Oklahoma's Free Fishing Weekend Welcomes New Anglers

This weekend is Oklahoma's Free Fishing weekend, no license required for anyone to dip a line in a lake. Let's hope the weather holds out long enough for you to reel in a lunker!

This truly is one of the best weekends of the year across the Sooner State. Early June is usually not terribly hot, the fish are just now getting their bite on, and you don't have to shell out a bunch of money just to enjoy nature's bounty.

It's especially great for those who don't already fish, but maybe they've been looking for a new hobby obsession. Oklahoma is a great place for anglers!

What you'll need.

Obviously, you'll need a rod and reel along with bait and tackle.

It's easy to develop GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome - and go spending a bunch of money on products the marketing companies say you need, but it's as simple as a pole, reel, hooks, and bait. You can literally walk into Walmart with $30 and grab everything you absolutely need.

Do you need the fancy signature fishing setup the professionals are paid to endorse? Nope. There are several rod and reel combos available at the $20 mark, many of which come with enough tackle to get you started.

Is it nice to have the really expensive stuff?

Absolutely! But if you're just trying something, no sense in jumping in bank account first.

Artificial baits are fine, but you never know what they'll be biting on. Most are designed and painted to catch the angler in the store rather than a fish in the water. Live bait is a solid performer, especially if the goal is to just catch any fish. Worms, minnows, or even the packaged stuff that smells like death. It all works.

Even better, most of the lakes around Oklahoma are also free to fish. This is especially true for WMA lakes and reservoirs, but municipal lakes are hit & miss with the goal of the weekend. Down in Southwest Oklahoma, we have the Wichita Mountain lakes. They're always free to fish year-round and are full of big bass.

If you've never been, this is the weekend to experience the Oklahoma outdoors.

Full details here.

Oklahoma's Ten Best Fishing Lakes

If you know, you know. When it comes to fishing, not all lakes are equal. While you can fish and catch fish in just about every body of water in the Sooner State, there are only a handful of lakes Oklahoma anglers get serious about.

Here are the top fishing lakes in Oklahoma.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

Lake Altus-Lugert and SWOK's Underwater Ghost Town

Like most rare things, conditions have to be just right to see one of Oklahoma's hidden gems. In years of good and average rainfall, the lost town of Lugert stays buried beneath the waves... but in dry years, especially those stricken by drought, you can walk around this pre-statehood townsite while enjoying one of Oklahoma's prettiest areas, Quartz Mountain State Park.

Gallery Credit: Kelso