“Arbuckle is a great place to catch a giant bass in May,” he opined. “And it’s nothing to catch a 6- to 7-pound bass there, and I know of several 10-pounders that have been caught as well.”

Kriet exudes enthusiasm when he talks about the lake’s newly grown hydrilla, an aquatic plant known to be a favorite for big bass to hide in while they wait to ambush prey. “This vegetation is not coontail moss or another kind of underwater plant,” he exclaimed. “It is hydrilla!”

The savvy bass angler knows from fishing the top lakes in the nation that when you find hydrilla, you have the right habitat to catch a heavy stringer.

Arbuckle anglers also catch a fair share of spotted bass and some fat smallmouths. Yes, that’s correct: Like several of the state’s top lakes, Arbuckle also boasts a great population of trophy smallmouths.

Biologists have reported that the lake’s Kentucky bass are flourishing. Though smaller on average than are largemouths, Kentuckies are found in conventional spotted bass habitat.

FINALLY
May is a fantastic month for venturing out to sample some of the state’s finest lakes and streams already mentioned. Maybe now’s the time for your quest to catch the Sooner State’s bass trifecta. One thing’s for sure: Our famed bass trio is destined to test your angling skills, guaranteed to burn the gears in your reel, and sure to put a bend in your favorite bass rod!