By Jeremy Pyle
Contributing Writer
Every now and then you come across a great spot to fish that is easily accessible, yet also yields good sized fish. The best spot I have found in quite some time is the dam at Lake Hefner.
First of all, hauling gear is always a pain in the neck, but that’s one of the best parts of fishing the Lake Hefner Dam. You can pull your vehicle up to within feet of the spot where you will fish, so unloading gear is simple. The road on top of the dam has plenty of parking, and its only about 10 feet from the walkway to the edge of the water. So, pick yourself a spot, cast away and don’t worry, because your poles are close by and easy to grab when a big fish takes the bait.
Now, Lake Hefner Dam is known for producing big fish, and plenty of them. So when you go, you are going to need to have some pretty big gear. I started with 20 pound test monofilament, but the catfish kept breaking me off on the rocks, so I re-spooled my reels with 30 pound and 40 pound line. I have been fishing with a few friends that are always on the fish out there. Having the right gear is always essential and here you just need to remember to go big.
You will need at least a 2 oz sinker, but I prefer a 3 or 4 oz sinker. I like to use big hooks and weights because as most people say, “big bait equals big fish.” I haven’t personally gotten onto huge fish out there yet, but I just recently was showed this this place. I have already gotten several 1 to 2 pound channel cats and also got a few Crappie here and there while waiting for the Cats to bite. Give it some time.
Calvin Brown on the other hand has been the “Catfish King” lately out there. Calvin caught 34 Catfish on Sunday night, May 17, 2020. The biggest was pushing 20 pounds and they averaged over 10 pounds. Calvin owns & operates a mobile delivery bait service called 
Brown’s Bait Barn. When I need good bait, I call Calvin. When I asked how he did so well he said that fresh cut bait was your best bet out here. Calvin is the one who showed me this fishing spot. Great guy and even a better fisherman.
On Monday Night I watched Jay & Valerie Hubbard reel in around a 5 pound Flathead Catfish on a light weight pole. Small live bluegill was the bait of choice for that fish. It was a good fight, but to the victor went the spoils. By the end of the night they had several keepers.
You can catch a variety of catfish out of Lake Hefner. It yields Flatheads, Blues and of course Channel Cats. But that’s not all it hides within its depths. It has an awesome Crappie Dock that is enclosed and heated during the winter months. Hybrid Bass are caught along the dam with a lure, or live bait. You can even get into some Walleye during different times of the year.
All in all, Lake Hefner is quickly becoming one of my favorite lakes to fish, both because of how many fish you can catch and because of its accessibility. It is big, beautiful, and has TONS of attractions.
As always, thanks for reading this week’s Oklahoma Catfish Report, Fishin’ On The Lake Hefner Dam. If you have pictures of yourself fishing on the dam please submit them to circulation@yukonprogress.com. And don’t forget to like the Yukon Progress and Piedmont-Surrey Gazette Facebook page to get the latest updates.
