Other good flathead spots, according to Gilliland, include Hugo Lake in southern Oklahoma and just about any of the lakes up and down the Arkansas River Navigation System.

"Just about any of those lakes can be good," said the ODWC biologist. "The channelized areas are not as good, but the backwaters have lots of good catfish including blues, channels, and flatheads.

A final flathead possibility is found in the state's far southeastern corner at Broken Bow Reservoir.

"I'm sure it does have decent flathead fishing, it's just that I don't hear a lot about it being hot from fishing reports," Gilliland said. "But as big as it is and with enough timber in it, I'm sure that it has got a decent flathead population."

This is basically true statewide -- there are decent to even world-class populations of blue, channel, and flathead whiskerfish available to nearly all of Oklahoma's piscatorial enthusiasts.

Why not get out in 2007 and give the Sooner State's seriously good whiskerfishing a try?

You won't regret it, for many reasons: from the big pull on the end of the line to the scrumptious filets coming out of a fish fryer filled with peanut oil!