As the biggest lake in the state of Oklahoma, Lake Eufaula is one of the most popular tournament and recreational lakes in the state. As a bass fishery, Eufaula has flown under the radar in the national conversation until the St. Croix Rods Bassmaster Open visited June 15-17. Two 22-pound bags were measured and Matt Messer caught an 8-pound largemouth.
On the Inside Bassmaster podcast hosted by Ronnie Moore and Kyle Jessie, EQ angler Matt Pangrac described the Canadian River impoundment as one of the best tournament lakes in his home state. Elite Series pro and Coalgate, Okla. native Luke Palmer agrees.
“It is a neat lake because it can be won out of any section of the lake,” the 2023 Santee Cooper Lakes Elite champion said. “It is just a good fishery. It has a lot of 2 1/2- to 3-pound bass in it. An angler can do what he wants. It has a little bit of everything. You can run 35 or 40 miles one way or you can stay close. You will have a variety of water colors, too.”
The midlake region, around Nichol’s Point, gets a lot of attention during tournaments as well as the Longtown area and the bays close to the dam like Brooken Cove. Bass are spread out all over the system, however.
Largemouth are the predominant player in bass tournaments at Lake Eufaula, but there are healthy populations of spotted bass as well as smallmouth, although the brown fish don’t show up quite as often as they used to.
Towards the dam and in the midlake region, the water is stained to clear. Moving up the river and the backs of the many creeks, the water becomes more stained and dirty. Rock is the predominant cover for bass in the system and there is some standing timber and laydowns as well.
When the water is up, the shallow water fishing can turn from good to great as the bass flood the numerous bushes that line the bank. There is no shortage of forage for the bass in the reservoir, particularly with the tremendous threadfin and gizzard shad population.
If bass fishing isn’t at the top of the priorities, fishing in general on Eufaula is phenomenal. White bass, crappie, bream and catfish all swim in the massive lake and Opens anglers reported having plenty of multi-species catches.
Talking to some of the locals, late spring and then the fall season are two of the best times to fish Lake Eufaula, but bass fishing is generally good most of the year. Particularly in the spring, keep an eye on the sky and the forecast to make sure you don’t get caught in strong winds. Lake Eufaula can get wavy in a hurry with the right wind direction and storms in that region should not be taken lightly.
Lay of the lake: Located south of Tulsa and east of Oklahoma City, Lake Eufaula spread over 105,000 acres through eastern Oklahoma. With the City of Eufaula at the center of the lake, anglers have 600 miles of shoreline to spread out and find the section of lake they enjoy the best.
Trivia: Lake Eufaula, at one point, held the state record smallmouth bass. That bass weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was caught by Steve McLarty on March 4, 2006. While not as prominent as they used to be, big smallmouth still roam the vast fishery.
Where to stay: There are plenty of campgrounds surrounding the lake including Crowder Point Family Campground, Elm Point Lake Recreation, tent & RV camping, & fishing, Arrowhead State Park, American Cabins On Lake Eufaula, Porum Landing Recreation Area
Marinas and ramps: Popular boat ramps include Nichol’s Point, Xtreme Cove Marina, Belle Starr Marina, Indian Springs Boat Ramp, Carlton Landing Boat Dock
Good eats: In Eufaula, Hangin’ 8 BBQ is a great place to stop for a bite to eat. If you are staying further South, Pete’s Place is a great Italian restaurant, just make sure you arrive with a totally empty stomach.
