In addition to general fishing regulations, statewide species regulations and Department fishing area rules, this section addresses special regulations that apply to public fishing waters. If a species or body of water is not listed, refer to statewide regulations.
= Conservation Passport Area
Schooler -
Choctaw County
Fishing Contact: (918) 297-0153
Game Warden: (580) 317-5000
Daily/Size Limits: Channel and/or blue catfish: six combined per day.
Allowed methods: up to two rods and reels per person, bowfishing.
Shell Lake
Osage County
Fishing Contact: (580) 762-2248
Game Warden: (918) 331-5798, (918) 381-4099, (918) 440-9880, (918) 761-4097
Daily/Size Limits: Walleye, sauger and saugeye: six combined per day/18-inch minimum.
Skiatook
Osage County
Fishing Contact: (580) 762-2248
Fees & Facilities: (580) 396-3170
Game Warden: (918) 331-5798, (918) 381-4099, (918) 440-9880, (918) 761-4097
Daily/Size Limits: Striped bass and striped bass hybrids (does not include white bass): five per day, of which only two may be 20 inches or longer.
Sooner
Noble and Pawnee Counties
Fishing Contact: (580) 762-2248
Fees & Facilities: (405) 553-2919
Game Warden: (580) 370-0700, (918) 645-6116
Daily/Size Limits: Striped bass: 5 per day, minimum length of 20 inches; others must be returned to the water immediately. Walleye, sauger and saugeye: six combined per day/18-inch minimum.
Allowed methods: rod and reel, bowfishing, and noodling. Fishing is prohibited from dam, fenced area below dam, and north bank of intake channel. Fishing in the buoy-marked intake channel, discharge channel and spillway embankment is bank fishing only (no float tubes or wading).
Allowed methods: up to three rods and reels per person, with no more than three hooks per line (treble hooks are considered one hook). Bowfishing during daylight hours only.
Taft
Muskogee County
Fishing Contact: (918) 683-1031
Game Warden: (918) 625-4873, (918) 625-4691
Allowed methods: up to two rods and reels per person.
Tailwaters
Statewide
Fishing Contact: (405) 521-3721
Game Warden: (405) 522-0871
First 1,000 feet below any federal or Grand River Dam Authority dam
At Wister, the tailwater designation extends downstream to the second set of powerlines at the confluence of the old and new river channels.
Fishing limited to only two rods and reels per person. Unlawful to keep a foul-hooked fish (any fish hooked other than inside the mouth) unless taken in a tailwater open to snagging (non-game fish only). Bowfishing prohibited except at Eufaula, Fort Gibson, Heyburn, Hudson, Keystone and Wister. Bowfishing is open on Thunderbird past the first 75 feet from the dam. Gigs, spears and spearguns prohibited, except at Hudson. Snagging prohibited, except at Fort Gibson tailwaters (see additional snagging regulations on Statewide Daily & Size Limits). Each angler must keep their fish separate, marked with their name and customer ID number or lifetime license number when fishing in tailwaters. Wister tailwater is closed to noodling.
Bureau of Reclamation tailwaters
Fishing closed year-round at Arbuckle, Fort Cobb and Foss. Fishing closed for the first 75 feet from dam at Altus-Lugert, McGee Creek, Thunderbird and Tom Steed.
Bowfishing, noodling, trotlines, throwlines, limblines, juglines and yo-yos are prohibited on the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River from the spillway of Great Salt Plains Lake downstream to State Highway 38 Bridge.
Tenkiller
Cherokee and Sequoyah Counties
Fishing Contact: (918) 683-1031
Fees & Facilities: (918) 487-5252
Game Warden: (918) 431-2552, (918) 431-2562, (918) 431-2544, (918) 431-2550
(Downstream from Horseshoe Bend boat ramp to dam)
Daily/Size Limits: All crappie: 15 combined per day/10-inch minimum.
Prohibited methods: gigs and spears downstream of Horseshoe Bend boat ramp. Speargunning is legal when used with scuba, except taking flathead catfish from June 15 through July 15 is prohibited.
Note: Fishing regulations may differ between Oklahoma and Texas portions of Lake Texoma. Check the Texas Fishing Guide for details.
Daily/Size Limits: Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass: five combined per day/14-inch minimum for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Striped bass and/or striped bass hybrids: 10 combined per day, of which only two may be 20 inches or longer. White bass: 25 per day/no size limit. All crappie: 37 combined per day/10-inch minimum. Flathead catfish: five per day/20-inch minimum. The attempt to take or harvest alligator gar is prohibited May 1-31. Alligator gar harvest must be reported within 24 hours via E-Check at wildlifedepartment.com. Texas Side: During May, no person shall take alligator gar from, or possess alligator gar while on, the Red River (including Lake Texoma) and all tributaries that drain directly or indirectly to the Red River on the Texas/Oklahoma border in Cooke, Grayson, Fannin, Lamar, Red River, and Bowie counties.
Thomas A. Bamberger Sr. WMA (Barren Fork Creek) -
Adair County
Fishing Contact: Streams Program Fisheries Office (918) 683-1031.
Game Warden: (918) 431-2546, (918) 431-2539.
Daily/Size Limits: Channel and/or blue catfish: six combined per day.
Allowed methods: up to two rods and reels per person.
Thunderbird
Cleveland County
Fishing Contact: (405) 325-7288
Fees & Facilities: (405) 360-3572
Game Warden: (405) 850-9757, (405) 323-7863
Daily/Size Limits: Walleye, sauger and saugeye: six combined per day/18-inch minimum.
Prohibited methods: bowfishing, gigging, spearing, spearguns, snagging, and noodling within the Little River upstream of Franklin Road in Cleveland County.
Upper Illinois River and Tributaries
Includes Barren Fork Creek and Flint Creek
Fishing Contact: (918) 683-1031
Game Warden: (918) 431-2552, (918) 431-2562
Daily/Size Limits: Illinois River upstream from Horseshoe Bend boat ramp, Barren Fork Creek and Flint Creek; black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted): six combined per day, only one of which may be a smallmouth bass. Largemouth and smallmouth bass must be 14 inches or longer. No size limit on spotted bass.
Prohibited methods: snagging and noodling. Bowfishing, speargunning, and gigging are prohibited, except for the following methods/seasons:
Upstream from the Horseshoe Bend boat ramp to State Highway 51/U.S. 62 bridge: Gigging is permitted from Dec. 1 to March 1. Speargunning is permitted from Dec. 1 to March 31. Bowfishing is permitted from June 1 to March 31 in the Upper Illinois River only.
Upstream from State Highway 51/U.S. 62 bridge: Gigging, bowfishing and speargunning are permitted from Dec. 1 to March 31.
Possession or use of cast nets prohibited.
Upper Poteau River and Fourche Maline River and Tributaries
Le Flore County
Fishing Contact: (918) 683-1031
Game Warden: (918) 429-3910, (918) 431-2559, (580) 513-0814
Prohibited methods: gigs, spears, and spearguns.
Vanderwork -
Washita County
Fishing Contact: (580) 529-2795
Game Warden: (580) 515-4484
Daily/Size Limits: Channel and/or blue catfish: six combined per day.
Allowed methods: up to two rods and reels per person, bowfishing.
Vincent -
Ellis County
Fishing Contact: (580) 474-2663
Game Warden: (580) 860-4967
Daily/Size Limits: Channel and/or blue catfish: six combined per day.
Allowed methods: up to two rods and reels per person, bowfishing.
Watonga -
Blaine County
Fishing Contact: (580) 474-2663
Game Warden: (580) 623-0206
Daily/Size Limits: Channel and/or blue catfish: six combined per day.
Allowed methods: only one rod and reel per person during trout season (other times up to two rods and reels per person), bowfishing.
Note: For additional trout regulations, see Trout Regulations. The dam at Watonga will be under repair until further notice. For more information visit www.wildlifedepartment.com
Webbers Falls
Muskogee County
Fishing Contact: (918) 683-1031
Fees & Facilities: (918) 487-5252
Game Warden: (918) 625-4873, (918) 625-4691
Daily/Size Limits: Walleye, sauger and saugeye: six combined per day/16-inch minimum.
