Fly Fishing Oklahoma

[okieflyfisheman]

I am rather new to the sport and would be interested in communications from any other fly fisherpersons who enjoy the sport. I have concentrated thus far on trout, fishing the lower Illinois River. Am expanding to warm water species, however, due to the limited trout fishing in Oklahoma.

[TerryB]

Hi Okie!

What are you thinking of going after and where are you located?

You can float the upper Illinois and fish for smallies, largemouth and gills. You can also try just hitting farm ponds if you have some in your area. There's also the lower Mountain Fork which is a good trout stream and has a bit more to offer than the lower Illinois. You can also try fishing below Zink dam on the Arkansas. I heard a couple weeks ago that guys were hanging some big stripers over there.

Hope that helps.

Terry

[okieflyfisheman]

Hey Terry
Thanks for the reply. So far I have fished only for trout on the lower Illinois and then (excuse the blasphemy) mostly spinning. I am 62 and retired and have a motorhome so I have time to go if I can talk mama into gettin out of the house. I have been fishing the Marval area and done real well. Matter of fact had the best trout day in my 62 years. Caught 106 on a day they stocked on a size "0" browntrout brown mepps spinner. Think if I had held out a net they would have jumped in. The last trip I got out my old flyrod and grabbed a couple wooly buggers and a black gnat or two and struck out. Did OK and definitely rekindled my love for fly fishing. Since that trip I have tied up about a hundred or more flies in all kinds of patterns just for practice (bunch of wooly buggers). Anyway, I am going back to that area over Labor Day weekend. You have any suggestions on flies other than wooly buggers. I will deffinitely be flailing flies around. I had rather catch one fish on a fly that 50 any other way. Thanks for the info. Maybe we will run into each other on the water some day.

[okieflyfisheman]

By the way. I live in Edmond.

[jsmartt]

From Edmond it is just about as close to travel to northwest Arkansas or southwest Missouri as to the Mt. fork river in southeast OK. The tailwaters below Beaver lake AR has some decent tout fishing and the Roaring river in S.E. MO is fun especially in the winter months. If you want a slightly longer trip (you said you had a motor home) spend a week or two at one of the state parks below Bull Shoales or Norfork dams in north central AR. The fly fishing is excellent in those areas.

[biot midge]

okie,
The zebra midge works well on the Lower Illinois. I have also done well with pheasant tail nymphs and copper johns.
Steve

[cctyer]

Like Biot says think small. I was at the lower illnois two weeks ago and tore them up with a size 18 or 20 danville midge. It is a scud hook with a copper tungsten bead, medium brown Danville thread and an extra small copper wire rib. We call it a copperhead but it was the ticket that day.

I also caught fish on zebra midges in black and red but the copperhead was by far the favorite that day.

Good luck,

Chad

[RonMT]

A good web-site for you to take a look at is

www.OzarkAnglers.com

They cover that whole area. All of the lakes and streams. They also have fishing report's on all of those rivers and lakes and from the fish and game department's. Lot's to learn here to but just thought you might like to read that site. Ron

[ozarkflyflinger57]

Hey Okie, welcome to the fold. I am in Edmond as well and love to fish farm ponds for bluegill and bass. I have been known to go fish around the fishing dock at lake Arcadia for BG, they are small but in a pinch they'll do.

South of OKC about 110 miles from Edmond is the Blue river. There is a good group of fly fishers there when they start stocking trout in October. Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blueriverflyfishers/

Like one of the other fellas said from here it is faster to the White River near Eureka Springs than the Mountain Fork if you're after trout. The only problem is that as hot as it has been I am sure they are generating a lot of water.

There are hundreds of possibilities around these parts, we just need to get the weather to cool down a bit. It sure has hampered my fishing this summer.

Dan

[Terry Lightle]

I agree about going to Arkansas,from what I hear the Mountain Fork gets pretty crowded.Closest trout fishing for a lot of people frm Texas.Lot more water in Arkansas to get away from crowds.Never been to Mountain Fork ,just always go to White or Norfork for longer trips and to lower Illinois for day trips.I live in Sand Springs.