Good Fishing at Hefner 2016

Man, that's great to hear BigSky! I live about 4 miles from Draper, and work about 3 miles West of Hefner, yet don't buy a city lakes permit but about once every 3-4 years (when Cricket George wants a fishing partner at Hefner). It's sad that I've had permits to Texoma, Shawnee, Arcadia, and Carl Blackwell more often than the city I live in.

I've often wondered what methods people use to know how deep they're fishing in big open water like that. It's been my experience that depth is the #1 key to catching crappie in the Winter, and I was curious how you replicate your depth? It has to be more consistent than just casting out "about that much line..."

Every 3-4 years?????? Oh dear, gonna have to change that.

I get exact depths by using a float tube and Power Pro's Depth Hunter braid. It's marked every five feet with a short white/black/white section, and the color changes every 25 feet, using blue, yellow, orange, green. When casting from the bank, a count down method works unless you're going to the bottom. Then you just have to tick the rocks and hope to not lose too many jigs.

Now George, I know we like TALKING about crappie fishing all the time, but actually FISHING for them is a different story. ;)

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Originally Posted by DC Crappie Kid

Now George, I know we like TALKING about crappie fishing all the time, but actually FISHING for them is a different story. ;)

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I think he's onto you George!! LOL. Not saying, that I have observed the exact same phenomenon, just sayin!

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Originally Posted by Bigskyfisherman

Hefner is a great lake for night fishing. I waded the shallows for many years and just killed the walleyes and hybrids. There were a lot of 8-9 pound walleyes, but I lost a lot of crankbaits to those toothy critters (should have invested in wire leaders). There were some really big hybrids that liked shallow-running cranks, when retrieved with a pull-stop retrieve. There were a lot of 15-16 pound fish, with the biggest being 18.5 pounds. Most of that fishing was done in the summer, but I haven't done it since about ten years ago, due to spending my summers in Montana, helping my brother with his haying operations and fishing for trout.
My boys used to night fish for the walleyes, with large Rapalas. Many times, they would come back with just the Rapalas' wire frames and a few pieces of wood.

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How big gun do you guys mount on them float tubes to fish Hefner a Night

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Originally Posted by TimY

How big gun do you guys mount on them float tubes to fish Hefner a Night

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Tim, At night, I wade fished. The boys would fish from the bank, usually between the aerators and the tower, and sometimes just west of the aerators. We mostly float tube for crappie and sand bass (daylight only), but sometimes we have fished dough for cats (being VERY careful to keep the fins from our tubes). Walleyes would be a bonus.

I was more talking about protection for yourself down there at night LOL

Sorry. I can be dense at times. I only had one scary moment when fishing the dam at night. It was in January, a very cold and windy night, at about 1 am. A car stopped and I heard some talking and laughing that sounded like drunks. Then a girl leaned over the wall and asked if I were a fisherman. She yelled with joy when I said yes. Then she explained that they were on a late-night video scavenger hunt, and finding a fisherman was major points. As they started to leave, a young man returned and asked if I had any fish. When I showed him 2 walleyes, they said first place was cinched.

But.....I know of other guys who have been clobbered and robbed at the dam, and a number of guys who fish late DO carry pistols.

When I was walleye fishing there I wade fished north of the restaurant on the east bank of the lake to where the dam began. There are some submerged house foundations there along with a few boulders. The ones I caught were on 2" sassy shads in total darkness. If your flashlight illuminated the water around you that would be your last bite. That was summer fishing. I would catch crappie and sand bass south of the restaurant. I many times had restaurant patrons come ask me what I was catching after they finished their meal where they had been watching me through the glass portion of the restaurant while they ate.