Few things in Bass fishing are more exciting than topwater frog fishing.  This type of fishing is not for the feint of heart, it’s visual, violent and just about as much fun as you can have bass fishing. 

Frog fishing can be effective on all types of water and most of the year; however, my experience is the hotter the better and the nastier and sloppier the water the better.  These baits are virtually wheedles and allow you the ability to fish spots that are unfishable with any other technique.  From a boat, a float tube, or from the bank you can make casts to water that any other fisherman will ignore.  While you can catch fish throughout the day, early and late are best, challenge yourself to make casts that normally you wouldn’t think about.  When the bait hits the water think like a frog, hop from grass patch to grass patch, and hold on.  If there are open patches in the slop run your bait through them pausing along the edges.  Don’t let a solid surface of vegetation stop you from fishing, often this is just a canopy that can provide shade and shelter for hungry bass, I can not count the times I have had a fish blow up through the moss to get a hold of whatever is hopping along the surface.

Catering your gear to this type of fishing can be very important.  A stout rod with plenty of backbone is important and without a doubt braided line will catch more fish and allow you to haul those fish out of the thick stuff once they are hooked.  Baitcasting reels are the way to go for frog fishing, look for a strong drag and a quick gear ratio (6:1 and up).

If you need anything to get setup for this exciting way to catch bass come in and talk with our crew at the fishing counter here at your Oklahoma City Bass Pro Shops.

I have always wanted a Smoker but have been apprehensive to make the investment because I did not know just how much hassle and time it would take to get the results I wanted.  This year I finally made a purchase and have been very pleased with the results.  I decided on a Masterbuilt electric smoker because I did not want to have to babysit fuel and temperatures throughout the day.  There is little doubt in my mind that smokers made to burn wood or charcoal for fuel would have wonderful results; however, I was wanting as much of a “set it and forget it” type setup as I could get.

This type of Smoker is basically an outdoor oven with a thermostat that keep temps +-5 degrees of the set temperatures….easy.  The only maintenance that needs to be done during the smoking process is adding more wood chips to get the amount of smoke flavor you are after.  This is done by adding pre-soaked woodchips into a removable tray that is in the side of the smoker, you do not even need to open the door to add the chips.

Smoking Made Easy

The real trick for getting outstanding results without trial and error is to follow predetermined cook times and cook temps.  I was referred to a fantastic website that is ran by a local here in the OKC metro area, this site has detailed recipes for most types of smoked meat that people are interested in.  I follow the prep, cook times and temperatures listed and have ended up with results that have far exceeded my initial expectations.

Here at your Oklahoma City Bass Pro Shops we have everything that you need to get started, you will just have to stop and grab you some ribs on the way home

Fishing in Oklahoma always heats up this time of year but the spring of 2012 will one to remember.  Arguably the two most sought after angling records in the State were broken within days of each other.  On March 23rd, a 14lb 12.3oz Largemouth was caught from Cedar Lake in Leflore County and on March 31^st, a monster 8lb 7oz Smallmouth was caught from Lake Lawtonka near Lawton.

Besides State record size these fish have another thing in common that I can not help but find interesting, the size of impoundment they were caught from.  The former largemouth record was taken from Broken Bow Lake in southeastern Oklahoma, Broken Bow covers over 14,000 acres of surface area, the previous smallmouth record was from Oklahoma’s largest reservoir, Lake Eufaula, which has an astounding 105,500 acres of water.  In contrast Lake Lawtonka is just shy of 2,400 acres in size and Cedar Lake, home of the most prized record in the land….. 78 acres, wow. 

Moral of the story?  Don’t let the size of the water fool you.  Oklahoma is home to many municipal reservoirs and watersheds that may not be the biggest spots of water you have ever seen, but can more than make up for their lack of size with the quality fishing that can be found.  These same “lesser” lakes can be havens from the crowds of fisherman and armadas of jet ski’s that can overrun the more popular (and larger) reservoirs in the State.  Another benefit is access, smaller impoundments can seam more accommodating to the angler restricted to the bank, float-tube, or 2-man bass boat. 

So grab that float-tube and a bag of power worms, its time to explore some of the “secret spots” Oklahoma has to offer, you never know when (or where) that next record will come. 

It’s time to break out the filet knife and warm up the grease, right now is Crappie time in Oklahoma.  Longer days, warming water and spring rains will trigger untold numbers of tasty Crappie to head shallow over the next several weeks.  Spring is certainly not the only time to catch Crappie but it can be some of the easiest fishing of the year if you hit it right.  At times fish can be found within easy reach of bank fisherman and if you put on a pair of waders or get into a float tube or boat you can have even more access to the schools of fish staging just out from their shallow water spawning areas.

Where to Go, What to Look For

Oklahoma is blessed with some of the best Crappie fishing in the country, large reservoirs, small municipal lakes and farm ponds are all likely to hold catchable populations of Crappie.  There are several resources on-line that can get you headed to the right body of water if you take the time to surf around.  Some of the more popular lakes are Eufaula, Fort Cobb, Thunderbird, Canton, Chickasha, Sardis, to name a few.

When you get to your destination be sure look for the types of structure that can be magnets for spring time Crappie; natural or riprap rock, standing timber, lay downs, docks, boat ramps, even reeds and gravel beds can offer up the type of cover that these fish look for. 

What to Use

If you are not confident in the area you are fishing I would suggest keeping it simple and staying mobile until fish are located.  A couple of light or ultra light action spinning or spin-cast style rods with 4-8 pound test is a good start.  I usually have one rod set up for casting and another rod set up for vertical jigging or live bait.  If you don’t get bit in 30-45 minutes move to another likely looking area.  Small tubes or jigs in 1/32, 1/16 and 1/8 ounce are the norm.  As far a color goes the possibilities are endless, Crappie fisherman can be fanatical about color combinations.  Some local favorite combinations are black/pink, black/chartreuse, blue/white, and white/yellow.  You can fish these jigs single or tandem with one tied about 12-16 inches above the other.  Some guys will also use a float to keep their artificial offerings at a specific depth.  Artificial bait can be very effective; however, there are times when nothing can beat a minnow on a bobber, live bait should definitely not be over looked when you are Crappie fishing.  Regardless of what method you go with depth can be the deciding factor between catching fish or not, play around with your retrieve or cork depth until you find the right combination, Crappie are notorious for suspending midway through the water column and normally will not travel far to take your offerings. 

Most Important

Don’t forget the fish fry!!!

Are you ready for the next big thing in bass fishing?  It seems that every year there is a new technique or bait that hits the bass fishing scene with a vengeance. This year is no exception, 2012 will be the year of the umbrella rig.  Late October 2011 Guntersville Alabama, Paul Ellias seals a FLW Tour win with a four day total of 102lbs 8oz. every fish was caught on the “Alabama Rig” from that point forward there has been a frenzy of activity from tackle vendors and fisherman alike trying to figure out what to do about this years “next big thing”.

So, for Oklahoma Fisherman what does this new rig mean for us, will this method work here in the Sooner State?  Is it legal? What gear do I need?  What baits work best?

All questions that I think everybody had after first hearing about this technique.

First things first.  Does this method work in Oklahoma? The answer is a resounding YES, if you have any reservations about this method throw them out the window and get one of these rigs tied on now.  We have had more reports of big fish(and I mean truly BIG fish) being caught this year than any other year since Bass Pro Shops has been here in Oklahoma, and yes the 5 wire rig is legal in Oklahoma; however, please consult regulations if you are fishing out of state, several states limit the rig to 3 hooks.

Gear – This rig is not for the feint of heart, after loading up all five snaps you could very well have several ounces of weight tied to the end of your line and your gear needs to be selected accordingly.  7 to 8 foot rods in medium-heavy to heavy actions are the rule, paired with a reel that can handle braided line in the 50 to 65 pound range.  This line might seem like overkill at first but you will be thankful for it when you get snagged up and are able to straighten out your hooks or pop a snap free to save your rig.

As far as baits are concerned your only limit is your imagination.  Most people we are talking with are using hollow body type swimbaits with a weighted swimbait hook or similar baits with lead heads and exposed hooks.  Other people are using swim flukes, sassy shads, grubs, or pre-rigged type swimbaits.  The thing is when you consider these bait options, size options, color options and rigging options you have hundreds of potential fish catching possibilities depending on the type of water you are fishing and what kind of mood the fish are in on any given day.

The best advice I have heard so far is to treat this rig as if you are fishing a big spinner bait.  Vary your retrieve until you get a reaction from the fish.  Try slow rolling it in deeper water, try burning it across the top, if you are feeling lucky try banging it into structure and cross your fingers you don’t get hung up.  Most importantly hold on, because this rig seems to attract the big ones and when it happens you wan to be ready.

If you have any questions or want to hear the latest “Big Fish” story, drop by the fishing department here at your Oklahoma City bass Pro Shops.

Summertime in central Oklahoma can make it tough on a fisherman, triple digit heat by noon is no time to catch fish.  Don't get me wrong I am not suggesting that you just stay home and watch golf, I am saying the summer months can be a great time to do both, you just have to adjust your alarm clock a little.  

Official sunrise on July 4th in Oklahoma City is 6:20am, the fact is, there is "fishable" light by 5:30 am on most days during the summer and if you are comfortable navigating in the dark you are only limited by the amount of sleep you need to function.  The time just before and after first light can be some of the best fishing of the day, often you can find gamefish pushing bait to the surface just as the sky is gaining color.  On calm days before there is any sunlight you can often hear these same fish breaking the surface.  This is the time to get out your favorite topwater baits and have some of the most exciting fishing of the year.

Any lake in the sate can be a good bet for an early morning topwater bite this time a year.  Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Sand Bass, and Hybrid Striped Bass are all usual suspects for surface action.  It is not uncommon for my summertime trips to start with the alarm set for 3-3:30am, the goal is to be on the water and fishing a solid hour before the night sky gives way to daylight.  If the fish are actively feeding on the surface it will be obvious, but don't let lack of visible fish keep you from giving topwater a shot.  Often gamefish can be tempted to the surface during these early morning hours even when they do not seem to be actively feeding. 

Buzzbaits, prop baits, chuggers, poppers and sliders all have their time and place.  If you are looking to cover a lot of water quickly a buzzbait is always a good choice.  If the wind is up a little I find a prop bait or a popper tends to get a little more attention than the others, let the fish tell you what they want, vary your retrieves, try to not fall into a pattern.  If fish are actively feeding you can often get the best reaction by ripping these baits in as quick as possible with aggressive jerks.  In times when there is less activity try letting these baits sit for a while, and work them back more subtly.  Calm days and slick water are a great time to break out topwater slider style baits like a Zara Spook or a Sammy, these baits have a great "walk the dog" action that can be the difference on some days.  If you have never used a slider style bait before it might take a little practice to get the cadence of your retrieve down but eventually you will be walking that dog with the best of'em.  Some of these slider type baits will have a slight curve or sway back to them, this curve will make it easier for you to get the action you are looking for if you are just starting out.

So...On the water at 4:30am, topwater action for a few hours and off the lake when the fish stop biting or it gets too hot to think, which ever comes first.  I am usually back home and watching golf by noon, not a bad way to spend a summer day off.  If you have any questions on what you need to take advantage of Oklahoma's fantastic topwater fishing opportunities or you just want to add to your topwater arsenal come on down to Bass Pro Shops here in Oklahoma City and we will be more than happy to help out.  

Incessant wind, allergies, tornadoes and thunderstorms, spring time in central Oklahoma means different things to different people. Here at Bass Pro Shops it means the beginning of some of the best fishing of the year. Every fish in the State is feeling that annual biological itch that triggers the spawn. Lakes and ponds that seemed empty of fish just a few short weeks ago are now hosts to hungry fish in shallow water.

Pictured below with an example of just what can happen when everything works out is one of our customers.

These fish were caught within the same week on the same water.

What water?   

Well the best information I could get on this was somewhere south of Interstate 40 and north of the Red River. 

What I can tell you is what he caught these monsters on. A Bass Pro Shops Cabonlight Combo matched up with some XPS Fluorocarbon handled everything these fish had to offer.

Another thing that I can say is do not let the weather scare you off from a day of fishing this time of year. Often the days that seem the best for staying inside on the couch will deliver some of the best results. If you just cant bring yourself to battle the wind and cold for a shot at a the “Big One”, I invite you to make the drive to Bricktown and visit us at Bass Pro Shops. For most people the Fishing season is just getting started and there is not a better spot in the State to get you gear than Bass Pro Shops, Oklahoma City.