Watts Report

[OKFlyFisher44]

Took out this morning at 4:10 am and set a course for Gore, Oklahoma. Got down to Marvals about 5:45 and geared up for some stripers. I walked downstream to the section of deeper holes that we'd caught some fish in a week ago. I combed that a whole section with various colors and sizes in clousers....only had 1 strike and it was an instant LDR soon as I set the hook. Just felt the weight of the fish for a second...I was very bummed.

Don't know if the fish have moved or what with the stripers. I even got to the water a little earlier to beat the sun coming up. I'm going to explore some new water further downstream next time I go out. Back to the drawing board on the stripers!

After leaving Marvals, I ran up to the Watts area to finish out the morning. I walked downstream and started out with a san juan worm w/ a copper john dropper. The first 5 casts produced 5 strikes with 3 fish being landed. Always a good sign. They were all over pink and red san juan worms today. The fish looked healthy and fat...all rainbows in the 12-14" range. Ended up w/ 15 out of that run.

Moved upstream and fished another run to end out the morning. Caught 3 real quick on the san juan and then the bite just stopped. Called it quits after that. Had a good morning with 18 rainbows to hand....not a bad way to spend your monday morning while everyone else is at work

Also seen a handful of whitetails in full velvet, drinking from the river at the Watts area. I've never seen a buck in velvet up close so that was really cool to see. Took some pictures...check them out below

[asap52]

Very nice pics enjoyed you posting them. I have fished the Watts area several times and almost always see deer there. Was wondering, what kind of rod and reel combo are you fishing with?

ASAP52

[OKFlyFisher44]

That rod is a Scott SAS 8'0 4wt w/ a Orvis Rocky Mountain reel...I've had this rod/reel for over 10 years, its my favorite by far. I use a 7wt to fish for stripers in the morning...lol, not the 4wt.

[Zach Bearden]

I don't know what happened to the stripers. I went out and caught a catfish, a drum and a largemouth one morning within one hour and not another bite.

I heard a guy say that he saw some good sized bass following a pod of shad just below T&M in the shallows. Said they weren't crashing into them or anything just kinda chasing them. I guess they kinda got stuck there when the water lowered down. There are probably a good number of fish up in the river right now but I don't really like to fish down here at night, and there is no cloud coverage so it's really slow. I'll probably go night fishing tonight just because you reminded me of the bass lol

[OKFlyFisher44]

Where's T&M? Never heard of that area before. See...I was thinking night fishing for the stripers would be awesome since its been so hot lately that I'd bet they're laying low during the day in those deep holes and then feeding at night but who knows.

The thought of fishing down there at night is kinda freaky to me...I mean, Taneycomo has lights everywhere and I've fished there enough that I have a good idea how the river is laid out. But I'd bet it would pay off in the form of some big stripers if you fished down there at night!

I'm going to try and sneak back up there saturday afternoon or sunday morning...

[BFTMASTER]

I've seen those same three deer cross there several times this year, except it was late winter and early spring. One time they swam across when the Dam was pushing about 5,500cfs. Might not be the same deer, cause the three I saw where antlerless that time of year.

[James Robertson]

I've never fished the Illinois but stopped by the to look on my way to Tulsa. Abot 10:00 this morning talked to a boat taking out at the corp. northside park Two guy (not Flyfishing ) had a chest full of large strippers. Said the largest was about 25lb. The had been fishing live shad thay said. I don't know a thing about fishing there but I did see the fish. Ha Jim

[FlyfishinOK]

Was at Marval's Saturday with the family and two guys were at the cleaning station with some really nice Stripers. They had one that weighed out right at 30Lbs

[Okieflyfisher53]

Where's T&M? Never heard of that area before. See...I was thinking night fishing for the stripers would be awesome since its been so hot lately that I'd bet they're laying low during the day in those deep holes and then feeding at night but who knows.

The thought of fishing down there at night is kinda freaky to me...I mean, Taneycomo has lights everywhere and I've fished there enough that I have a good idea how the river is laid out. But I'd bet it would pay off in the form of some big stripers if you fished down there at night!

I'm going to try and sneak back up there saturday afternoon or sunday morning...

Chance,

T&M Sand and Gravel is between the Watts access and Marval. There is a big sign at the turn-off. If you go downstream from the parking area, there is a deeper section with old car bodies on the far bank. That run usaually holds a few stripers. There is another deeper run downstream of the car bodies hole that also holds some stripers.

Steve

[OKFlyFisher44]

Thanks Steve...I'll make a mental note of that next time I go down...which might be in the morning!