A long tradition
Over the years Jeff has talked to a lot of people who heard Ivan Martin, Lee Jeffery or Jeff himself on the Grand Lake fishing report. It's a really cool Grand Lake tradition, and he's glad KGVE keeps it going.
Firearm opener
This is the biggest weekend of hunting season. Oklahoma firearm season opens bright and early Saturday, and with nice weather forecast, Jeff expects lots of harvest, maybe even a record. Western Oklahoma has big deer, but most of the state's deer are taken in the eastern half, from I-35 to the Arkansas line, where some counties produce a tremendous number of Whitetails. Families hunt together: husbands and wives, sons, daughters, grandkids and friends.
Local gear shops
Jeff buys his ammo at L&L Outdoors in Jay, which has a tremendous supply. He shoots .308 and .300 WSM, and Haydn shoots .300 Win Mag and .308. Laramie at L&L carries deer blinds, hunting clothes, crossbows and a gigantic selection of guns and scopes, a good stop for a last-minute firearm or scope help. Sam at Grand Lake Sports Center also has some firearms and does scope work, Jeff believes. David Hale at Honey Creek Outdoors is where Jeff always had his bow tuned.
Stable lake, predictable fish
Without a big inflow or strange weather, the cooling water of late fall into early winter puts fish in the same places year after year.
Crappie
Haydn says Crappie are moving toward the backs of the coves and up the creek arms, as they historically do now. Shad move to the backs of the coves in fall, and the Crappie and Bass follow them.
White Bass
White Bass should be getting closer to the banks. Try an inline spinners or small swimbaits.
Catfish
Guys are catching plenty drift fishing. Don't be afraid to drift 35 to 50 feet for Blues. Blue Cats usually tear things up from about mid-November until the first shad kill, which sometimes comes before Christmas but more often closer to mid-January.
Safety / Thanksgiving
Hunters, wear your orange and take your time. Jeff may not be back for a Thanksgiving report. Firearm season runs two weeks and three weekends, and unless the weather changes inflow on the lake, this week's report should carry over. Happy Thanksgiving and good deer season.