“Right now is the time to go,” Smith said. “As the water is warming up,
the bass are moving into the shallows. I’ve caught some of them in as
little as two feet of water.”

Smith said he has been fishing Wes Watkins Lake, located off Interstate 40
between Shawnee and Oklahoma City. On a recent trip he caught just two
bass, although, you won’t hear him complain.

“One weighed five and half pounds and the other one weighed ten and half
pounds,” Smith said. “If I could do that every time, I’d be more than
happy.”

With the warming water temperatures and lengthening days, the months of
March and April can be a great time of year to catch some nice fish.
“It’s always great to get out on the water on a nice day,” Smith said. “It
’s even better when you can catch a few fish.”

Built in August of 1999, Wes Watkins Lake is still a relatively young
reservoir. The large areas of flooded timber found on the lake provide
excellent structure for bass and other fish. According Department
officials, Florida largemouth bass have been stocked the past three years
to bolster the trophy bass potential in the lake.

The 1,142-acre lake is operated by the Pottawatomie Development Authority,
which has imposed special fishing regulations on the lake. All largemouth
bass fishing is catch and release only. For more information about the
lake call the Wes Watkins Lake office at (405) 964-4507.

For complete regulations or more information about fishing in Oklahoma,
consult the “2003 Oklahoma Fishing Guide” or log on to the Department’s
Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.