Lake Texoma Striper Fishing Blog

Finding rhythm with the constant of change I watch drought turn to flood, return to drought and back to flood again. The lake has risen and fell 30 ft or better over the span of about 4-5 months and what a ride it has been. The entire lake turned brown and settled again to its normal clarity. Many guides ventured to the river to fish but I remained on the lake to fish through the flood. I enjoyed the peacefulness of having the lake all to myself during that time as well as the unknown of what to expect on an adventure onto the flooded landscape. There were times we came in empty handed and I wandered how many of our fish had found their way through the flood gates or over the spillway then I would find them schooled up and feeding again which would make for some excellent fishing from time to time. 

It has been a while since I sent out the last fishing report, there hasn't been much to report on as the fishing as been tough in the constantly changing conditions. Now the lake is getting back to normal and the fish are turning on. We made it through the flood with only minor damage to the marina here and there but we made it happen day by day and I fished the whole while through. I want to give big thanks to Tim our marina manager and the Little Mineral crew who has gone above and beyond as we all worked through the flooding adventure. Over the past month I have started to see the fish settle into a more consistent pattern with a more stable elevation and cooler water temperatures. Most of the fish I have been catching are good fat fish between 18”-24” which has provided for a good yield. We haven't been bringing home any limits yet and I don't expect to until the population rebounds a bit more in a year or two. What we have been is having a great time catching all of our overs and turning a few back. Of course there is a slow day here and there but that is normal. The fish we have been catching are coming mostly from drifting using live bait in 15-30 ft. of water but a few trips I've found them out deeper in 30-50 ft. The birds have arrived and can be found working at times but I haven't found many fish under them as of yet. I've been trying lures without any success yet, all fish are being caught on live shad. The bait/fish ratio is out of balance right now with a huge abundance of bait so I'm not sure what patterns to expect moving forward.

If you have had the itch to fish and were waiting on a good time to come, I think it is finally safe to book that trip for some more consistent fishing this fall and early winter. I still have some openings available this next week for Thanksgiving if you want to get the kids on the water before it gets too cold. You can book your trip online on my website www.stripersinc.com or give me a call anytime at (903)815-1609 and I'll get you set up. I operate based on the gift economy under suggested and flexible rate. Our success of catching fish is unpredictable so after your trip I want to give you the opportunity to give in return whatever you feel the trip has been worth to you. If you have any questions don't hesitate to call or send me a message. I'll be looking forward to fishing with you.

Your Lake Texoma Fishing Guide
Brian Prichard
Stripers Inc.
www.stripersinc.com
(903)815-1609

**Recipe Highlight :: Medicinal Fish Bone Broth
Take home the bones and head from your catch to make fish bone broth which is highly medicinal. It is loaded with vitamins minerals and nutrients which you do not get from other foods like gelatin, iodine, and omegas. It helps to strengthen and support your bones, joints, thyroid, and brain.
Use about a pound of the heads and bones to a gallon of water. I brine the fish first placing it in water with salt and sugar for a day or so to improve the quality of the final flavor. First heat the water to a simmer and add in the bones and head. At this point you will want to watch for any foam or scum that comes to the surface and scoop it off, if you wait too long it will dissolve back into the stock to give it a strong flavor. Let the stock simmer for at least 4 hours but it can go for as much as 24 hours. Make sure that you don't bring it to a boil or you will risk loosing the vital gelatin. For the last two hours you can add vegetables like carrots onions celery and garlic. Then for the last 20 minutes you can add in herbs like cilantro and parsley. Add salt to taste. After the the stock is finished, let it cool and strain it out. It will keep for up to 2 weeks or better in the fridge or it can be frozen for later use. The the bones can be separated and be easily crushed into powder for a calcium supplement or you can feed the leavings to your pets for a nutrient support.