You don’t have to convince Allen Gifford, that now is the time to be bass fishing in Oklahoma. He already knows, and the 14 lb., 8 oz., largemouth bass he caught Feb. 27 out of Arbuckle Lake proves it.
Gifford landed his bass in the afternoon using a Terminator spinnerbait. “As soon as I set the hook, I knew it was big,” Gifford said. “But I didn’t know how big.” The bass has a girth of nearly 23 inches, is over 25 inches long and falls just over three ounces shy of the state record that was landed from Broken Bow Lake in 1999.
It is not a coincidence that he caught the giant bass this time of year. According to fisheries biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, right now through the next month is among the best time all year for catching big bass.
An avid, lifelong fisherman, Gifford agrees this is the time to be fishing, as well as into the spring. “I’ve been catching fish all winter to be honest with you,” Gifford said. “The fish have got to eat all year long.”
Coming out of colder weather means bass are actively feeding and putting on weight for spawning, which in turn means they will be found in shallower waters and may bite more often.
Bass are likely the most sought after game fish in Oklahoma. “This is such a great time to go bass fishing,” said Jeff Boxrucker, assistant chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department. “You can find them all over Oklahoma, and any angler, whether experienced in bass fishing or not, can catch plenty of them. But you have to be out there to catch them. Now through the next few months will be some outstanding fishing.”
For more information about the new Lake Record Fish Program, or for more on bass fishing in Oklahoma, log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com