Grand Lake O' The Cherokees fishing: Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Spotted Bass
Target species: Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Spotted Bass, Flathead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Black Redhorse
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Sep for Largemouth Bass
Second window: Apr, May, Oct, Nov for Walleye
The reservoir
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees covers 39,464 acres in Oklahoma, across Delaware County. It is a reservoir. Our records hold 31 species for this water.
7 target fish, led by Largemouth Bass
- Largemouth Bass — Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Sep.
- Walleye — Best months: Apr, May, Oct, Nov.
- Spotted Bass — Best months: May, Jun, Sep, Oct.
- Flathead Catfish — Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- Channel Catfish — Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- Freshwater Drum — Best months: May, Oct.
- Black Redhorse — Best months: May, Oct.
Also recorded here: Golden Redhorse, River Carpsucker, Black Bullhead, White Bass, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Bluegill, Redear, Warmouth, Green Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Sunshine Bass, Orangespotted Sunfish, Longnose Gar, Yellow Bullhead, Bighead Carp, Common Carp, Red Shiner, Stonecat, Gizzard Shad.
Stocking: 3,968,897 fish, 2017–2025
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Fisheries Division records list 3,968,897 fish released into this water from 2017 to 2025.
- Threadfin Shad: 800 in 2017
5 more species on the stocking list.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 0.6–4.5 feet on our readings, averaging 2.3 feet, from 139 readings. Water temperature averages 63°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 35°F and the warmest is 91°F; the warmest monthly average is 84°F. pH averages 7.8. These readings span 2016–2026.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 43°F · Feb 47°F · Mar 51°F · Apr 59°F · May 69°F · Jun 76°F · Jul 83°F · Aug 84°F · Sep 78°F · Oct 67°F · Nov 56°F · Dec 47°F
Season by season
- Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, 43–51°F) — Steady but no peak: Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Flathead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Black Redhorse.
- Spring (Apr, May, 59–69°F) — Biting: Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Spotted Bass, Freshwater Drum, Black Redhorse.
- Summer (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, 76–84°F) — Biting: Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Flathead Catfish, Channel Catfish.
- Fall (Oct, Nov, 56–67°F) — Biting: Walleye, Spotted Bass, Freshwater Drum, Black Redhorse.
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 39,464 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Clarity swings from 0.6 to 4.5 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Winter water drops to 43°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 84°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
