Wes Watkins Reservoir - Posted New Hours and Fees

Wes Watkins Reservoir - Posted New Hours and Fees

There is free entry to all parts of the lake and it is open 24 hours per day.

Use the Honor System to pay appropriate fees for permits. Envelopes for fishing fees, boating fees and camping fees are available for use in paying these fees, (Cash or Check), which are then dropped, into a locked box.

A sign proclaims that, “Annual Permits can not be purchased through the Honor Box. They can be purchased during the week at McLoud City Hall or at Fishmarket Bait and Tackle and on the weekends at the North side Booth or the South side Trailer.”

The new fee schedule for Wes Watkins Reservoir is as follows:

·       Fishing Permit                       $2.00 pr day

·       Watercraft Permit                  $5.00 pr day

·       RV Camping Permit             $20.00 pr night

·       Tent Camping Permit           $6.00 pr night

The SIZE and BAG LIMITS for Wes Watkins Reservoir are as follows:

·        Largemouth Bass - All sizes are strictly catch and release only.

·        Crappie - 20 of any size may be kept per day.

·        Blue/Channel Catfish (Combined) - 15 of any size combined.

·                  Only 1 Blue Catfish over 30 inches.

·        Flathead Catfish - 10 of a 22-inch minimum may be kept per day.

·        Sand Bass - No size or number limit.

[City of McLoud, City Ordinance SECTION 1-50.07 states that size and bag limits shall be the same size and bag limit as set forth by state laws and regulations, except as restricted by the City of McLoud in order to manage and encourage trophy bass fishing. Individuals possessing valid permits are responsible for knowing the current size and bag limits for various species of fish. Any illegal fish (including any Largemouth Bass) exceeding limit or not reaching length limit shall be subject to a fine of $100.00 per illegal fish. Vehicles and watercraft shall be subject to search at any time. Fines assessed on fish kept over the limits or under the size limit shall be set and subject to change by the City of McLoud.]

Lake Manager:  405-596-2186       
Lake Ranger:  405-964-3373

We left Shawnee for the short drive to Wes Watkins Reservoir on March 27, 2011, a crisply cool, gray and overcast day just one week after the First Day of Spring. The purpose for the trip was to gather information for writing this story.

BASS FISHING TOURNAMENT

We were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon the “Kick-Off” of the 5^th annual “Wes Watkins Thursday Night Jackpot - 2011” bass fishing tournament. The Tournament Director, Jeff Waldrup, took time at the end of the tournament for a short interview.

Waldrup explained how the Wes Watkins Thursday Night Jackpot (bass fishing tournament) is metamorphic and began several years ago as the Shawnee Bass Club organized by Dave Wassen when Wassen owned the Bass Pro Shop, formerly located on N Harrison Street in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Waldrup went on to say that the tournament, in those days, was held at Shawnee’s Twin Lakes.

About 5 years ago, (after a long and enduring drought that drastically reduced the water level at Shawnee's Twin Lakes), Waldrup opted to move the tournament to Wes Watkins Reservoir.

He answered a query by saying today’s tournament winners were most likely using jigs and plastic baits.

When asked if the weather was affecting the fishing today, he said, “The weather is causing the fish to stay low in the water. When the weather warms up the fish will be more active.”

 His answer to the query of, “… any disease affecting the fish in the lake?, was a definite negative. He said there has been no disease of any kind reported to him in the last five years of tournaments at Wes Watkins Reservoir. He said if there had been some kind of a problem, it would have been in the early years, (of the eleven-year-old reservoir.)

TODAY’S TOURNAMENT WINNERS

Ricci Head and John Brownell won First Place today with a fish count of 4, biggest fish weighed 4.92 pounds, the total weight 16.26 pounds. First Place jackpot $225.00.

John Stanbary and Mike Sanders won Second Place today with a fish count of 5, biggest fish weighed 4.80 pounds, the total weight 16.08 pounds. Second Place jackpot $135.00.

Loren Nowlen and Clink Chaffin won Third Place today with a fish count of 5, biggest fish weighed 4.82 pounds, the total weight 13.96 pounds. Third Place jackpot $95.00.

Jim Hudson and Greg Shirey are the Big Bass (BB) winners today with a fish count of 3; biggest fish 4.94 pounds, the total weight 10.40 pounds. The BB jackpot $130.00.

Jeff Waldrup, Tournament Director Reports 32 fish caught, 6 fish over 4 lbs. and 2 limits weighed (5 fish) at the Kick-Off of the 5^th Annual Wes Watkins Thursday Night Jackpot - 2011.

THURSDAY NIGHTS

All future “Wes Watkins Thursday Night Jackpot Tournaments will begin each Thursday evening at 6 p.m. using the North side boat ramp. Fishermen should be in their boats at 5:50 p.m. The tournament ends at the end of “safe light."

1 point is earned per tournament entry, 1 point is earned for each fish caught, high point holder at the end of the season wins “Angler of the Year” and $500.00. BB (big bass), biggest fish of the season wins $250.00 and Heaviest Stringer of the season wins $250.00.

Tournament winners and other information will be posted on a weekly basis at:
www.basszone.com and at www.boatsplusok.com