Striper Fishing on the Lower Illinois River in Oklahoma

If you are looking for Lower Illinois River striper fishing in Oklahoma, this stretch of river below Tenkiller Dam is worth knowing about. On this trip, we launched at Gore Landing before sunrise and spent the morning chasing striped bass with Oklahoma fishing guide Rocky Thomas of Thomas Guide Service.

Fishing for Stripers on the Lower Illinois River

The Lower Illinois River below Lake Tenkiller is known for both trout and striped bass, making it a unique Oklahoma fishing destination. Rocky Thomas has spent more than 25 years fishing and guiding on the Lower Illinois River, and Thomas Guide Service offers guided trips for striped bass and trout.

We met Rocky at Gore Landing just before sunrise and headed out looking for active fish. The morning started with topwater lures, and we quickly found signs that the stripers were around.

Topwater Striper Fishing

One of the most exciting parts of fishing for stripers on the river is watching them attack bait on the surface. During our trip, we saw shad getting blown up and had several short strikes on topwater.

The problem was getting the fish to commit.

We had multiple strikes and misses, but the fish were hitting short instead of getting hooked solidly. That can make for a frustrating morning when you know the fish are there but cannot quite get them to eat the lure the way you want.

We also switched things up and tried trolling live shad behind the boat. Unfortunately, we never got the response we were hoping for from the live bait.

Sometimes the Fish Just Don’t Cooperate

Not every fishing trip turns into a fish-catching marathon. This was one of those days.

We caught a few nice fish, but we did not get the number of striped bass we were hoping for. We also caught a largemouth bass after leaving the ramp, although I missed getting the camera running in time to film it.

The interesting part was that the fish were clearly active around us. We saw bait, had surface activity, and had enough short strikes to know the stripers were there. We just could not consistently get them to commit.

Fishing the Lower Illinois River with Rocky Thomas

One of the best parts of the trip was getting to fish with Rocky Thomas. He knew the river, was easy to fish with, and gave us a great experience even on a day when the fish were not cooperating.

If you are planning a Lower Illinois River fishing trip and would rather spend your time fishing than trying to figure out the river on your own, check out Thomas Guide Service’s Illinois River Fishing Guide. Rocky offers guided trips for striped bass and rainbow trout on the Lower Illinois River, including striper fishing near the Gore Landing area.

Looking for an Oklahoma fishing guide? Thomas Guide Service also offers guided trips on lakes and rivers throughout Oklahoma. You can visit Rocky’s website here for current trip information and contact details.

Watch Our Lower Illinois River Striper Fishing Trip

We filmed the trip so you can see the river, the strikes, the fish, and the day for yourself. We did not have a perfect fishing day—and that is part of the story. Real fishing includes the days when everything looks right and the fish still refuse to cooperate.

Watch the Lower Illinois River striper fishing video on YouTube.

Lower Illinois River Fishing Tips

If you are heading to the Lower Illinois River, pay attention to surface activity and bait. When shad are present and stripers are pushing them toward the surface, topwater fishing can be especially exciting. Be ready for short strikes and keep your tackle in good shape—stripers can be hard on hooks and lures.

And remember that conditions change. Water flow, weather, water temperature, bait movement, and the time of year can all affect how the fish behave. A guide who fishes the river regularly can save you a lot of time when you are trying to learn the area.

More Oklahoma Fishing

If you are researching Oklahoma fishing destinations, check out our Oklahoma Fishing Guides & Adventures for more places to fish and trip ideas.

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