Cold Oklahoma Days Mean Peak Trout Fishing Weather

While nearly-freezing morning temps may be an outdoorsmens lament, it's exactly the kind of weather Oklahoma trout anglers wait for all fall.

At Lawton's local trout hole in Medicine Park, it's not uncommon at all to drive through the area and see a handful of campfires along the river's edge. Anglers trying to stay warm while patiently waiting for that next bite. It's as relaxing as fishing gets in the Sooner State.

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While trout stocking got a very late start this year, it's when the cold weather hits that the fisheries teams jump into high gear. Even though Oklahoma is the land of rivers, trout are not native to our waters - thus, the stocking.

Where?

Some fisheries get trout stocked year-round, while others are only stocked during the cooler months - November through March. You can find your nearest trout fishery below.

• Lake Carl Blackwell Turtle Pond
• Robbers Cave
• Blue River
• Lake Watonga
• Sunset Lake
• Lower Illinois River
• Lower Mt. Fork River
• Medicine Park (Nov. 1-March 15)

It's not the typical trout fishing you likely envision.

When I first moved to Southwest Oklahoma and found out about the trout fishing at Medicine Park, the pictures in my mind are what I've seen on TV and in movies. Wading into the shallow creek flinging a fly back and forth until something snatches my fly... but that's not trout fishing in Oklahoma.

Rivers may run through it, but the trout fisheries here are more adept to traditional fishing methods. Most commonly spinning rods and reels with pellet-type baits instead of flinging flies.

Not because trout won't bite flies if you want to fish that way, you're more than welcome to... but it's the creeks themselves that don't lend a hand fishing that way. They're generally not shallow, and more often than not the banks drop off at the water's edge.

If you'd like to give it a try, I'd suggest starting here on the ODWC website. It's full of fishery information, fishing reports, best-practices gear and tackle, and the occasional tip or trick.

Facebook groups are also a huge resource for this niche fish.