[oh_darn]

Does anyone know any good bank fishing places on Lake Lawtonka or Ellsworth in southwest OK? Me and a few guys from work are thinking about going out for a fishing trip, and I was wondering if there were any places worth going to. Thanks yall!

 

[FourWinds]

As for Ellsworth, try up around Edgewater on the west side, but get ready to lose some tackle because it's pretty rocky out there. Anyway, there've been a lot of good ones taken out of the Edgewater area over the years. Quite a few years ago people used to hang cat heads on the fences up there but I guess there were too many squeamish people complaining about it because you don't see it much anymore. I don't know if it's against the law to do that now or what, but you don't see it like it was a few decades ago.

On the East side you can try fairly much directly across the lake from Edgewater in the general area of Cove Acres. There's been some pretty good fishin on the East side, too.

My grand-dad used to take me fishing up on Cache Creek back in the mid 50s before they built the dam. We used to go out there sometimes just to watch them working on it. I watched it fill up and watched them adding on the flood gates several years later and watched it fill up even more. Cache Creek was dammed up to creat Lake Ellsworth and Cache Creek proper hugs the east side of the lake over in that area.

I hope that helps you some. There are several good fishin holes out there... just get out there and learn more about the lake and find you some spots.

Just remember that Lake Ellsworth is a city lake and a city permit is required. You can buy a daily permit for a dollar or an annual permit for $10 and Lawton city cops don't hesitate much about writing tickets for not having one either.

 

[oh_darn]

Ok thanks. And from what I've noticed, Lawton city cops don't hesitate much to give any ticket. LOL. I'll be sure to try out the spots you talked about and thanks again.

 

[FourWinds]

I forgot to add that Lake Ellsworth has always been a pretty fair crappie lake, too. With all the shoreline cover up there due to the heavy rains last spring it's hard to find a open hole to fish from and even harder when somebody else is already there. But it should actually help the fishery.

Good luck!

Dave

 

[FourWinds]

ahahaha... nope they don't hesitate much at all about any tickets...

 

[FourWinds]

are you familiar with Ellsworth much?

 

[oh_darn]

Nope, I actually just moved to Lawton in October of last year from Oklahoma City, so I did most of my fishing at Draper, Thunderbird, and Eufaula. I've never even been to Lawtonka or Ellsworth. I've been fishing 3 times since I moved here, and that was at that pond on Cache, over by I 44. I've heard good things about crappie fishing in the park on Cache and Sheridan though. And there are supposed to be pretty good eaters in that pond too. So I might give that a shot too.

 

[FourWinds]

You're probably talking about the city park there near the National Guard Armory and what's called Lake Helen. But like you say it's more of a big pond. As for a pond near Cache and Sheridan, you're probably referring to Lake Liberty, an even smaller one. But that's 3-4 blocks east of Sheridan... about 17th or 18th & Cache... don't remember. Both of them were drained and reworked a few years back but should have some good eaters in them.

There's some pretty fair lakes out at the Wichita Mountains. Quanah Parker, Jed Johnson a few others. Beautiful scenery out there! There used to be some pretty good eaters in both of those but I haven't been out there in years. Most were built by the WPA and the CCC back during the Roosevelt/depression years. NO alcohol allowed in your possesion even in your trunk. That's a go downtown and talk to a federal judge $500 dollar deal there... not that I know from experience.

 

[oh_darn]

Haha, I'm only 19, so I'm pretty careful with where I keep alcohol. LOL. I haven't done real good at Lake Helen, but that may be because it's so cold. But I think I'll go out to Lawtonka tomorrow and fish with a couple guys from work. I'm gonna save Ellsworth for Sunday so I can give it the whole day since I have to work till 4 tomorrow.

 

[FourWinds]

I started a new thread a few minutes ago about Oklahoma lake info. Check it out and scroll down. There are links to Lawtonka and Ellsworth there, including subsurface topographies. Print em out if you can. They might do you some good.

And another thing... I don't know if you already know it or not, but East Cache Creek flows through the east side of Lawton. From I-44 you can go east on Gore or east on Lee/Hwy 7 and cross one of the bridges that cross over Cache Creek. When the water's flowing like it is now it's usually because there's floodgates opened at either Lawtonka or Ellsworth.

I've been told there are gates open at Ellsworth now but I haven't been up there yet. Might go tomorrow. When the gates are opened for a few days the fishin can get pretty good down below the dam at Ellsworth. The shad run and the cats come chasing em and stripers show up too.

 

[oh_darn]

Ok, I'll give it a look. Thanks.

 

[FourWinds]

You're welcome and good luck!

 

[oh_darn]

Good Lord, I went to Lawtonka today and I didn't like it at all. I went up to Robinsons Landing and was looking for the public fishing dock so I could at least wet a line, but I couldn't find it so I asked someone that works there and they just freaked out on me. Said I couldn't fish there because I wasn't a local and told me to get in my car and drive back to where ever I came from. What the hell kind of customer service was that? I was willing to pay the fishing fee, and I had 40 dollars worth of bait and tackle that I was going to buy, but as soon as he said I couldn't fish because I wasn't a local, I left. That one man ruined that lake for me. From now on, I'm going to a different lake. Has anyone else been told they couldn't fish there?

 

[FourWinds]

Lake Lawtonka, itself, is owned by the City of Lawton. http://www.cityof.lawton.ok.us/parksnrec/lawtonka.htm

It's my understanding Lawtonka's the oldest lake in Oklahoma with the original dam being completed in 1905. The dam has been added onto (more accurately, atop of) several times over the years and was built with taxpayer money. The lake was built mainly as a water supply for the City of Lawton and secondly for recreation. Lawtonka is still the main water supply for the City of Lawton with the city water treatment plant located just below the dam. City of Lawton (public) property - hence City of Lawton police jurisdiction.

Lawtonka is predominately a watersports lake and so I never cared for it mostly for that reason. I'm sure many a fishermen can relate to having witnessed many a watersportsmen that didn't care much, if at all, about whether they're disturbing the fishing or not.

Lake Ellsworth is also owned by the City of Lawton and was built as an additional/backup water supply and for recreation. Swimming/skiing were not allowed until a few years back but the motorized type of watersports is restricted to a small area relatively close to the dam. Due to the murky waters and the restricted area at Ellsworth you don't get many watersports problems while you're there.

Other than limitations of laws/regulations or possibly not having any applicable licenses and permits (which goes to same), Lake Lawtonka IS open to the general public and anybody can use it for recreational purposes of their choosing.

Unfortunately, the way I am I would've struggled with not using a lot of profanities while I was telling him where he could shove it and probably would've lost that struggle!