“Timing is the key to catching May bass,” he opined. “The fish are transitioning from their spawning to post-spawn patterns, and some areas you can fish and not catch any bass, and then return an hour later to find abundant fish.”

Boat anglers can locate good bass habitat on sonar, looking for long rocky points, underwater islands, flats, and ridges. Smaller baits and lighter lines are in order when water conditions are clear.

For up-to-the-minute fishing reports, log on to Archey’s Web site, www.brokenbowlakeguide.com. Balkenbush added that anglers can also pursue all three bass nearby in the picturesque Mountain Fork and Glover rivers.

LAKE TEXOMA
With over 89,000 surface-acres and a maximum depth of 100 feet, this is the 10th largest lake in the entire country. This giant border impoundment is one of the most popular fishing destinations for Oklahomans and Texans alike.

Although Texoma lacks the aquatic vegetation found in most lakes, the ancient reservoir does have adequate rocks, boulders, sunken logs, sandy flats, and stumpbeds to provide great habitat for fish. “Lake Texoma is remarkably well structured in largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass populations,” said the ODWC’s Paul Mauck.

Though lacking in Florida-strain genes, the lake’s largemouths still do remarkably well, although their habitat is less nurturing than that found at other lakes in Oklahoma. “Texoma doesn’t have the weedbeds that other lakes have,” Mauck remarked. “But with the cover that is available, and with the 14-inch minimum length imposed, we see some pretty nice bass caught there. A legal bass normally will weigh around 2 pounds.

“In May most of the lake’s bass have spawned. They will be lean, and mean, and ready to feed, moving from the shallows to water that is a little deeper than the water they spawned in. Traditionally (according to reports I hear from other anglers), the best spots for catching post-spawn largemouths are Catfish Bay, Johnson Creek, Buncombe Creek, Newberry Creek, Alberta Creek, Soldier Creek, Caney Creek, and Little Mineral Creek. Most of the bass in those areas are going to be in the coves and near the boathouses, where they can find some cover.”

Mauck was most excited about the lake’s smallmouth bass population, reminding me that the lake has produced at least five previous state records. “Texoma’s smallmouth bass continue to be good,” he said, “and we have successful reproduction each year.”

Popular sorts of spots to probe for smallmouths are at the rocky riprap areas near the bridges.

In the view of professional angler Edwin Evers, anglers can catch spotted bass by targeting deep rocky areas found abundantly throughout the lake. His favorite spotted bass tactic: fishing a finesse worm on a drop-shot rig. Jewel Akins’ jigs in a variety of colors also catch spots.

LAKE EUFAULA
At 102,000 surface-acres, this lake is the state’s largest, featuring a significant amount of the long, wooded creeks that are a bass angler’s dream.

This vibrant fishery in the southeast is home to all three species of black bass. I’ve caught each species of bass there, and one of my fishing partners, Chris Strickland, even caught a relatively unknown “meanmouth” -- a hybrid of a smallmouth and a spotted bass. The unique fish lived up to its reputation, while exhibiting amazing coloration that resembled both species.