The Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees is located in northeastern Oklahoma. It is known as the ‘Grand Lake’ and is deep and rocky, covering 46,500 acres (188 km2) of surface water. It was established in 1940 with the completion of the Pensacola Dam, which like the lake, is managed by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). The GRDA was created five years prior, to be a ‘conservation and reclamation district for the waters of the Grand River’. The Pensacola Dam is the longest multiple arch dam in the world, consisting of 51 arches and stretching 5145 feet (1568 meters).
The construction of the dam was the result of the hard work of visionary, Henry Holderman, a member of the Cherokee Nation. At the age of 14, he started pursuing his dream of a dam, which became a reality 34 years later. The dam was constructed in the Indian Territory of the Cherokee people, who settled there after the Indian Removal Act. The Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States and actively works toward the preservation and promotion of Cherokee culture, language, and values.
The Grand Lake has become a popular recreational area filled with activities like biking and fishing. The surrounding area offers plenty of hiking trails and options for camping. A riverboat named ‘the Cherokee Queen’ offers sightseeing tours and has been in operation since the 1940s. The lake is situated in a subtropical climate, meaning that the animals living there must endure both cold summers and hot winters; below is a list of some of the most charismatic fish species that manage to do so!
Fish Species in the Grand Lake
1) Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula)
The alligator gar is the largest member of the Lepisosteidae (gars) family with the potential to reach 9.84 feet (3 meters) in length. They have a broad, stubby snout and a cylindrical body. The dorsal fin is located towards the rounded tail and above the anal fin. The body is typically olive-brown, with a lighter-colored belly and brown blotches on all fins.
The alligator gar was assessed most recently by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2018, where it was listed as ‘Least Concern’. While the total population size is expected to be between 10,000 and 1,000,000 individuals, the actual number is unknown and the species is uncommon throughout most of its range. They are primarily threatened by ecosystem modifications, harvesting, and pollution. In Oklahoma, some populations have been actively managed and reduced under the pretense that it is a ‘nuisance fish’.
Anglers set on catching an alligator gar should be aware that Oklahoma has a take or harvest prohibition state-wide in May, and in the other months of the year, a catch must be reported within 24 hours via E-Check on wildlifedepartment.com. Currently, this species can be caught without a minimum size limit, but with a daily limit of one individual.
2) American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula)
The American paddlefish is a member of the Polyodontidae (paddlefishes) family and is one of the most unique-looking fish in the world. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘spoonbill’, a nod to its long, oar-like snout. Additionally, they have no scales on their skin and their tails appear shark-like. The species was most recently assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2019, where it was given the status ‘Vulnerable’. This is primarily due to the high level of fragmentation of the adult global population. A major effort has been undertaken to protect and preserve the American paddlefish by stocking in multiple states and monitoring the abundance and demography of the various subpopulations.
Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees is one of the places where an American paddlefish can be caught under a state-wide daily limit of 1 and an additional annual limit of 2. Additional regulations include the use of only barbless hooks and the requirement to E-check all specimens within 24 hours. Oklahoma is famous for its paddlefish, as the state record catch was landed in the state in 2021 by Henry Dyer. The monster fish was 6.6 ft (201 centimeters) in length and weighed 149 pounds (68 kg).
3) Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)
Bighead carp is a member of the Xenocyprididae (East Asian minnows) family originating from Asia. The species is an important commercial species throughout its native habitat, and it has been widely introduced across the world. They have a large, deep body and a large mouth with an extended lower jaw. The flanks are dark, but fading towards the belly, and the sides are painted with irregular dark blotches.
Juveniles may be used as bait fish for larger sports fish, but they can only be used in the same body of water from which they were caught. The native habitat of the bighead carp does not encompass Oklahoma waters; however, the species has recently been sighted at multiple locations, leading to an initiative from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to study the introduced individuals and understand the threats they pose to native species; however, they need to be caught first. One angler who answered this call was Bryan Baker, who on the 10th of May brought home Oklahoma’s first bighead carp state record. The massive specimen clocked in at 118 pounds and 3 ounces (54 kg).
4) Bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus)
The bigmouth buffalo is a member of the Catostomidae (suckers) family, and is the largest member of this family in North America. They can reach lengths of 4.1 feet (1.3 meters) and body masses above 80 pounds (36.3 kg). The species has a dark, deep body and small eyes placed close to the snout, giving the impression of a French Bulldog. The dorsal side has copper and green reflections, and the belly lightens to a milky white. All fins are dark, almost black.
The bigmouth buffalo made headlines in 2019 when a study was published that revealed that the species can outlive most of us. Using two different techniques, thin-sectioned otoliths and bomb-radiocarbon dating, they found that the species can reach 112 years of age; this is four times longer than the previous estimate! This discovery makes the bigmouth buffalo the longest-living known freshwater ray-finned fish (teleost), a group that contains around 12,000 species.
The bigmouth buffalo is a wetland specialist, primarily inhabiting pools and backwaters in addition to reservoirs and lakes. They are tolerant to low oxygen conditions and spawn in shallow waters either in streams or flooded marshes.
5) Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
The black crappie is a familiar member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. They sport a deep, laterally compressed body with a strong lower jaw that slightly reaches beyond the tip of the upper jaw. The dorsal arch is a dark green with blue and silvery reflections that flow down the sides of the body. They have characteristic dark blotches on the sides and no vertical bands, setting them apart from the somewhat similar white crappies. Dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are covered in round and oblong yellow and green spots. Interestingly, color and pattern intensity vary with habitat.
The black crappie is an opportunistic carnivorous fish that will prey on the most readily available prey, however, the composition of its diet changes drastically with age. The juvenile crappie predominantly consumes invertebrates, while the adults feed more on other fish. However, there is likely seasonal variation in what prey they catch – something to keep in mind when selecting a lure. When fishing for crappie, a popular game fish, anglers should be aware of a daily possession limit of 37 black and white crappie combined per person.
6) Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
The blue catfish is a member of the Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes) family and is the largest catfish in the United States. They are native to 20 states and have been introduced widely, despite many native populations experiencing range reduction due to changes to their habitat. However, the species is currently not considered a conservation risk due to the large range and many subpopulations.
Despite the name, the blue catfish can be variable in color, although it is typically a bluish-silver on the dorsal side and flanks. They can be challenging to differentiate from the channel catfish; however, the latter has dark spots on its back and sides. The two species also differ anatomically: the blue catfish has more rays in their anal fin and a deeply forked tail fin. Should you get a look internally, it has a constriction on its air bladder, which gives the bladder a two-lobed appearance.
Blue catfish is one of the popular game fish that can be caught in the lake, so anglers should be aware of a daily possession limit of 15 blue catfish and channel catfish combined per person.
7) Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)
The bluegill sunfish is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. They have a deep, laterally compressed body draped in olive brown, with sides varying in color from green to brown covered with five to nine vertical, double-barred stripes. Blue stripes extend from their mouth and chin, reaching a black opercular. They have a small mouth with pointed teeth in their lower pharyngeal arches and on pads on their upper and lower jaw, but none on their tongue. Despite their many teeth, a study in 1976 showed that when living without competition, bluegill sunfish predominantly consume vegetable matter. However, they frequently occur with other sunfish species, so they change their foraging niche to aquatic invertebrates in the upper water column.
The bluegill sunfish is native to eastern states in the US but has been introduced throughout the country and to countries such as Korea, South Africa, and many more for recreational fishing. It is a common species across the country represented by many subpopulations and a large global population. The species was most recently assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2018, where it was listed as ‘Least Concern’ due to its aforementioned characteristics.
8) Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
The channel catfish is a member of the Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes) family with a slender, slightly compressed body. The dorsal side is pale blue to olive, which drapes down the body and pales into an almost white belly. Spots of different sizes are scattered across the sides. They have four short barbels on the lower chin, of which the middle pair is the shortest. Channel catfish have a forked tail, but it is less forked than that of the blue catfish, and their fins are lightly pigmented. There is a slight visual difference between males and females. Breeding males often sport a more intense blue color than the females, and their heads are wider than their bodies. Long-lived males occasionally darken so much in color that their spots disappear, leading them to be misidentified as blue catfish.
The channel catfish is common statewide in freshwater systems. They are omnivorous, consuming both organic matter and aquatic invertebrates such as insects and crayfish as well as other fish. Anglers interested in fishing for channel catfish should know that there is a daily possession limit of 15 channel catfish and blue catfish combined per person.
9) Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
The flathead catfish is a member of the Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes) family. As its common name suggests, the species has a distinctly flat and broad head that sets it apart from other catfish species. They have smooth skin with no scales, typically with a yellow to light brown color which is heavily spotted, as well as eight barbels surrounding the mouth, four on the upper jaw, and four on the protruding lower jaw. They have sharp spines in the dorsal and pectoral fins, and the tail fin is square.
The flathead catfish has been introduced beyond its native range and is now considered an invasive nuisance in some of these freshwater systems. In contrast to other catfishes, this species consumes live prey. As juveniles, they predominantly target aquatic invertebrates, but as they grow, they change their diet to consist exclusively of fish. Due to the large size these fish grow to, they have few natural predators as adults.
The flathead catfish is the second largest catfish and can be caught with no size limit, but there is a daily possession limit of 5.
10) Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)
The gizzard shad is a member of the Dorosomatidae (gizzard shads and sardinellas) family, which is within the Clupeiformes (herrings) order. They have a herring-like body colored in silver hues with a white belly and a dark spot behind the gill opening. The snout is rounded, and the upper jaw protrudes slightly past the short lower jaw. They lack teeth on the jaw and tongue.
The gizzard shad inhabits most kinds of quiet open waters like reservoirs and lakes. They prefer warm-to-temperate waters, spawning in temperatures between 50 – 70°F (10 – 21°C), during which period each female lays around 380,000 eggs. The young gizzard shads become sexually mature around 2 to 3 years of age. They feed on both plankton and zooplankton, with themselves being preyed upon by many larger species. Therefore, they have the potential to impact both the lower parts of the food chain and the upper through their abundance.
Gizzard shad are often used as bait fish for more charismatic sport fish and can be caught in the Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees. However, it is important to note that the fish can be used as bait only in the water body from which it was caught.
11) Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)
The green sunfish is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. They have a slender, laterally compressed body, which is typically a greenish-brown, and they are usually slightly more elongated than other panfish. They have irregular blue-green lines running from the mouth vertically across the body, and the operculum is black with a faint orange outline. They do not grow as large as other species of sunfish; however, they are often still misidentified.
The global population is stable throughout the native range. They are popular fish for recreational fishing and have been successfully introduced to areas of northern Mexico. The species was most recently assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2018, where it was listed as ‘Least Concern’.
The green sunfish is ecologically important for urban streams, as it has proved to be highly tolerant to the adverse factors that freshwater species often face in urban environments. They occur in many different types of water bodies and are highly adaptable. This also leads to the species being considered an invasive threat in some parts of its non-native range, as it outcompetes the native species through predation.
12) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
The largemouth bass is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. The charismatic species has a distinct lateral line from its snout to the base of its tail, which has landed it the nickname ‘line side’ in some areas. They have a large mouth with a protruding lower jaw. Its two dorsal fins barely come together; the first contains 10 spines and the second between 12 and 14 soft rays. The caudal fin contains none of the bright colors that smallmouth bass juveniles possess.
Due to its popularity as a game fish, the largemouth bass has been introduced widely beyond its native waters and is now considered cosmopolitan. As its Latin name suggests (salmoides) this species is salmon or trout-like, both in gameness and food quality, and is often called trout in the South. Anglers should be aware of a combined daily limit of 6 fish (combined with smallmouth bass) and a state-wide size limit restricting catches over 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) to 1 per person. In the surrounding rivers and streams, either of these species must be 14 inches (35.6 centimeters) or longer.
13) Longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis)
The longear sunfish is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family and is characterized by its prominent opercular flap. Even the Latin name ‘megalotis’, literally ‘great ear’, is an ode to this feature. Beyond the ear, this sunfish is similar to other members of the family with a deep, laterally compressed body colored olive to brown. Eight to ten vertical bars might be visible. The dorsal side and flanks are speckled with yellow, orange, and blue. The chest and belly are yellow to red, and the colors of the whole body are especially prominent in breeding males.
The longear sunfish was most recently assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2018, where it was listed as ‘Least Concern’. The evaluation was based on the relatively stable trend over the past 10 years combined with the current large global population and many thriving subpopulations. They prefer clear slow-moving streams with heavy vegetation and shallow waters, but they can be found in some reservoirs.
In Oklahoma, the longear sunfish is known as an abundant, energetic panfish. With their small stature, it’s easy to overlook them, but with their striking colors and surprising ferocity, this fish can be a fun challenge.
14) Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
The redear sunfish is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family and is among the most common fish in Oklahoma. This species is characterized by a colorful outer margin on the opercular flap, which is red in males and orange in females. They have a deep, laterally compressed body just like other sunfish, with a brown to green color that darkens toward the dorsal side and lightens toward the belly.
Redear sunfish predominantly feed on snails, which has earned them the common name ‘shellcracker’. Due to this part of their biology, they are less likely to approach bait near the surface. In addition to snails, they also feed on other aquatic invertebrates. While redear sunfish can learn to rely on other prey opportunities, the specialization in mollusks is something that biologists refer to as niche partitioning. During niche partitioning, an array of species, such as the sunfishes here, part the available niche into sectors and each or some of the species specialize. Specialization allows a species to better utilize a certain resource, but it can also become its weakness if that resource becomes limited. However, due to niche partitioning, a lot of different species of sunfish can thrive in the same reservoir.
15) Sauger (Sander canadensis)
The sauger is a member of the Percidae (perches) family, in the ‘Sander’ genus, which it was changed to from Stizostedion in 2003. The body is elongated and almost cylindrical, adorned with two dorsal fins. While the rays are spiny in the first and soft in the second, the second dorsal fin starts with 1 – 2 spines. The anal fin also contains 2 spines, and the mouth contains strong, sharp teeth. The dorsal side is brown to gray, fading down the sides toward a white belly. The sides and belly are speckled with dark spots, and 4 dark areas can be found across the back. The eyes have a reflective layer called ‘tapetum lucidum’, which causes them to glow in the dark.
Here, saugers co-occur with the closely related walleye, and in areas where these live sympatrically, they can spontaneously hybridize. The hybrid between a sauger and a walleye is known as a saugeye; this hybrid is popular as a stocked gamefish. While some of these individuals are sterile, that’s not the truth for all of them, and the fertile members can cross with each other and either parental species.
The sauger is a popular game fish, therefore anglers should be aware of a minimum length requirement of 14 inches (35.6 centimeters), and together with walleye and the hybrid species saugeye, 6 individuals can be caught each day.
16) Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
The smallmouth bass is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family with striking red or orange eyes. They have a slender, slightly laterally compressed body, which is typically brown to olive. The sides are lighter and covered in bronze reflections. The vertical bars are faint and often fade even more in adults. They usually have three dark bands across the chin, one crossing through the eye.
Smallmouth bass, like other sunfishes, build nests; nests are built by males, who initiate construction just before the water temperatures reach the lower limit for spawning. This way, the males are ready when the females arrive. The males primarily build the nests in the early morning; however, it takes them anywhere between 4 and 48 hours to complete. Anecdotal observations speak of ‘practice nests’, where each male constructs more than one nest before deciding on one.
The smallmouth bass is one of the lake’s game fish. Anglers should be aware of a combined daily limit of 6 fish (combined with largemouth bass) and a state-wide size limit restricting catches over 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) to 1 per person. In the surrounding rivers and streams, either of these species must be 14 inches (35.6 centimeters) or longer.
17) Spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus)
The spotted bass is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. They have a slender, somewhat laterally compressed body with an olive to brown color on the dorsal sides, which wanes down the flanks. The lateral line is covered in dark blotches, below which dark spots come in rows as pearls on multiple strings. This pattern is where the ‘punctulatus’ part of the Latin name stems from. They can be difficult to distinguish from similar species, however, the mouth hinges in such a way that it draws a line straight to the back edge of the eye.
The spotted bass thrives in habitats somewhat between those of the largemouth bass and the smallmouth bass, however, all three species often live sympatrically. The spotted bass can be found in places too turbid for the largemouth and waters too warm for the smallmouth. They are common in vegetated areas in a range of freshwater systems. While they do show tolerance to high salinity, they are rarely found in coastal marshes.
Spotted bass is a game fish in Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, and there is neither a daily catch limit nor a size limit to heed.
18) Walleye (Sander vitreus)
The walleye is a member of the Percidae (perches) family, with an elongated, almost cylindrical body. The large mouth extends almost to the back of the eye and contains sharp, canine-like teeth. The teeth on the pharyngeal arches are slightly pointed backward. The dorsal side is olive-brown to brassy-yellow. The sides are covered in faded dark spots. Like the closely related sauger, its eyes glow in the dark, due to a reflective layer called ‘tapetum lucidum’. The second dorsal and caudal fins sport rows of dark spots.
Female walleyes are often larger and heavier than their similarly-aged male counterparts. Despite this, the males tend to become sexually mature a year before the females: calendar year 3 vs 4. The walleye is an opportunistic aquatic predator, consuming both fish of various species and larger invertebrates, and despite it being a larger species in freshwater systems, they tend to form loose groups especially while they feed or spawn.
The walleye is a popular game fish in Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees. The minimum length requirement is 14 inches (35.6 centimeters), and together with sauger and the hybrid species saugeye, 6 individuals can be caught each day.
19) Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus)
The warmouth is a small to medium member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. They have a deep, laterally compressed body, which is brown with vertical bars or dots along the scale rows. They have three to five distinct dark lines running from the red eyes over the sides of the head. The mouth is large with pointed teeth on both the upper and lower jaw, and another pad with teeth mid-tongue. The two dorsal fins, one spiny and one with soft rays appear as one, and it lacks a basal spot commonly found in other closely related species. It was originally given its own genus Chaenobryttus, but in 1970 the close similarity to sunfish of the genus Lepomis was noted, and Chaenobryttus is now considered subgeneric.
The warmouth is native to the southeastern states and has been introduced widely to freshwater systems in the western states. While the species has gone extinct in some small areas of the native range, the current population trend is stable. Therefore, when it was most recently assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2019, it was listed as ‘Least concern’.
20) White bass (Morone chrysops)
The white bass is a member of the Moronidae (temperate basses) family and it is the official state fish of Oklahoma. With their silver flanks covered by dark horizontal bars, they are somewhat similar in appearance to striped bass, though much smaller. However, the two species hybridize leading to the striped bass hybrid, which can also be caught here. The most certain way to distinguish the white bass from the other 2 species is by the tooth patches on its tongue: the white bass has one heart-shaped patch, and the others have two tooth patches.
There is no size or daily catch limit on this game fish, but for the striped bass and the hybrid, the daily limit is 5 and 20 respectively, with a state-wide size limit for the hybrids restricting the catch to no more than 5 fish over 20 inches (51 centimeters).
The white bass is native to the eastern states. It has gone extinct in certain areas of Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota, but has been introduced both within and outside of its native range. The species is stocked in the Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees.
21) White crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
The white crappie is a member of the Centrarchidae (sunfishes) family. It has a deep, laterally compressed body like other panfish. The mouth is large with the upper jaw reaching to at least the middle of the eye, and the lower jaw reaching just past the tip of the upper jaw. White crappies have fine teeth set in their lower pharyngeal arches and brush-like pads on both jaws. Their dorsal side is dark green with blue, green, and silver reflections. Their sides are lighter in color and patterned with five to ten elusive, irregular vertical bands. Like the black crappie, the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are covered in round and oblong yellow and green spots. While the two species can seem similar, the black crappie never has vertical bands.
The white crappie is native to the eastern states and common throughout most of its range. Therefore, it is treated as a low conservation concern, and often monitoring of the population is the only action taken. Crappies are popular game fish, and when it comes to crappie fishing, anglers should be aware of a daily possession limit of 37 black and white crappie combined per person.
