Water temp around 66 to 70oF Not as prolific
Green sunfish (Lepomis Cyanellus) Description
Elongated body Large mouth State record 2 lbs. 7 ozs.
Habitat Rocky areas with lots of cover Well adapted to fluctuating conditions
Food Source Insects, crustaceans, snails
Spawning Same as other sunfish
White Crappie (Poxomis annularis) Description
Distinct vertical bands 5 to 6 bony spines along dorsal fin State record 4 lbs. 15 ozs.
Habitat Standing timber and brush Shallow in spring deep in winter
Food Source Minnows, shad, crayfish, mollusks, and insects
Spawning Very prolific Similar to other sunfish (deeper water) Water temp around 65o Females lay 3,000 to 15,000 eggs
Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) Description
No vertical bars 7 to 8 bony spines on dorsal fin State record 4 lbs. 10 ozs.
Habitat food source and spawning same as white
Catfish Family (Ictaluridae) Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish Spawning
Cavity nesters (under rocks logs holes in bank etc. Water temp. around 75o Males fan out nest Females lay about 10,000 eggs Males guard nest and fry
Food Source Blues and channels are omnivorous ( feed on anything Flatheads primarily on live fish and crayfish
Blue Catfish (Ictalus furcatus) Description
Straight anal fin and forked Tail State record 118 lbs 8oz
Habitat Found in large rivers and major reservoirs, blue catfish generally
prefer areas with sand, gravel or rock bottoms Found state wide
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctuatus) Description
Rounded anal fin forked tail State record 35 lbs 15 ozs
Habitat Found in deep holes and all depths Found state wide
Flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris) Description
Obvious flat head and an unforked tail State Record 106 lbs
Habitat Flatheads are found near cover in deep holes
Temperate Bass Family
Percichthyidae
White Bass (Morone chrysops) State fish Description
Arched back and unbroken vertical lines State record 5 lbs 4 ozs.
Habitat Adults prefer open water over sandy shoals during the day and shallows
at night. Food Source
Shad, minnows crustaceans, and insects Spawning
Prefer upstream migration (release eggs into current) Water temp 50 to 55oF At random over weeds and rocks so eggs don’t settle in mud No Parental Care
Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) Description
Back not arched strong unbroken lines
State Record 47 lbs 8 ozs. Habitat
Cruise in large schools in open water
Food Source Insects, shad and minnows
Spawning Water temp ranges from 55 to
70oF Females may have up to 5 million
eggs Eggs are semi-bouyant Require moving unobstructed river
for eggs remain viable Males and females release eggs at
same time in current
Stripers were originally a marine or estuarine species. An anadromous spawner (ascends freshwater streams to spawn), striped bass became landlocked in an artificial impoundment near the Atlantic coast. They adapted so well to that environment that many states, including Oklahoma, began transplanting stripers. Striped bass can reach weights of 40 pounds or more.
Striped Bass Hybrid(Morone chryops x Morone Saxatilis)
Description Back slightly arched and has broken
lines also shape of tongue patch 23 lbs 4 ozs.
Habitat Prefer similar areas as Striped and
White Bass
Spawning Cross between male white bass and
female Striped bass Striped bass female because of egg
capacity
The first Oklahoma stocking of striped bass hybrids was in Sooner Lake in 1977. Subsequent stockings have been made in lakes statewide including Konawa, Optima, Ft. Supply, Tom Steed, Altus-Lugert, Overholser, Grand, Heyburn, Atoka, Ft. Cobb, Salt Plains, Waurika and Ellsworth.
Perch Family(Percidae)
Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) Description
No scales on cheek patch no spots on dorsa
State Record 12 lbs. 13 oz. Habitat
near the bottom on sand bars or near ledges and drop-offs
Food Source Insects, larvae, nightcrawlers, crayfish,
snails and small fish. Spawning
Water temps 45 to 50oF 25,000 to 50,000 eggs per pound of
body weight Males and females spawn
simultaneously Eggs fall between rip rap and crevices to
hatch
Distribution originated from introductions made during the early 1950s in Canton and Tenkiller lakes. Since that time, adult walleye have been trapped (primarily from Canton Lake), their eggs taken by hand stripping, fertilized and hatched in state fish hatcheries. Most major lakes in Oklahoma have been stocked. Best populations are in the western half of the state.
Sauger(Sander canadensis)
Description Dark spots on dorsal fin, cheek covered in scales, dark blotches on
body State Record 5 lbs. 5 oz.
Habitat river and stream fish preferring the clear eastern river.
Food Source Adults feed largely on fish, the young mainly taking invertebrates and
small fish. Spawning
Similar to Walleye (done only at night) Found in the Poteau, Illinois, Red and Neosho rivers in Oklahoma
and in several lakes and reservoirs around the state.
Saugeye (male sauger x female walleye) Description
State record 10 lbs. 10 oz. Habitat
congregate near the bottom on sand bars or near ledges and drop-offs. Food Source
eat fish, almost exclusively, from the time they are stocked. The first saugeye stocking in Oklahoma was in Lake Thunderbird
during May 1985. Since this initial stocking many other state lakes have been stocked with saugeye, including Burtschi, Carl Blackwell, Ellsworth, Fort Cobb, Foss, Great Salt Plains, Hall, Holdenville, Lawtonka, Pine Creek, Shawnee Lakes, Sooner, Tom Steed, Vanderwork, and Waurika.
Salmon Family(Salmonidae)
Rainbow Trout(Oncorhynchus myKiss) State Record 10 lbs. 4 oz. Habitat
In streams around riffles eddies, exposed obsructions Food Source
Aquatic insects Spawning
Water temp 40 to 45oF on gravel bottoms Swim up stream to traditional spawning grounds Incubation takes 50 days at 50oF Has been some recent documentation of Natural Reproduction
Although originally a cold-water fish from the pacific drainage of the Rocky Mountains, rainbow trout do well in Oklahoma where water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen are within their tolerance levels.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) State Record 17 lbs. 4.6 ozs. Habitat
In shade of bank or overhanging vegetation during day Food Source
Aquatic insects, mollusks, and small fish Spawning
Water temp. 44 to 48oF in the fall Run up tributaries to spawn Incubation takes 48 to 52 days at 51oF
Originally from Europe in the Danube River. Introduced in the US in 1865
Paddle fish (Polyodon spathula) State record 125 lbs. 7 ozs. They can live up to 30-35 years ranging throughout the U.S. In
Oklahoma, they are found mainly in the Grand, Neosho and Arkansas River systems
Food Source One of Oklahoma’s largest fish, the paddlefish feeds on tiny
zooplankton (microscopic insects) and, like a shark, it has a completely cartilaginous skeletal system.
The rostrum is used as a electro sensory organ to detect zooplankton Spawning
Male paddlefish are old enough to spawn when they are four to nine years. Females spawn when they are 6-12 years old. Spawning season is from March through June, when spring rains raise the water levels of rivers and water temperatures reach 50-60 degrees. Males and females gather in schools and release their eggs over gravel or sandbars. This is
called "broadcast spawning."
Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula) Description –
A potentially very large gar (world record over 300 pounds, not from Oklahoma) but has short, broad snout with two rows of teeth on the upper jaw. Small alligator gar may be distinguished from other gar by the blackish band along the midside and a narrow, white stripe along midline of back.
State record 192 lbs. 1oz Habitat
warm water and large sluggish rivers such as the Red River that flows into Lake Texoma.
Food Sources primarily on fish but is known to eat ducks and other water birds
Spawning Although complete life history information is lacking, it is believed that
alligator gar spawn in early May in Oklahoma, probably in a manner similar to other gar.