Lake Texoma

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About Lake Texoma

Lake Texoma is the largest lake in capacity in the Tulsa District and the twelfth largest in the United States. It is one of the most popular recreation facilities in the country, with more than 6 million visitors annually. Lake Texoma is known as the "Striper Capital of the World." This lake is one of the few reservoirs in the nation where striped bass reproduce naturally. Other popular species include largemouth and smallmouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, white crappie, black crappie, channel catfish and blue catfish.

Historically, Texas and Oklahoma have not had a reciprocal fishing license agreement, which has posed a problem for anglers. Recent boundary resolutions have given Oklahoma jurisdiction over most of the fishing in Lake Texoma. An Oklahoma fishing license allows fishing most of the lake, up to within 400 yards of Denison Dam. To fish the entire lake, a Lake Texoma fishing license is also available.

The Dam

Denison Dam and Lake Texoma were authorized for construction by the Flood Control Act approved June 28, 1938, (Public Law No. 761, 75th Congress, 3rd Session) for flood control and generation of hydroelectric power. The dam, spillway and outlet works were started in August 1939, and completed in February 1944 at a cost of $78,307,000. When completed in 1944, Denison Dam was America's largest rolled, earth-filled dam. The dam is now the 12th largest in volume in the United States. The project was put into operation for flood control in January 1944. The first hydroelectric turbine was placed in operation in March 1945 and a second unit in September 1949. The power-intake structure will permit future installation of three additional power units. The lake has crested the dam's spillway at a height of 640 feet (195.07 m) three times: once in 1957, again in 1990, and most recently on July 7, 2007.

The structure is a rolled earthfill embankment with a rock- protected upstream slope. The main embankment is 15,200 feet long. The maximum height of the structures is 165 feet above the streambed. A rolled earthfill dike 5,870 feet long and 15 feet high is located in the vicinity of Platter, Oklahoma. The Cumberland levee is 23,480 feet long with a crest elevation of 647.0. Highway 75A crosses the top of the dam.

The Lake

Lake Texoma is considered the tenth largest lake in the United States and offers 1000 miles of shoreline and 89,000 acres of lake area along with miles of white sandy beaches, tree shaded slopes and rugged rocky cliffs. The lake was stocked with striped bass in the late 1960s, and has proven to be an excellent habitat for them.

It is one of the seven U.S. inland lakes where the striped bass reproduce naturally, instead of being farmed and released into the waters. The "stripers" feed on large schools of shad, and often reach sizes of 12 to 20 pounds, with a lake record of 35.12 lb caught April 25, 1984. The town of Kingston, Oklahoma, celebrates the importance of striper fishing to the local area with the annual Kingston Striper Festival each September.

Management of the fishery resources at Lake Texoma is the responsibility of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Lake Texoma provides habitat for at least 70 species of fish, several of which were introduced by the ODWC and TPWD. These agencies maintain a supplemental stocking program to improve the fishery resource. Those species popular for recreational fishing include largemouth, spotted, white, and striped bass; white crappie; and channel, blue, and flathead catfish; The striped bass fishery at Lake Texoma is extremely popular and is considered one of the most successful striped fisheries in the nation. In addition, downstream of the dam is a tailwater fishery that supports striped bass, as well as channel, blue, and flathead catfish. Gizzard shad, threadfin shad, and Mississippi silverside are considered important forage species in the lake. Freshwater drum, carp, gar, buffalo, and river carpsucker make up the bulk of rough fishes in the lake.

Recreation

Lake Texoma is also thought to be the "Playground of the Southwest." The lake offers a multitude of amenities for most anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. The Corps of Engineers alone offers 10 different campgrounds with the total number of individual campsites reaching well over 600. Also available are 40 miles of equestrian trails that are enjoyed by hundreds each year and the scenic Cross Timbers hiking trail, a very popular trail that winds for 14 miles above the lake on rocky ledges and through blackjack woodland. Overnight accommodations, boat rental, slip rental and supplies are available at many of the 22 commercial concessions located adjacent to the lake. Many campgrounds, both public and private exist along the shores of Lake Texoma. Among these are Eisenhower State Park, named for President Dwight Eisenhower, who was born in nearby Denison, TX and All Saints Camp and Conference Center owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas.

Lake Level, Moon Phase and Weather
Last updated: Unknown		Data Provided by WeatherBug.
Lake Level 616.38	CURRENT MOON moon phase	Today High: 89 Sunny. Highs around 90. South winds up to 10 mph.	Monday High: 92 Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 10 to 15 mph.

Fishing Report

Normal Pool Elevation 617.45

Lake Texoma Fishing Report 09/01/2010

Water off color; 84-89 degrees; 0.94' low. Black bass are fair to good on topwaters early and late, midday switching to DD22s, Carolina rigs and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles and around bridge columns. Striped bass are good on live shad, Swimming Pogys and topwaters. Catfish are good on cut and live shad. (09/01/2010 from Texas Parks and Wildlife)

Texoma: August 29. Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 88 and clear. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fair to good on surface lures, crankbaits and plastic combination baits from the surface to 15 ft. around riprap and points. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait, sassy shad and surface lures from the surface to 15 ft. in the river channels and around the points. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on cut baits, worms and shrimp at 5-15 ft. from Catfish Bay to the south and west. Crappie fair on minnows at 5-10 ft. deep around the fish attractors. Sunfish good on worms at 5-10 ft. around riprap and shrimp. Paddlefish fair below the dam. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County.