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By Kelly Bostian Tulsa World
At the Claremore Lake fishing dock, the crappies were so hungry a guy could probably catch them on a bare hook.
At Belle Star Marina on Lake Eufaula, the afternoon bite tailed off and folks were packing up to leave. And at Keyport on Keystone Lake, the name had changed and so had the fishing.
‘Tis the season for winter crappie dock fishing, with the weather finally getting cold and providing incentive for anglers to head inside and enjoy a little fellowship around a covered fishin’ hole.
A request for a list of these places is a perennial thing at my desk, so naturally I get around to updating the list just about every other year. Things change, but they don’t change every year in the crappie dock scene.
For the uninitiated, the heated docks are enclosed floating docks with a walkway and rails inside around an open fishing area. Most have generous amounts of artificial or natural brush under the dock to attract the crappies. Some are heated, some are not, some are associated with marinas or resorts with restaurants and bait shops, but some are not.
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Anglers pay a daily fee of about $2 to $5 to drop a line and enjoy a day of fishing without having to suffer winter’s worst.
At Belle Starr Marina on Tuesday afternoon, I thought I’d hit a sunset, late-evening bite on Lake Eufaula, but folks were packing up as I arrived about 3 p.m. Apparently morning is the time to be there — early morning.
Ray and Teresa Shafer of Catoosa were the last to leave the dock, right about sundown. The Shafers, married 58 years, have been to a lot of crappie docks over the years. Belle Starr is one of the better ones for good-sized fish, according to Ray.
“We pack up and just make a day of it,” he said.
“You get to know people, and people help each other out,” Teresa Shafer said of the crappie dock scene.
They left Belle Starr with about a dozen good-sized crappies in a five-gallon bucket. “We’ve got enough for a mess anyway,” Teresa Shafer said — meaning enough for a good dinner.
Wednesday morning I took that early morning cue and hit Keyport Marina to see who was fishing the Mannford-area scene. Turned out the name changed to Salt Creek, and it also turned out I had the place all to myself. The fishing was good. I caught and released about 10 crappies and one sand bass in the space of two hours, but the conversation was lacking.
I knew the little dock at Claremore Lake would be busy as always, so that city’s dock became Thursday’s destination.
A steady effort of seven or eight anglers around the hole produced constant splashing all morning as small voracious crappie hit jigs and spoons. They didn’t seem to be picky about which bait they wanted. Someone was always pulling one up or tossing one back into the water. The group was quiet save an occasional exclamation when someone caught a keeper or landed a double.
One thing about it, it wasn’t a boring way to fish. I caught and released 30 little crappies in 24 minutes, all 8 inches or less. In that time I saw two other guys catch three that were keeper-sized. There is no size limit at Claremore Lake, but there is a daily limit of 15. From what I witnessed, the lake has plenty to spare.
David Heath had a nice batch of 15 by about 11 a.m. and was headed home. He said he had arrived before sun-up and that the bigger fish seem to be more active then. “I first came here a week ago and I’ve been three times and caught three nice limits,” he said.
I’ll have to follow that pre-dawn advice. Now, which one to fish next?
Kelly Bostian
918-581-8357
Twitter: @KellyBostian
Northeast Oklahoma Crappie Docks
Claremore Lake
Heated dock. Cost $2 a day. City permit required. Limit 15 fish.
2 miles east of U.S. 66 on Blue Starr Drive
918-341-1238
Lake Eufaula
111563 OK-150, Checotah
Lake Eufaula State Park
Heated dock. Molly Brown Café attached. Cost is $5 per person, less for seniors, children. Open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Outside area available 24-hours
918-689-7337
Enclosed dock. Take 69 Highway south to Texanna Road exit, east 3 miles and turn south on Belle Starr Road at Campers Corner.
New owners plan improvements. Open 24 hours. Cost is $5 per person on honor system.
918-689-2132
Keystone Lake
- Salt Creek Marina (old Keyport Marina)
1200 S. Keyport Road, Mannford
Heated dock (woodstove). New owners, monthly crappie tournaments, has woodstove. Cost $5 for 12 hours. Open 24 hours.
918-704-1667
New Mannford Park Road, Mannford
Enclosed dock. Cost is $3 per person. Open 24 hours.
918-865-2096
Fort Gibson Lake
6372 East 101st Street North, Wagoner
Sequoyah Bay State Park
New heated crappie dock, new owners, new restaurant. Cost $5 per person. Open 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily. Restaurant open Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
918-687-4073
Grand Lake
- Blue Bluff Harbor and Resort
63251 E. 256 Road, Grove
Heated dock. Open 24 hours, $5 per day or membership of $25 month or $250 year. Lights and heater off at 10 p.m. – 4 a.m. Cabins and resort facilities.
918-786-5531
- Indian Hills Resort and Marina
415 Park Drive in Bernice
Heated dock (woodstove). $5 per person. Open 24 hours. Cabins for rent. Restaurant open 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
918-256-6954
24800 S 630 Road, Grove
Heated dock. Cost $5 per person. Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cabins for rent (fish 24 hours, free breakfast). Restaurant hours breakfast only 8-10 a.m.
918-786-4289
Hudson Lake
33 Big Bluff Lane, Pryor
Heated dock. Cost $5 per person. Open 24 hours. Café open 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
918-434-6099
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