Any updates on the sand bass at Gibson?

[Jon]

I'm a pretty lousy crappie fisherman and I can't seem to find them so I tend to focus on sand bass. I was at Blue Bill yesterday and drove over to the power lines and a little east and I was able to slip up on a small wad of smallish sandies that were hitting shad on the surface. I caught 3 in 3 casts and that was it. Small amount of luck but it was great fun.

So, I'm curious to know if anyone has an idea of when those sandies will begin their Fall feeding? And, I'll happily listen to any advice on how to catch more of them. Thanks.

[Jon]

Well, that's cool. 65 views and no one has a thing to say. I guess ya'll don't fish for sandies.

[Eli]

I think that is basically true. Most people here target crappie exclusively and I can't blame them. If you are going to fish for fun and to fill the freezer you cannot beat the quality of crappie. On Fort Gibson if I can't find crappie I like to go after catfish. I know a lot of people who love to go after sandies and the lake has plenty of them, I just don't know how they are fishing for them. I do know the guys I know catch metric ton of them. Just not my thing.

Just a suggestion, instead of going after sandies why not just up your crappie skills? That is what I'm trying to do, the easiest and quickest way to do that is hire a guide to show you how to fish the lake. Ft. Gibson is a great crappie lake but you just have to know where to find them and how to target them, a good guide can help you out. If you want the name of a great one just pm me and I will help you out.

Your mileage will very, but I was finding close to zero crappie. But it really opens your eyes when go out with a guide and hit a lot of different spots and then go home with 40 keepers in the boat.

[crappiepappa]

Eli is spot on. Seems I can knock the fire out of sandies during the Gibson tourney! But I don't target them. I've had the pleasure to fish the lake some with 2 of the best crappie fisherman on that lake but I'm still learning. Got after the crappies!

[Redge]

I would try to find me a point that the wind is driving into. Early morning or late evening, keep in mind this is general advice. Also I don't think you can retrieve to fast for Sand Bass.

[Jon]

Thank you for the replies. I realize this site is for crappie guys but I see posts occasionally on fish other than crappie so I occasionally ask if anyone is catching sand bass. I have tried to find crappie with my electronics but I don't seem to have much good fortune with those things unless it's Spring and the water levels are somewhat consistent. I think that crappie are pretty temp and depth sensitive and it seems to me that on these Oklahoma river linked lakes that if they're running water out of Grand it kills the fishing in Hudson and Gibson. No lake seems to maintain a reasonable fishing level for very long and it just frustrates the heck out of me so Sandies, in the Spring and Fall, are primarily what I chase.

In any event, I do appreciate the replies and I may hire a guide to show me how to find them. I typically fish "for them" (I didn't say catch) by dropping jigs straight down into timber and when I can find them I do all right but finding those things on any given day can be a real headache.

[Eli]

Yup, know how you feel, nothing like going out "fishing" when really all you are doing is going out wasting gas. I went out with a guide at the end of July, not a time of the year when I could ever catch crappie but the guide put us right on them, it was an absolute blast. Best money I spent on fishing, you can learn absolute ton by doing it.

[Redge]

The fish (crappie) are definitely biting, I have a couple friends that have been sacking them up. Hiring a guide is almost always of great benefit.

[Eli]

Redge where about are they hitting them? I thinking heading up the river channel this weekend.

[DrNip]

FYI, if you're heading up the river channel and Hudson is not releasing ya better be on the crappie and forget the dumb sand bass...