Blues are active in the muddy shallows around tinker creek cove. Caught a 16 pounder 2 weeks ago. The big shad are over by the dam but havent come up yet. Drift over to the bottom of the stairs and toss into the 25-30 foot area. Sink it to the bottom for a net full.
David P. Roberts
Hey Dave, I’m new to fishing as of last year. Self taught and I’ve only ever been shore fishing mainly for bass as that’s what I’ve been able to teach myself on YouTube. Not much fishing where I’m from, Toronto, Canada. Recently moved to Edmond and I’m hoping to have some luck at Arcadia this year. I’ve read through all the comments on your blog, “If you’re fishing from the shore and don’t mind walking a bit park over at the main ranger office parkinglot and walk over to the north corner of the dam. Cast right up next to the pump tower and jig from the tower to the steps just walking that corner. I used to murder em pretty good doing that before I got the boat.” is this still the best advice for fishing from the shore? I tend to stick to small ponds because I get overwhelmed by the bigger lakes and never know where to go. Drove around Arcadia from a bit today after coming in at one of the bigger entrances off 2nd, didn’t find anything that seemed worth fishing so I never even opened my backpack to hook up some bait (wish I had found this site before I wasted my time and $7.) Any advice you could offer this newbie would be appreciated, thanks! (Not sure if I double posted this, hope not)
that pump tower is really good for crappie. fishing from the shore thats the only spot i’d fish for em at. bass are so overfished in arcadia i dont even try to catch em. plenty of channel cats crappie and a decent number of blues to fill the fryer. if you want a crash course in catfishing you’re welcome to join me on the boat sometime. I normally fish friday nights and/or saturday nights from about 6 till 1AM-ish. if the weather is real good sometimes i’ll take the kiddo out after work. send me an email with your contact info if you want to boat fish some evening, i’ll txt/call when i have available seats.
Hey Dave, I just started picking up fishing here in Oklahoma after spending my childhood fishing in Nebraska. I am bank fishing currently and I was wondering if you know of the best parking place to use to walk into the Tinker cove and if the water is a good temp for the cats to be in the shallows there? I have been fishing over by the damn and have had some success but I want to switch it up a little as well as get to know this lake. Any advice would be great. I have went through and read all of your posts on Arcadia and they have been incredibly helpful thus far. Thanks!
Tinker cove is a great spot when it’s warm. I’ve had two hookups on something horrifically massive in that cove. One was the lake monster story, the other ate a large live perch and tore line off my reel like it had hooked onto a speeding train before it threw the hook.
you can park here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/35%C2%B037'23.4%22N+97%C2%B022'10.6%22W/@35.6231611,-97.3701652,438m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d35.62316!4d-97.369618
i advise you cast out here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/35%C2%B037'28.9%22N+97%C2%B022'14.6%22W/@35.6247013,-97.3729227,1750m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d35.624697!4d-97.370734
If you land something the size of a small cow from this cove please send me a pic of it.
Also, bring bug repellent – lot of ticks out right now.
Thanks! I have been back in there a couple of times now. It is a really peaceful cove but I have been struggling with the fish. I have pulled a couple of big turtles out of there and enjoy watching the beavers but have been having better luck by the damn. I will probably give it a few more tries. I have been using cut shad and frozen shad. The turtles really like the frozen shad.
went out to tinker creek tues evening for an hour. we put 2 channels in the boat and lost one good one. havent seen any blues around there lately.