The degrading quality of sooner lake

[Skippy909]

Sooner lake has gone to hell! The quality of fish has taken a nose dive the last few years. It seems to be a culmination of things lately. When COVID started the lake was getting pounded and it has continued to get fished heavily. OG&E has also been spraying the grass and vegetation in the lake, which I feel is doing the most amount of damage. It also seems that they have been drawing the lake down to even kill the cattails. OG&E claims to be stewards of the environment, yet they’re killing and ecosystem that they created. What’s everyone else’s thoughts on this? I sure would like to see sooner how it use to be.

[Klinger N Ok]

Zebra mussels hurt the lake, the white perch are eating anything that's left in the lake. ODWC did it no favors by stocking half a million saugeye to eat the white perch in which there's no way they will make a dent in those numbers. They'll never quit stocking hybrids due to it's former glory with those.
I didn't know they sprayed any weeds. They are just now starting to grow due to the water temps getting warm. Cattails are starting to grow- once again it's behind schedule due to a cold spring. The lake is low because we haven't had any rain and they haven't pumped any water in since fall. Sooner does not have enough watershed to keep it full from rain alone in most years. They used to not be allowed to pull water in during the spring, but I'm not sure if that's still the case.
I hate to see what is happening but I don't know what can be done. It's a nutrient poor lake with wayyyyyy too many mouths to feed. There is so little forage in the lake, most fish are starving from the looks of them. If I had my way, they'd quit stocking Saugeye, cut the hybrid stocking by 50% and let the lake find a new equilibrium.

[Skippy909]

They sprayed the lake last year, there were many people that seen it. The also been spraying his year according to some people. I seen them spray last year personally. This year I have not.

[bigmike260]

well not what i wanted to see since im fishing a tournament there sunday 4/24 guess ill have to wing it..

[haftafish22]

All those mouths will starve and the lake will naturally do it’s thing. I hate to see lakes in Oklahoma turn out like many have. Fortunately we have a lot of other fisheries that are excellent so count your blessings there are options. I hate sooner, know many that love it. I’ll pass

[Klinger N Ok]

As much as I lament what's become of Sooner, my dad and I went down there Sunday and had a really good day. I had a 6.30 for the BF and we caught a decent number of 3-4lb fish along with a number of dinks, which I was actually happy to see.
I'd love to fish some other waters, but Sooner is close, I know it well and I know it still has a few giants left. Other than some small municipal lakes that I get bored with easily, there's not a lot to choose from within an hour and a half of home.

[gambler4]

it's a dumpy little pond , Keystone is a much better lake and it's not that far from you .
Sooner is a small lake like all the city lakes Beggs, Jackson and Boren in Mounds, Mannford city lake, Okmulgee and Dripping Springs (a trophy lake ) just another dumpy pond .there are hundreds. if it were not for OG&E heating it no one would have ever heard of it. just enjoy it as it is .

[Skippy909]

it's a dumpy little pond , Keystone is a much better lake and it's not that far from you .
Sooner is a small lake like all the city lakes Beggs, Jackson and Boren in Mounds, Mannford city lake, Okmulgee and Dripping Springs (a trophy lake ) just another dumpy pond .there are hundreds. if it were not for OG&E heating it no one would have ever heard of it. just enjoy it as it is .

You’re pretty ignorant aren’t you?

[Klinger N Ok]

At 5400 acres, it’s hardly a dumpy little pond.
I like Keystone a lot but it’s a tad under 1.5hrs to get there and you have practically zero chance of an 8+ lb fish there.
Sooner might be a shadow of what it was 5 years ago, but I still usually manage a fish or two per year over 8 from there.
They don’t run the generator enough to warm the lake hardly at all (often none)and when they do run it hard for a few days it still has zero effect on the cold side.
You can say we’re just bellyaching over nothing but I just feel it could be managed better.