Central Oklahoma Region - The Best of the Best Freshwater Fishing

Little Known to most fisherman, Oklahoma is an"City Lakes" Species Limits & Keep
outstanding freshwater fishery. The state is brokenRequirements Largemouth bass: 6 (14" minimum)
up into 5 regions which include the Central Region.Smallmouth bass: 1 (18" minimum) Channel & Blue
The Central region of Oklahoma is made up of aCatfish: 15 combined Crappie: 37 Walleye: 5 (18"
series of lakes surrounding Oklahoma City and includeminimum) Flathead Catfish: 10 (20" minimum) Rainbow
the following fisheries: Arcadia, Draper, Hefner,Trout: 6
Overholser, Thunderbird, and Wes Watkins. All these"Close To Home" Species Limits & Keep
fisheries are easy driving distance from OklahomaRequirements Largemouth bass: catch and release
City, Oklahoma. Make sure you check the fishingChannel & Blue Catfish: 6 combined Crappie: 37
regulations for city lakes because there is addedFlathead Catfish: 10 (20" minimum) Rainbow Trout: 6
regulations on these lakes.Ok Folks Now I want to talk a bit about the Central
"City Lakes" Species Limits & KeepRegion Fisheries.
Requirements the fishing areas classified as city lakesArcadia Lake For you boaters there are plenty of
are as follows: Lake Hefner, Lake Overholser, andpublic access areas to launch your fishing craft. For
Lake Draper. The city of Oklahoma city also hasyou folks without a boat Lake Arcadia has a public
some fishing areas they have classified as "Close toheated, covered dock is provided for year-round
Home" A City fishing permit and Oklahoma Statefishing for bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, and
fishing license are required for persons ages 16 to 61largemouth bass. Arcadia Lake is located on the Deep
fishing on "City lakes" and "Close to Home" fishingFork River and has 26 miles of shoreline and 1,820
waters.made up of a series of lakes surroundingsurface water acres.
Oklahoma City and include the followingLake Stanley Draper was built in 1963.The Lake has 4
fisheries:Arcadia, Draper, Hefner, Overholser,covered fishing piers for the fisherman without
Thunderbird, and Wes Watkins. All these fisheries areboats.For boat users there are numerous boat
easy driving distance from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.ramps.Lake Draper takes water from Lake Atoka
Make sure you check the fishing regulations for cityand the McGee Creek Reservoir in southeast
lakes because there is added regulations on theseOklahoma.The lake has a ave. depth of 34ft and is
lakes.98ft at it's deepest point. Lake Draper covers 2,900
"Close to Home"areas are designated Cooperativesurface acres. is located in southeast Oklahoma City
fisheries between Oklahoma City and the Oklahomaand is close to I-240 between Midwest Boulevard
Department of Wildlife Conservation.and Post Road.
Close To Home waters include:Crystal Lake, 6625Lake Hefneris Located in northwest Oklahoma City
SW 15 (special use area)Dolese Youth Park Pond,and is included in the city lakes, and has special fishing
NW 50th and Meridian · Edwards Park Fishingregulations. Lake Hefner was built in 1947 and is an
Lake, 1515 N Bryant Kids' Lake on Wilshire, 3200 Wexcellent fishing lake. The lake has a Enclosed, heated
Wilshire Route 66 Park Ponds, 3350 West Overholserfishing dock Near Hefner Golf Course, and a Covered
Drive · South Lakes Park Ponds (East andfishing pier called Fisherman's Neck. The City Marina
West), 4302 SW 119 All waters within Stinchcombhas 1 courtesy dock, 1 covered dock, 3 boat ramps
Wildlife Refuge, NW 51 Stinchcomb Road ·with tending docks. Lake Hefner has a ave. depth of
The Oklahoma River, extending downstream from29 feet average, and is 94ft at it's deepest point.
NW 10th Street (including impoundments, ponds andLake Hefner covers 2500 surface acres.
wetlands) to NE 10th Street. Zoo Lake, 2101 NE 50