I hope everyone had a great week of fishing. I know there has been a multitude of anglers fishing below Fort Gibson Dam. The Corps of Engineers has opened eight gates, as of this writing.

It is a snagger’s paradise with the large quantity of paddlefish. With the large concentration of spoonbills, the sandbass, stripers and catfish have taken a back seat to the area in front of the turbines. Many species of fish do not play together, even in schools.

I know I sound like a broken record but, there are new laws and regulations in regards of snagging for the paddlefish. A paddlefish permit is required for anyone wanting to snag, regardless of the age of the snagging person. The barbs on the treble hooks must be filed or bent down flat. The limit is one paddlefish per person, per day. If you choose to give your fish away, that was your daily limit and you cannot continue snagging. When giving away a spoonbill or any other fish, the owner’s name, address and license number must be exchanged.

Failure to comply with these or any other of the fishing regulations could result in a large fine. The fine money could be spent in a better way.

The sandbass are being temperamental this year. Just when the anglers were getting ready for the "big" sandbass run, the sandbass stopped biting. Oh, could it be that those sandbass being in school, has paid off?

As soon as we start experiencing those hot three-digit temperatures, the sandbass will be active everywhere.

Several anglers have been catching crappie in the 14-Mile Creek area. Bud Boyd of Muskogee caught a limit of crappie using minnows. Keith Berry of Fort Gibson stopped by to show his catch of crappie. Keith was using Bobby Garland lures while fishing on the lake. Anglers fishing on the lake in Ranger Creek, Toppers, boat docks or brush piles have caught crappie.

Mr. Crappie Bait and Tackle will be giving away a 5-year hunting or fishing license. Participants will need to come to the store and every time they make a purchase, they will be given a ticket for the drawing to be held in July. Come by and get signed up today.

Sunday is Fathers Day. Pick a good place and take dad out fishing. There are many areas that the whole family can enjoy the afternoon having family fun. Create memories that will last forever.

Sunday is also the first day of summer. That will mean Sunday will be the longest daylight time of this year. After that the daylight will begin to get shorter ... then fall will begin..

Next week I will cover how important water condition effects your minnows. Get out and catch your evening meal.