Species found in the Tulsa
area
Bluegill Sunfish- This is one of the two preferred sunfish for a pond system. It also is one of the best tasting fish you will catch. This sunfish is deeper bodied and more compressed than the green sunfish. The gill flap is wide and black, the dorsal and anal fin generally have a very distinctive dark spot at the base.
Bluegill young are usually considered the forage base for a pond system, and are not likely to overpopulate like some of its cousins. Bluegill six inches or larger are fun to catch. Popular lures and baits for bluegill include: poppers, wet and dry flies, small spinners, jigs, and natural baits such as worms, crickets, or grasshoppers.
Redear Sunfish- The redear is the other preferred sunfish in a pond system. This fast growing fish feeds on snails and other mollusks. They help break the life cycle of some parasites which infect other fish species such as largemouth bass or channel catfish by helping control the snail population.
The redear is not as deep bodied and not as compressed as the bluegill. Its distinguishable characteristics are a gill flap edged with red (male) or yellow (female). The body color of the redear is also much lighter than that of the bluegill. Redear reach 12in in length, and weigh up to two pounds, which makes them a good sport fish. They are a little more particular when it comes to their feeding habits, so try natural baits such as worms, crickets or grasshoppers. They are commonly found around logs or stumps so that is a good place to start looking!
Green Sunfish- The green sunfish at fist glance is often mistaken for a bluegill, but upon closer inspection reveals major differences. The green sunfish has a large mouth, green body color, and irregular green lines on its cheek along with yellow margins around the edge of the fins. These fish are very adaptable and can live in most ponds and streams.
The problem with this fish is its large mouth and aggressive behavior. It is as much a predator on young fish as it is on forage fish. It will often over populate a pond if there isn’t heavy pressure by other fish predators. The green sunfish is very aggressive and can be caught on spinners, surface plugs, and most natural baits.
Channel Catfish- Channel catfish are the most widely distributed catfish in Oklahoma. They can thrive in a variety of aquatic habitats including ponds, reservoirs and streams. Adult fish are often found in deeper pools while juvenile fish are more tolerant of shallow waters. Channel catfish are often confused with the blue catfish and the easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at their anal fin. The channel catfish will have a curved edge on its anal fin while the blue catfish has a straight edge. Channel catfish are a favorite among anglers and can make an excellent table fish. Popular baits for channel catfish are natural baits such as worms, grasshoppers and shad as well as commercial stink baits.
Blue Catfish- Blue catfish were originally restricted to the Red river system, but have been transplanted and are thriving in many reservoirs and rivers across Oklahoma. Blue catfish are mostly found in large rivers or reservoirs. They tend to prefer areas with rocky or sandy bottoms. They are also favorite fish among anglers for their fighting abilities and there large size. Blue catfish weights can exceed 100 pounds. Popular baits for blue catfish include many natural baits such as shad, sunfish, and crayfish.
Flathead Catfish- Flathead catfish are generally only found in large reservoirs, rivers and streams in Oklahoma. They tend to prefer areas with dense cover and bends in rivers and especially areas with rocky bottoms or undercut banks. Flatheads are a bit more picky than the other catfish, usually only eating live bait. Popular baits include live shad or sunfish and even small carp or suckers for the big ones. They also have the potential grow larger than 100 pounds.
Largemouth Bass- Classified scientifically as a sunfish rather than a true bass, the largemouth is not typical of its pansized cousins. Often confused with smallmouth and spotted bass, it is easily distinguishable because of the upper jaw extends to or beyond the posterior edge of the eye socket. The largemouth also has a deeply notched dorsal fin which will distinguish it from the spotted bass. Also, the spotting below the lateral band is weakly developed, where it is plainly evident in spotted bass. Largemouth can typically be found in areas that are less than 10 ft deep and offer cover. Popular lures for largemouth include spinner baits, soft plastics, jigs, and top water plugs.
Spotted Bass- The spotted bass is perhaps best described as an “in-between” species. Its mouth is midway in size between that of the largemouth and smallmouth bass. True to its name, the spotted bass is definite spots along its sides beneath the lateral band. The band itself has diamond-shaped blotches along its length. There are twelve rays in the soft dorsal fin and scales lap up onto the fin. Between the spinous and soft ray portions of the dorsal fin, the notch is not as deep as that of the largemouth bass. Spotted bass tend to prefer stream like environments or steeply sloping rocky bottoms of reservoirs. They can usually be caught on soft plastics, spinner baits, jigs, top water plugs, or crankbaits.
Smallmouth Bass- The smallmouth bass is colored brownish-green with overlaying vertical markings. It does not exhibit a lateral band as do the spotted and largemouth basses. The upper jaw does not extend beyond the pupil of the eye in adults. The dorsal fin of the smallmouth is not notched as deeply as that of the largemouth and the body color is usually lighter. The smallmouth bass also frequently has red eyes. Smallmouths tend to prefer rocky bottoms on main lake points but are also like stream habitat. Popular lures for smallmouth include jigs, soft plastics that look like crayfish, and deep diving crankbaits.
White Bass- The white bass is one of the three members of the true bass family in Oklahoma; the others being the introduced Striped bass and the native Yellow bass. The dorsal fin of the white bass is distinctly separated; the anal fin has three spines and 12 soft rays. Body color is a light greenish when viewed from above with silver sides and a white belly when viewed from below. The white bass has only a single spine on its gill cover while a striped bass will have two. White bass can often be found in large schools on lakes and rivers, and can be taken on a variety of artificial lures such as spinners, rat-l-traps, spoons, and crankbaits, but they also can be taken on live bait such as minnows or shad.
Striped Bass- Closely resembling the white bass, the striped bass differs primarily by having two opercular spines on the gill cover, and a much more streamlined body and head. Hyoid teeth are apparent in two parallel patches on the tongue. The striper body coloration ranges from an olive green when viewed from above with silvery sides and a white belly when viewed from below. Prominent black lines originate behind the head and run to the tail. Stripers prefer a large river environment often congregating below dams, but have also been successful in some larger reservoirs. Stripers can be taken on a variety of lures such as long A bombers, wildeyes, pencil poppers and redfins, although it is tough to out fish live natural bait such as threadfin and gizzard shad.
Striped Bass Hybrid- The striped bass hybrid closely resembles both striped bass and white bass making identification difficult. Distinguishing characteristics of Hybrids include distinct lines along their sides that are usually broken, and a deep body much like the white bass. Hybrids also have hyoid teeth that lie in a single heart or teardrop shaped patch on the tongue. These fish are found in the lakes they are stocked in as well as in the rivers below those lakes. The most popular bait for these fish are threadfin and gizzard shad, but they can also be caught on all lures the striped bass and white bass can be caught on.
Walleye- Walleye are members of the perch family. Walleye have a long cylindrical, somewhat compressed body, and a large mouth well armed with teeth. There are no small dark spots on the spiny dorsal fins, but there is a large dark blotch ate the posterior base. The lower tip of the caudal fin and the tip of the anal fin are conspicuously white. The body is an olive color on the back, with bronze yellow sides, and a white belly. There are short, dark, dark vertical bars on the upper sides, but these are hard to see in larger fish.
Fishing with minnow, trolling with artificial lures and worms, or casting sinking plugs are the best angling methods. Walleye are well adapted to low light intensity and this special visual adaptation makes them seek shelter in periods of bright sunlight.
Sauger- This member of the perch family is very difficult to distinguish from the more common and abundant walleye. The sauger has been around in Oklahoma for a lot longer and is native to the state. Its body is cylindrical, and is less compressed and is less deep than that of the walleye. There are two dorsal fins, the first, which ahs sharp spines, is marked with two or three rows of small black spots, but there are no black blotches on the posterior base. The lower top of the caudal fin is usually similar to that of the upper, not predominately white. The body is usually olive to brown and has wide vertical bars.
Although smaller than the walleye, the sauger has the same sport characteristics and is a choice food fish, angling methods suitable for the walleye should capture this species as well.
Saugeye- This fish is a hybrid cross between the walleye female and the sauger male that is produced at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife State Fish Hatcheries. Even though it is in Oklahoma waters it was not introduced in the Tulsa area. However, in survey work done on the Arkansas River, it has been documented. It is very close in resemblance to both parents. However, look for these characteristics if you think you have landed one. Spiny dorsal fin with bars and often with one or two rows of distinct spots at the base, blotches often indistinct at rear base of spiny dorsal fin, dark blotches on sides extending below the lateral line, and cheeks with scales.
White Crappie- Most like black crappie but differs in having fewer dorsal spines and subsequently shorter dorsal fin. Dorsal spines number 5 or 6. Most often confused with black crappie, especially during the spawning season when males of both species exhibit sexual dimorphism. The color pattern of white crappie is generally greenish above, cream or white below with scattered small spots or blotches arranged in more or less vertical bands. Crappie are a favorite table fish among anglers and they are generally easy to catch. Crappie often form large schools and congregate around structure. The easiest time to catch them is in the spring when they are in shallow water, often less than 4 feet preparing to spawn. The most popular way to catch them is with minnows, but they can also be taken on plastic or hair jigs.
Black Crappie- Most like white crappie but differs in having more dorsal spines and subsequently a longer dorsal fin. Dorsal spines number 7 or 8. Most often confused with white crappie, especially during spawning season when the males of both species exhibit sexual dimorphism. The color of black crappie is generally greenish above with cream or white below. Black spots and blotches are randomly and profusely scattered along each side of the fish. Black crappie can be caught using the same methods that are used to catch white crappie.