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Oklahoma saugeye record hits
double digits
Curt Wilkerson of Lawton sets new record
with 10-pound catch
 March
4, 2006 - Curt Wilkerson, of Lawton, caught a 10-pound saugeye
Feb. 24 on Fort Cobb Lake in Caddo County, establishing a new
state record.
Wilkerson, who runs a fishing and hunting guide
service in southwest Oklahoma, caught the big fish about 8 a.m.
using a Northland rattle jig with a Mister Twister Sassy Shad
on 6-pound test line.
"I invited about four different friends to
go with me that morning, but none of them could get away, so
I just decided to go by myself," Wilkerson said. "It
sounds unbelievable now, but I had a really good feeling on my
morning drive to the lake."
Saugeye are a hybrid fish produced at the Wildlife
Department's Byron Fish Hatchery in northcentral Oklahoma. Hatchery
biologists collect native sauger from the Arkansas River in northeast
Oklahoma and walleye from Canton Lake in northwest Oklahoma and
then cross the two species to produce saugeye. The toothy fish
are stocked in many lakes around the state for two reasons. First
and foremost, they provide an additional fishing opportunity
and they also help to control over-populated crappie populations.
Wilkerson's record fish weighed 10 pounds even
and measured 28 1/4 inches long and was 19 inches around. He
was using a Shimano Spirex spinning reel and a Cabela's Fish
Eagle II rod.
"When I finally got it up to the surface,
I couldn't believe how big it was. I am originally from Minnesota
where walleye and saugeye fishing is a big tradition, so this
is a huge honor for me to catch a state record saugeye,"
Wilkerson said.
Wilkerson donated the record fish to the Oklahoma
Aquarium in Jenks, however the fish did not survive.
The previous state record saugeye, a 9-pound, 14-ounce
fish, was caught from Lake Thunderbird in 1992.
Wilkerson, who goes fishing anytime the weather
is "good, or at least not too terrible," offered a
few tips to anglers new to saugeye fishing.
"Just like most types of fishing you can make
it as simple or as complicated as you want, but I think there
are a few things that are important in consistently catching
fish, including good boat control, proper tackle and quality
electronics like depth finders," Wilkerson said.
According to Wilkerson, saugeye and walleye often
bite in windy conditions, which means anglers must have a way
of speeding up or slowing down their boat to keep their baits
in the strike zone.
"If you can't control the speed and direction
of your lures by controlling the direction of your boat, it is
difficult to catch fish," he said.
Having the right tools for the job is an equally
important component of catching saugeye and walleye.
"I wouldn't use a rod designed for catfishing
to go bass fishing, and I wouldn't use a crappie jig for saugeye
fishing. If you invest in the right equipment, your odds of catching
fish will improve," he said.
Lastly, Wilkerson suggested investing in quality
boating electronics.
"Really good depth finders and fish finders
can be pricey, but they are worth it and they can be very helpful
when you are trying to locate fish," Wilkerson said.
For a complete list of record fish and the procedures
regarding certifying state record fish, consult the "2006
Oklahoma Fishing Guide." If you think you may have hooked
a record fish it is important that you weigh the fish on an Oklahoma
State Department of Agriculture certified scale and a Wildlife
Department employee verifies the weight.
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