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 |  Smallmouth bass
      action heating up- and that's not all
 Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
 March 11, 2005- Start thinking of excuses now, because
      you are going to want to get out of work soon to take advantage
      of the great fishing across the state.
 "The fishing is beginning
      to pick up right now and over the next few weeks it should just
      get better, especially if the weather cooperates," said
      Kim Erickson, fisheries chief for the Oklahoma Department of
      Wildlife Conservation. If you don't believe Erickson,
      just ask Kenny Wythe and Todd Hollies. The duo recently caught
      four smallmouth bass with a total weight of 23.71 pounds to win
      a recent bass tournament at Lake Eufaula. It was one of the largest
      stringers of smallmouth ever weighed in at a tournament in Oklahoma,
      but it did not even include the big fish of the tournament. Jeff
      Belote caught a smallmouth bass tipping the scales at 6.77 pounds. Erickson added that anglers
      also have good opportunities to hook a smallmouth bass at Texoma,
      Skiatook, Murray and Lawtonka lakes. But smallmouths certainly are
      not the only fish biting in early spring. Anglers are reporting
      that crappie are beginning to move to structure closer to the
      bank in prelude to the annual spawn. "Once the water temperature
      hits the upper 50s, crappie will begin moving into shallow water
      to spawn. If you can time it right, there is no better time to
      go crappie fishing," Erickson said. While many anglers are watching
      the thermometer, others are watching the rain gauge. "Several popular fish such
      as white bass and paddlefish move up rivers and creeks to spawn.
      These movements are often triggered by a rainfall event in early
      spring," Erickson said. No matter what species you like
      to fish for the most, the important thing is make the time to
      go - and take a new angler with you while you're at it. You can
      follow the latest fishing reports at wildlifedepartment.com/fishrpt.htm
      and for complete regulations pick up a copy of the "2005
      Oklahoma Fishing Guide." Fishing News Archives Back to Zeiner's Angler Supply | Kansas
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