Arcadia Lake

[FastBird]

How is the fishing in Arcadia? Bass or crappie?

[Bitman]

Following ��

[gabes1]

Haven't heard much. Thinking about go out there this weekend. Surely someone on this board has been out there recently.

[SoonerFan]

It's 15 minutes from my house and I haven't been there in years. I used to go out there some when gas was $4 a gallon.

I have been thinking about running over there to test run my new Ultrex and Helix before I have someone with me. If I get some fishing in, I'll report back.

[65panhed]

Some years ago the WD claimed that Largemouth bass did not reproduce at all in this lake. Whether that is still true, I don't know. It has kept me away from there since I heard it.

[SoonerFan]

Some years ago the WD claimed that Largemouth bass did not reproduce at all in this lake. Whether that is still true, I don't know. It has kept me away from there since I heard it.

I wouldn't be surprised if that's not true...at least to some degree. It has silted up very badly. The last time I was out there, some of the backwater areas were completely unnavigable even on the trolling motor. I didn't go back up in the creek area around the Memorial Rd. bridge but I've been told that is all very shallow....at regular pool. When that lake was new, I had my tin boat almost all the way to the NE 122 bridge. All that silt isn't conducive to good spawning.

I guess it works fine for the 2000 watt stereo wakeboard boat crowd.

[BDRisley]

Bass are few and far between on Arcadia, they stocked it with Florida strain back in the day and there's a few of those left, if you are okay with fishing all weekend for 2 or 3 bites then Arcadia is fine. I have caught an 8 and several 6's out of there but more often I've been skunked.

[rockchalk06]

I've been out there twice this year. Bank only though. I have yet to even get a hit out there and it's not worth the money IMO.

[SoonerFan]

One thing for sure, you won't be pestered by dinks all day. You'll either catch nothing or one or two 3 or 4 (in my case) pounders. I've heard the Crappie and Catfish guys do well out there.

Meanwhile the drama at the ramp with the trophy wives trying to back the Sea Ray down the ramp in the Escalade while the paunchy "older" husband barks orders to her.....

or the dock which is always lined with bank fishermen so it's impossible to dock the boat without moving people out of the way....then leave the boat unattended while I make the long walk to the parking lot, back the trailer down the usually busy ramp and then walk all the way back to the dock with a crowd around the boat...I actually found a guy standing on my boat one time when I got back to it. It's just a given that all rods and electronics go in the locker before docking the boat there.

All this for $12 for Edmond residents and $14 for the riff raff ....PASS!

[AnglerHub]

This is my home lake.. i run out to Arcadia after work on week days and when i just want to get a line wet. The Bass population in the lake is very low, but with that being said you do have a chance to stick a good one. Over the years I have caught several fish over 6lbs from the lake including my personal best 10.20. Again.. you most likely will go out and catch 2-3 fish the whole day.. but there is always a chance you will hang a good one. The fees to get into the lake are a joke.. even for a resident I pay $130 bucks a year for a pass. If the lake wasnt so close and convenient for me I would never go.

[FastBird]

So is it worth to just crappie fish at Arcadia? Is there a better option to fish say, within 30 mins of downtown OKC?

[rockchalk06]

So is it worth to just crappie fish at Arcadia? Is there a better option to fish say, within 30 mins of downtown OKC?

Hefner has sucked for the last couple of years. Overholster isn't too bad, but you need a boat or a kayak to really get around. Especially near the dam or the east side. Crystal Lake is small and close, but again you will need a boat of a kayak to really get around.

[SoonerFan]

Crystal Lake has that big fishing dock a guy could fish from. A guy could get around the bank there too. Also the south end of Hefner has pretty good bank access...not to mention the whole dam. I see guys out there with surf rods all the time.

[FastBird]

Ill have a boat.

How is the bite on Crystal?

[SoonerFan]

If you have a boat you don't want to go to Crystal...no ramp. We launched a bass boat in there one time but it was a chore.

[SkeeterStew]

Tried it last weekend, I can catch LMB fry like candy at Arcadia. They must have recently restocked. They're no bigger than your finger though. Not worth taking off the hook, just throw again and use 'em for bait lol. The crappie are supposed to be good, but cats rule the roost. You can catch blues and channels all day long but good bass don't exist there according to the chatter in my tacklebox amongst the spinnerbaits.

[fr8dog]

I fish it a bit. Live @ 2 miles from the 2nd st ramps. Crappie? Mostly dinks. I get a couple that are eaters, but most are small. Bass? Never got many, but the ones I manage are usually decent. Little healthy footballs. Biggest was 9 but that was maybe 15 years ago. Channel cats? Net up some shad, string them on a small hook with a light sinker and have at it. I could probably head out this evening and bust a dozen 2-3lb'rs. I was surprised at the bluegills in there, though. I got into a few herds of pretty nice sized fish. Found them on the box and went old school with worms and splitshot in deeper water. Tough lake to fish in summer with all the nutjobs.

[SkeeterStew]

Spent the day out there this Saturday and didn't get a single bite. Nothing to show for it but a sunburn (dang spray sunscreen ain't worth nothin!) but me and the kiddo, we have fun catchin' or not. At least we got to run the boat a little.